http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/nfl/206087/football-headlines?r=1 NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora reports the Texans do indeed plan to pursue Nnamdi Asomugha in free agency. LaCanfora backs up defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' promise that the Texans will aggressively target defensive needs this summer. The front office and coaching staff feel pressure to "finally break through" with the first playoff berth in franchise history, and the first step is fixing the league's worst secondary. LaConfora expects Johnathan Joseph to be a fallback option. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh, who played under Phillips in Dallas, could be targeted as well.
[CynicalMax] Also, Daryl Morey is trying to move up in the draft [/CynicalMax] I really don't want to be CynicalMax. It's just very difficult not to be given the state of Houston sports....which feel like my personal screening of Groundhog Day. I hope the report is correct. I hope they will at least make a good effort to acquire a guy like this.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...for-texans-in-free-agency?module=HP_headlines The NFL lockout hasn't done the Houston Texans any favors. For all of the talk about how the labor strife has impacted rookie players and rookie head coaches, the Texans also are in bind as they look to switch to a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Wade Phillips and, more to the point, change the entire culture on that side of the ball. There is significant pressure on the franchise to finally break through and reach the playoffs, and that task is only compounded by all of the teaching, learning and bonding time lost because of the lockout. That's all the more reason for the Texans to be aggressive in free agency, and all the more reason for them to target specific areas of the defense. The Texans indeed are prepared to be aggressive in free agency, according to league sources, and will be among the teams pursuing All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. While awaiting a collective bargaining agreement and new free-agency rules, it's very difficult to gauge the market and how high the price for a top cornerback will go. But look for the Texans to closely monitor that market and determine if the price point on Asomugha fits their budget. The secondary is an area in need of upgrade, and the Texans routinely have been willing to spend under dedicated owner Bob McNair. So they will target that area in free agency. A year ago, the Texans let cornerback Dunta Robinson go, a move that was understandable given concerns about his injury history and his salary spiraling on the open market (he signed a six-year, $57 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons). Houston made a concerted push to land free-agent cornerback Leigh Bodden but ultimately lost out as he remained in New England. Asomugha is far and away the premier cornerback available this year, but the Bengals' Jonathan Joseph is another option. Houston also is looking for safety help, and Gerald Sensabaugh is a logical free-agent candidate. I expect the Texans to make a bid for him as well. Sensabaugh has strong ties to Phillips through their time together in Dallas and knows the coach's system well. Sensabaugh could help teach it to others, with time of the essence after the lockout ends. Adding a shutdown corner and a dependable safety will be imperative for a Houston team that has fallen prey to critical breakdowns at crucial times and a defense that has yielded shocking amounts of yardage and points far too often. Change is needed, and Phillips will look to shake up the make-up and attitude of that unit whenever the market finally opens.
i take this as good news, considering we normally don't hear a peep from the huge outlets about going after free agents. Occasionally we'll hear about some interest after the fact, but never a big deal like this before. That said, I still think it's a longshot we make the best offer and/or he chooses us. If he does, Mcnair/Smith will look genius for skimping on Dunta and using that money on Nnamdi. BTW, shouldn't the thread title source be credited to NFL.com or La Canfora? It bugs me when people use these blogs/intermediaries as sources.
I'd be pumped if he signed here...but I can't go there with you. They wasted 2010 by fielding the worst secondary I've ever seen.
Agreed. By "look genius" I didn't necessarily mean that they are genius nor did they have anything like this in mind when they let him go. But the reality of it would be that we are overpaying the best corner in football, rather than a slightly above average corner. If they're blind squirrels, maybe this will be their found nut.
The season would have been a waste with or without a good secondary. AJ was hampered all season with an ankle injury. Barwin got hurt on seemingly the first play of the season. Demeco got injured within a handful of games. Cushing was suspended for 4 games. So was our starting left tackle. Everything happens for a reason. We wouldn't have been able to draft the caliber of players we got with a 8-8 or 9-7 season. Joseph isn't exactly a shabby player either..
with a middle of the road defense last year, we're absolutely a playoff team. we had the best running back in the game....for being "hampered", AJ was still a beast and the best receiver in the game. our QB was healthy all season long. no team goes an entire season without some injuries. had they been able to stop anyone in the air....and not created the Rule of 21...they would absolutely have been a playoff team last season.
disagree brother. with one of the worst secondarys of all time, we had many winnable games that would've been wins with even a passable secondary.
Our pass rush was horrendous. Our linebackers couldn't cover a tight end if their lives depended on it and our offense only showed up for one half per game. My point is that we are closer to being contenders now bc of the pathetic season which was made possible by injuries and suspensions all over the field. I even forgot about accounting for Mario Williams' injury in my last post.
he's not saying they'd be world-beaters. he's not saying they'd be super bowl contenders or a flawless team. hell, i don't think there is a flawless team. but to field the worst passing defense of all time just throws everyone else under the bus, entirely.
Thank God. Adding either Asomugah or Joseph along with a competent safety and Wade Phillips at the helm = playoffs.
By that standard, they should just keep sucking every season so they can be in better position to be contenders the following season.
All I'm saying is that we're closer to winning a SB this summer than last. We would be one and done in the playoffs with Mario, Barwin, and Demeco injured. The season before last was a completely different story though. The old saying is that your secondary is only as good as your defensive line. Mark Anderson was our best pass rusher left. Nuff said.
It goes hand in hand. What good is a monstrous DL if everybody in coverage gets beat within the first 5 steps? And no reliable help over the top to boot. Did the jets get two goal line touchdowns because Mark Anderson and Mario Williams failed at creating pressure in 1.5 second's time?
I disagree, Mario and Antonio were both in the top 10 in QB hurries. You can't put pressure on the QB if the receivers are open 1 step into their routes. If Kareem Jackson is a starter, it wont matter who else is back there with him, they will suck
Mario was battling a sports hernia for a good part of the season and finally called it quits in week 14. The secondary didn't make 2 of our all-pro defensive players get hurt and miss around 14 games. Cushing missing the first four games and not having any rhythm at the mike after Demeco's injury didn't exactly help either. All of these factors contributed to having one of the worst defenses of all-time. http://www.battleredblog.com/2010/10/12/1746399/statistically-breaking-down-the-houston-pass-defense 23/32 in sacks last season. Couldn't find where we ranked in hurries.
and how do you know this??? our rookies haven't even touched the field yet, so how in god's name do you have any clue that we're better off now then we would've been had we won a couple more games and making the playoffs???? i just don't understand how there are still texans fans who place so much faith in a franchise that has done NOTHING in 9 years... it's the exact definition of blind homerism.
