A year ago to the day, a Texans legend was cut: JJ Watt. A year later, the franchise is nothing more than a field of ruins, on which Lovie Smith has been tasked with building a team that holds up. It’s also time for Houston to move on, and put the Deshaun Watson saga behind them, even though the quarterback is under contract until 2025.
The owners
1. Brandin Cooks (WR)
2. Laremy Tunsil (OT)
3. Jonathan Greenard (DE)
The only real offensive playmaker for the Texans, Brandin Cooks has once again proven that he is an extremely valuable player. The 2021 season has been good statistically, as he racked up 87 receptions for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns. This is the sixth time in eight career seasons that Cooks has exceeded the symbolic 1,000-yard mark, proof of his consistency in the NFL. Achieving this feat with a rookie pitcher like Davis Mills places the value of performance very high. In 2022, he should again be the priority target of his quarterback, regardless of his identity. Nick Caserio would be well advised to look into the subject of offensive skills players if he wants to advance Houston’s attack.
Yes, Laremy Tunsil cost the Texans an exorbitant price. But on the field, he is one of the best tackles in the NFL. Unfortunately for Houston, his 2021 season only lasted 5 games, before the former Dolphins injured his thumb and missed the rest of the season. But if Tunsil returns to the level of 2019 and 2020, seasons in which he achieved Pro-Bowler status, the Texans pitcher won’t have to worry about his blindside.
Difficult to find any leadership on the defense side. But Jonathan Greenard’s sophomore season is a real satisfaction. Drafted in the 3rd round upon leaving Florida, Greenard finished his rookie season with 19 tackles, one sack and 2 tackles for loss. In 2021, he compiled 33 tackles, 8 sacks (team best total), 4 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles and 9 tackles for loss. A clear improvement on a defensive line yet in great difficulty, and this for several years now. His 2022 season is going to be interesting to follow, and a better cast alongside him could allow him to shine even more.
Undesirables
1. Marcus Cannon (OT)
2. Eric Murray (S)
3. Kevin Pierre-Louis (LB)
Marcus Cannon was one of Nick Caserio’s first big acquisitions when he took over last season. Overall, it can be said that this acquisition turned out to be a failure. Admittedly, when he was on the field, the tackle was efficient, allowing only one sack. However, he only played four games before his injury sidelined him until the end of the season. Houston could release the veteran, and thus save $5.2 million, all without any compensation. In addition, it could allow Tytus Howard to regain his position as right tackle, he who failed to find his feet as a left guard last season.
The situation is the same for Kevin Pierre-Louis. The linebacker arrived like a whole group of veterans to bring his experience to the young players already present in Texas. But with only 29 defensive snaps played, it’s hard to call this signing a success. A cut would save the Texans $3.5 million in 2022.
Eric Murray hasn’t fundamentally had a bad season, and releasing the safety would mean a total overhaul of Houston’s defensive backfield. True, Murray only allowed a 62.2% completion rate when the ball is thrown in his direction, but his end to the season proved to be much more complex. After Week 12, Murray allowed a rating of 118 to quarterbacks who threw at him. That’s one reason the Texans finished 13th in passing yards conceded. Cutting Murray would save the Houston Texans $5.5 million. Other players could also be pushed out, including Ka’imi Fairbairn (K). The kicker is making the 10th-best salary in the league at his position, but not really performing as a result. The Texans might be tempted to save $2.8 million and go for a cheaper kicker.
Man of the Summer: Davis Mills (QB)
Is Davis Mills the Texans quarterback of the future? Impossible to know today, but the rookie has in any case done his best to give credibility to this option. First replacing Tyrod Taylor at the start of the season, he finally started 11 games in 2021 and obtained a passing rating of 90 or more on seven occasions. Among rookie pitchers, only Mac Jones had more. No one could have bet that coming from a 3rd round pick with limited college experience. His pocket presence and short passing game, which were highly questionable in those early games, have improved markedly over the course of the season. In the struggles the Texans have faced this season, Mills has come across as a breath of fresh air in the doldrums. With the 3rd draft pick to come, Houston could choose a new quarterback, but with the gaping holes in the entire workforce, giving Davis Mills a chance doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Unfortunately, understanding Nick Caserio’s choices turned out to be extremely complicated.
