Tag: Secondary

Texans 2020 NFL draft target: Clemson CB A.J. Terrell

The Houston Texans need help at cornerback, and one prospect in the 2020 NFL draft they should consider is Clemson CB A.J. Terrell.

The Houston Texans spent a second-round pick on cornerback Lonnie Johnson in the 2019 NFL draft, but they could still stand to get younger at the position.

Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell announced Friday his intention to to declare for the 2020 NFL draft. If the former CFP National Champion enters the draft, he could be a prospect the Texans target as they look to get younger and more talented in the secondary.

The Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling projects Terrell to stick around for Day 2 at the latest, which is where the Texans will first have a chance to grab him in the second round.

Coming off yet another trip to the College Football Playoff and the National Championship Game, Terrell helped lead one of the nation’s most talented defenses. His combination of size, length and athleticism should make him one of the first players off the board at his position. Terrell should come off the board on Day 2, at the latest, when draft weekend rolls around.

Two of the Texans’ biggest playmakers are products of Dabo Swinney’s coaching in receiver DeAndre Hopkins and quarterback Deshaun Watson. Defensive tackle D.J. Reader, a Pro Bowl alternate who has routinely been praised by coach Bill O’Brien and defensive end J.J. Watt alike, was also a standout at Clemson. Throw in defensive end Carlos Watkins, and it is safe to say that Clemson produces the right kind of guys that the Texans look for.

Terrell earned first-team ACC honors as a junior in 2019 as he collected 34 tackles, two interceptions, and three pass breakups in 14 games. The Texans currently have starter Johnathan Joseph about to enter his 15th season and at age 36 years old and also have Bradley Roby out of contract as they signed him to a one-year prove-it deal in 2019 free agency.

Adding Terrell, at 6-1, 190 pounds, would give the Texans better physicality at the position, much like what they have in Johnson, who is 6-3, along with youth.

Broncos release safety Dymonte Thomas

The Broncos have released safety Dymonte Thomas.

The Denver Broncos released 26-year-old safety Dymonte Thomas this week, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Thomas (6-2, 199 pounds) entered the league as a college free agent out of Michigan with the Broncos in 2017. Thomas spent most of his rookie season on Denver’s practice squad, dressing for just three games in 2017.

In 2018, Thomas emerged as a key special teams contributor and rotational defensive back. He dressed for 12 games that season, totaling 12 tackles, one sack and one interception. Thomas also had one pass breakup in 2018.

When the Broncos made final roster cuts last summer, Thomas was waived/injured and placed on the team’s injured reserve list. After spending the entire 2019 season on reserve, Thomas is now a free agent.

After moving on from Thomas, Denver’s remaining safeties under contract are Kareem Jackson, Trey Marshall, P.J. Locke, Tyvis Powell and Kahani Smith. Justin Simmons and Will Parks are set to become unrestricted free agents in March. Parks’ future is unclear — Simmons will be a high priority for the Broncos’ front office this offseason.

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Texans are counting on S Jahleel Addae to fill void Tashaun Gipson leaves behind

The Houston Texans secondary is counting on safety Jahleel Addae to step up in the aftermath of safety Tashaun Gipson going on injured reserve.

The Houston Texans secondary took quite the hit on Tuesday when it was announced that safety Tashaun Gipson was going to injured reserve.

The former Pro Bowler sustained a transverse process fracture in his back. Without Gipson starting alongside second-year safety Justin Reid, the Texans will have to rely more on Jahleel Addae to fill the void.

“He’s played quite a bit and done a nice job for us,” defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said of Addae on Wednesday .”We’ve used him in several different spots. So, I like what he brings to the table.”

Addae produced 42 tackles, two interceptions, and three pass breakups in his 16 games with the Texans, three of which he started.

With Gipson out of the lineup, the Texans will have to find a suitable replacement to cover tight ends. Crennel knows that only time will disclose the truth.

“Only time will tell, but he was a starter and he made plays in the game,” said Crennel. “He helped us, so we’ll have to see how that goes. We still have experienced players that can play on the back end and we’ll have to see how they play and if it impacts us positively or negatively.”

Gipson collected 51 tackles, three interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and eight pass breakups in his 14 games for Houston, all of which he started.

What Addae does bring to the secondary is playoff experience. With the Chargers franchise, the former 2013 undrafted safety from Central Michigan played in four postseason games, collecting 32 tackles, two for losses, forcing a fumble, and recovering another.

The Texans could use that level of playmaking when they take on the Buffalo Bills at 3:35 p.m. CT on Saturday at NRG Stadium. Houston seeks their first playoff win since Jan. 7, 2017, while the Bills are long-suffering after experiencing their last on Dec. 30, 1995.

Will the secondary spoil the Texans’ playoff run?

The Houston Texans secondary has been a liability according to advanced statistics. Will the secondary be Houston’s downfall versus the Buffalo Bills?

The Houston Texans are in the playoffs for the second year in a row, and want to avoid last year’s fate when they were knocked out of the wild-card round by the Indianapolis Colts.

However, there may be one position group that could compromise their efforts to defeat the Buffalo Bills Saturday at 3:35 p.m. CT.

According to Doug Farrar of the Touchdown Wire, the Texans’ secondary is bottom tier and the one element he picks as Houston’s fatal flaw.

The Texans finished the regular season with the worst DVOA of any playoff team, and a lower DVOA than six non-playoff teams: the Rams, Buccaneers, Bears, Colts, Falcons and Steelers. Houston also has allowed the most touchdown passes of any playoff team with 33 — the Saints are next with 27, and only the Raiders, Redskins, Cardinals and Dolphins have allowed more overall. Head coach/de facto general manager Bill O’Brien and his crew have certainly tried to fix the problem, bringing Vernon Hargreaves III and Gareon Conley in during the season to augment a cornerback group that hasn’t done much.

The cornerback group faced injuries throughout the season with starters Johnathan Joseph and Bradley Roby missing time. Both are questionable against the Bills with hamstring injuries.

If Roby and Joseph can’t go, then the Texans will have to rely on Hargreaves and Conley to get the job done. Rookie cornerback Lonnie Johnson provided some relief for the Texans in the middle of the year as injuries hit the cornerback group, but has seen his playing time relegated to special teams after returning from a concussion along with the addition of Hargreaves, who the Texans claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

John Brown and Cole Beasley are the Bills’ two receiving threats. If the Texans can shut them down, even with their fatally flawed secondary, it should be enough to lift Houston out of the wild-card round.

Todd McShay NFL mock draft 1.0: Broncos select DB Grant Delpit

In his 2020 NFL mock draft 1.0, ESPN’s Todd McShay predicts the Broncos will select LSU safety Grant Delpit in the first round.

Todd McShay’s 2020 NFL mock draft 1.0 for ESPN has the Denver Broncos selecting LSU safety Grant Delpit in the first round (subscription required for link). In McShay’s mock, Georiga offensive tackle Andrew Thomas goes off the board to the New York Jets at No. 7 before Denver picks at No. 12.

One could argue that offensive tackle is one of the Broncos’ biggest needs this offseason but McShay noted that safety Justin Simmons and cornerback Chris Harris are both set to become free agents in 2020. McShay apparently hasn’t taken into consideration that the team has been hinting that Simmons will get a contract extension.

McShay did acknowledge that safety is just a “moderate need” before pointing out that there isn’t an offensive tackle who fits at No. 12. Of course, Denver’s draft order could change between now and the end of the season.

McShay’s first mock draft last year had the Broncos selecting Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown late in the first round. His final mock draft of 2019 had Denver selecting Missouri quarterback Drew Lock. The Broncos did select Lock, but it was in the second round, not the first.

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