Tag: Texans free agency

2 defensive free agents who could help the Texans

The Houston Texans could grab two free agent defenders who could bolster the defense in the first year for coach Lovie Smith.

The Houston Texans don’t seem that far away on defense.

Although the Texans gave up the second-most yards in the NFL last season and also the sixth-most points en route to a 4-13 finish, defensive coordinator Lovie Smith followed through with his philosophy on takeaways. The Texans were tied for the 10th-most turnovers last year with 25, the only team with a losing record to be in the top-10.

If Houston could add a couple quality free agent defenders, it may be enough to start cutting back on the yards allowed and points scored.

According to Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen from ESPN, one free agent defender who would be a good fit for Houston is Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs.

Why it makes sense: At some point GM Nick Caserio needs to find roster staples and leadership. Houston’s outlook at safety is uncertain, with Justin Reid hitting free agency. Assuming he’s healthy, Diggs is one of the game’s most underrated safeties. And he’s a native Texan. — Fowler

Scheme fit: Diggs is a back-end playmaker with the transition speed to drive top-down on the ball in Lovie Smith’s core Cover looks. Plus, he can run the alley and tackle in space. And the Texans need more talent in the secondary. — Bowen

The other free agent the Texans should sign in the duo’s opinion is Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. The Cowboys took a “prove it” approach with their former 2018 first-round pick in 2021 and declined to pick up his fifth-year option. The former Boise State product tallied 77 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, a quarterback hit, 1.0 sack, an interception, and two pass breakups through 17 games, 16 of which he started. However, rookie Micah Parsons stole the show with a defensive rookie of the year performance.

In Houston, Vander Esch could play as a run-stopper, which is key in Smith’s scheme. The Texans got a career year out of Kamu Grugier-Hill with 108 combined tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, 3.0 sacks, three pass breakups, an interception, and three forced fumbles through 14 starts. The Texans also have 2021 fifth-rounder Garret Wallow waiting in the wings.

4 free agent tight ends the Texans should consider

Tight end is a position of upside for the Houston Texans, but here are four free agents they should take a look at.

Talent acquisition and roster construction never stops with the Houston Texans.

As the Texans are coming off a 4-13 finish and seek to complete the rebuild over the course of the 2022 offseason, one area where Houston may need to dip into the free agency pool is at tight end.

The Texans spent a fifth-rounder on Brevin Jordan in 2021. The Miami product caught 20 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns in nine games, two of which he started. Houston has to find a way to develop Jordan while also shoring up the position.

Here are four free agent tight ends that could help the roster.

4 free agent quarterbacks the Texans should consider

The Houston Texans need to sign a quarterback to backup or compete with Davis Mills. Here are four free agents the team should consider.

The Houston Texans have a variety of positions they need to fill across their roster.

Believe it or not, even with rookie Davis Mills providing an optimistic 2-3 record down the stretch, quarterback remains a need for the Texans. Tyrod Taylor is a free agent, and Jeff Driskel converted to tight end in the middle of the season.

If Houston goes after a backup quarterback in free agency, they need a veteran who can give Mills a legitimate challenge in camp to take the starting job.

Here are four free agents who fit the bill. Contract details are provided by Spotrac.

Will the Texans’ roster inconsistencies affect S Justin Reid in free agency?

The Houston Texans roster inconsistencies may affect safety Justin Reid when he decides where to go in 2022 free agency.

HOUSTON — For a team that has seen a significant amount of turnover since 2018, Justin Reid has been the definition of consistency for the Houston Texans. When healthy, Reid has started 48 out of 52 career games at safety after the Texans selected the Stanford prodigy in the third-round (68th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

But with the team sitting at 1-8 on the season amid his pending free agency this offseason, the final eight games of the 2021 campaign could be a swan song for Reid when the Texans return from their bye.

“That’s going to come whenever the offseason comes,” Reid said. “We’ve still got nine weeks left. I’m going to tackle the nine weeks. Those conversations are going to be had in February, and we’re just going to have to figure it out then.”

Following the Texans’ 17-9 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Reid described the season as a roller coaster. With the loss at Hard Rock Stadium, the Texans have now dropped eight consecutive games and possessed a 5-20 record dating back to Reid’s third season with the team in 2020.

During Reid’s first two seasons in Houston, the Texans held a 21-11 record with back-to-back playoff appearances.

Reid attributed the continuous personnel changes to the roster as a significant reason behind the Texans’ struggles this season. He says it’s difficult for players — including himself — to find a groove while on the field with changes to the lineup every week.

Although he acknowledges that change is a part of the NFL business, it appears that the never-ending revolving cycle is starting to become tedious to Reid.

Prior to the start of the season, Reid said he has never had the same starting partner in the backfield in the four seasons he has been a Texan. Through the first nine games of this season, Reid has started alongside Lonnie Johnson Jr., Eric Murray and A.J. Moore.

“This is the first time we’ve had all these guys play together on the same team, so a lot of it is chemistry-related,” Reid said Monday. “Guys moving around on the rotation on the starting lineup, too. It has kind of slowed down the chemistry a bit, too. That’s just part of the growth process of us building a new team.”

It is unknown whether or not Reid and the organization have had extension talks, but the 24-year-old safety will become an unrestricted free agent in March.

If negotiations stall, the Texans can place the franchise tag on Reid. But it may take a massive pay raise to keep an unsettled Reid in Houston beyond the 2021 season.

“I think we are still just trying to find the right formula to put the right guys out there and the right combination to go out and put the best product on the field, and see if we can score touchdowns on offense and stop touchdowns on defense,” he said.