The main free agents
1. Tyrod Taylor (QB)
2. Maliek Collins (DT)
3. Justin Reid (S)
4. Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)
5. David Johnson (RB)
Also: Vincent Taylor (DT), Justin Britt (C), Geron Christian (OT), Desmond King II (CB), Christian Kirksey (LB), Neville Hewitt (LB), Chris Conley (WR), Jacob Martin (DE) …
Let’s just say it like it is: the Texans’ roster is one, if not the worst in the league. So even if it means being in full reconstruction, there is no need to use the meager financial resources available to Houston on players more expensive than their performance allows. If management thinks in this light, it should let most of the free agents go this season. The key for the Texans will be identifying which of them are worthy of a long-term contract to enter into this rebuilding process. Depending on the choice that is made on the position of quarterback, keeping Tyrod Taylor may be a good idea. The veteran has proven in the past that he is a leader and can bring to a team, even without setting foot on the pitch.
If the bulk of the work is on defense, several players may deserve a re-signature. Maliek Collins had a solid season inside the defensive line, with 29 tackles, one interception and 2.5 sacks. At 27, he can register in the long term in Houston. At only 24, Justin Reid showed him that he could become the leader of the Texans defensive backfield. His great performances make him a player to follow in the years to come. If Houston has to look at a contract extension, it’s not impossible to see other teams interested in him, and the bidding could quickly go up. Kamu Grugier-Hill, finally, can legitimately claim an important role in the reconstruction of the Texans. From a recognized special teams player, he has established himself today as a solid starting linebacker in Texas.
Top 5 Needs
1.Cornerback
2. Offensive line
3. Quarterback
4. Defensive line
5. Receiver
To be perfectly clear, the needs of the Texans are not limited to these five positions. Houston could make good use of any talented player at any position. Again, the presence of the position of quarterback in this list is only justified if the management decides that Davis Mills is not a solution for the future, in which case it would obviously become the number 1 priority. Offensively, apart from the pitcher , Houston needs playmakers. Brandin Cooks seemed lonely at the reception, despite the good season of rookies Nico Collins and Brevin Jordan. A runner would not be too much either, but it is a hole that can be filled at the end of the draft. We will also need reinforcements in the trenches, inside the offensive line in particular.
Defensively, the shortcomings are numerous, particularly in the aerial game. Lonnie Johnson Jr. is coming off a complicated season, the addition of a number 1 cornerback is essential. With 8.5 sacks, Jonathan Greenard is the team’s best pass rusher, and another threat for the quarterback would be a big plus to add pressure to the opposition’s passing game. In summary, any talented player has a place in Houston. The only downside, and it is significant, the Texans today only have 17.9 million dollars available to sign free agents, an insufficient figure to hope to weigh in the market.
Target: JC Jackson (BC)
JC Jackson is one of the best cornerbacks available this offseason, and that’s exactly what Houston needs. The Texans had one of the worst defensive backfields in the NFL in 2021 and adding Jackson would be a big breath of fresh air for that unit. The Patriots player comes from a very varied system, so he was able to evolve in several types of defense. Whether it’s zone coverage, man-to-man, blitz or run defense, JC Jackson can do it all and would be a great addition to any team. In 2021, he had 58 tackles, 8 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 1 forced fumble and 23 passes defensed (league-leading), stats that earned him a second-team All-Pro. New problem for Houston: There will be many suitors for Jackson, and the salary he could get, combined with the Texans’ status as a rebuilding team, could force Nick Caserio to look at other less expensive options, like Charvarius Ward (Chiefs), Levi Wallace (Bills) or Rasul Douglas (Packers).
New blood: Kyle Hamilton (S)
The Texans must adopt the policy of the best available player during the draft, because they have so many needs that there is not one who stands out. Thus, Kyle Hamilton could land on the side of Houston. The safety, who is considered by many to be THE best player in this vintage, should not be selected by the Jaguars or the Lions, who have other needs. Hamilton is a unique player. Much taller and heavier than the average safety (1m93 for 99 kg), the Notre Dame player can defend the race just as well, thanks to his size and power which allow him to come down close to the linebackers, as well as the pass, with a good speed for its size as well as long segments, which allow it to be a good deterrent. With his physique, he can also cover tight ends man-to-man, something that very few safeties can claim. Add to that a very good game intelligence as well as an ability to make the big plays that can change the outcome of a match, and you have a potential generational safety. If he joins Houston with the 3rd pick, Kyle Hamilton will be the highest-drafted safety since Eric Turner in 1992.
#Our Lady Safety Kyle Hamilton is a weapon in zone coverage because of his range, instincts and discipline
He can go sideline to sideline when in single-high or erase half the field in two-high. Earned 8 INTs and 16 PBUs in 31 career games. Makes the #Texans decision at 3 tough pic.twitter.com/IyuTKrL3FN
—Jordan (@Texans_Thoughts) February 9, 2022