“I just play my role – whatever they ask me to do what part, free safety, strong safety. Whatever that is, I’m up for it to help the team get to our ultimate goal of winning and that’s what I do. I focus on my part.”

Ranking the Texans’ draft needs post free agency

The Houston Texans’ spending spree in free agency also revealed what holes need to be addressed in the NFL draft.

The Houston Texans have filled out their roster with what general manager Nick Caserio considered “singles and doubles” in free agency. Now that the signing period has died down, the Texans can focus on the draft.

Houston’s problems with the draft are manifold. Firstly, they don’t have but one pick in the top-100 at No. 67 overall in Round 3. Additionally, there was a reason they went 4-12 and why they have a new coach and new general manager; they’re awful and in need of a rebuild. The Texans probably don’t have a position they can afford to avoid, except possibly tackle, tight end, and running back.

Here is a ranking of the Texans’ draft needs after free agency as identified by Mark Schofield of the Touchdown Wire. It comes with a caveat. If the Texans can pull off a blockbuster trade involving Deshaun Watson, and they are still picking for the first time in the third round, quarterback is not a big need. It would be best to wait until 2022 to fix it and ride out the team’s 20th season of existence with Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Finely.

Grading the Texans’ 2021 NFL free agency signings

The Houston Texans made a bevy of moves in free agency. Here is a grade for each acquisition.

The Houston Texans were very active in free agency, making a series of signings to bolster their roster, which is also seeing a transition from the 3-4 defense to the Tampa-2 scheme with a 4-3 front.

In keeping with general manager Nick Caserio’s theme of “hitting singles and doubles” in free agency, the signings will be graded accordingly with the same baseball theme.

Texans agree to sign former Browns CB Tavierre Thomas to 2-year contract

The Houston Texans have agreed to terms to sign former Cleveland Browns cornerback Tavierre Thomas to a 2-year contract.

Cal McNair was right: the Houston Texans aren’t Patriots South.

They’re Cleveland Browns South.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Texans have agreed to terms to sign former Browns cornerback Tavierre Thomas to a two-year contract.

Thomas played in 45 games for the Browns over three seasons, starting in three of them. The former Ferris State product collected 47 combined tackles, 1.0 sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and two tackles for loss. However, his play in the transition phase of the game may have caught general manager Nick Caserio’s attention.

“Thomas is a great special teams player, one of the best gunners and return game blockers in the NFL,” Browns Wire managing editor Jeff Risdon said. “As a cornerback he’s kind of stiff and looks anxious, but he’s made a name for himself as an undrafted rookie by being very good on special teams and a good locker room presence.”

The Texans have also agreed to terms with cornerback Terrance Mitchell and linebacker Tae Davis, both previously with the Browns.

Houston Texans 2021 free agency tracker: Everything we know

The Houston Texans are making a flurry of moves in 2021 NFL free agency. Keep up with all of the moves with this handy tracker.

The Houston Texans were very active in free agency. Although they did not have much cap space to work with, the evidence points to general manager Nick Caserio going with solid, dependable veterans to bolster the depth of the roster.

Here is a list of the Texans’ free agency moves.

Texans place original-round tender on DT P.J. Hall

The Houston Texans have placed the original-round tender on former Oakland Raiders 2018 second-round defensive tackle P.J. Hall.

The Houston Texans are willing to give P.J. Hall another year with the team even amid the new regime.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans have placed an original-round tender on the defensive tackle, who will turn 26 on April 5. The Oakland Raiders drafted Hall in Round 2 of the 2018 NFL draft from Sam Houston State.

Hall’s tender is $2.133 million.

The 6-0, 305-pound defensive tackle was one of the few bright spots for the Texans during their 4-12 campaign in 2020. Hall provided 34 combined tackles, 1.0 sack, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits in 10 games, nine of which he started.

Hall, who went to high school at Seguin High School, about 40 miles outside of San Antonio, was renewed when he came to the Texans due to Houston’s proximity to his family.

“It’s definitely more comfortable,” Hall told reporters on Oct. 16, 2020. “It feels great knowing that like my family’s here. I’m from Seguin, so it’s two and a half hours down the road. It just feels like I’m back at home, like this is fresh air, like a fresh start. Everything’s going perfect.”

Hall gets another fresh start with the Texans, who are switching to a Tampa-2 scheme with a 4-3 front under new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.

Benardrick McKinney thanks Texans; ‘Houston will forever be called home’

Former Houston Texans inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney took to Twitter to thank the organization and city he will forever call home.

Former Houston Texans inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney may be starting a new chapter with another NFL team, but the former 2018 Pro Bowler took to Twitter Monday to thank his original draft team.

McKinney posted on Twitter an image of him running out onto the field ahead of the Texans’ Sept. 29, 2019, tilt with the Carolina Panthers at NRG Stadium. The linebacker seems to be pointing to a graphic stating “Thank you Houston” while he captions it by saying that, “Houston will forever be called home.”

On Sunday, the Texans and Miami Dolphins agreed to swap draft picks and linebackers as Houston receives edge defender Shaq Lawson in the exchange.

The Dolphins will benefit from McKinney’s leadership, which the Texans will have to find a way to replace in new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s Tampa-2 scheme.

“He’s a real good leader, good communicator out there,” Romeo Crennel said on Oct. 14, 2020, when he was the interim coach. “He kind of runs the defense… He could get the linemen lined up, he can help with adjustments. He did it all. Plus, he’s a really good player.”

The Texans drafted McKinney in Round 2 of the 2015 NFL draft from Mississippi State. McKinney recorded three seasons of 100-plus combined tackles with Houston (2016, 2018-19).

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