If its been posted already, lock it up. http://espn.go.com/nfl/hot?id=6548175 Texans revamped D needs him Clayton By John Clayton ESPN.com Archive The Houston Texans had the youngest secondary in football last season. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst in NFL history, giving up 4,499 yards, second-worst ever. Quarterbacks had a 100.5 quarterback rating against the Texans. More than any team in football, the Texans need Nnamdi Asomugha, the longtime Raiders cornerback who will be available when free agency opens. They have an owner, Bob McNair, who could pay him. They have a defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, who would know how to use him. Plus, Asomugha is good enough to help the younger defensive backs get better. He's the perfect fit coming at the perfect time. Coach Gary Kubiak is beloved by Texans ownership, but everyone knows Kubiak needs to get this franchise over the top and into the playoffs to keep his job. That's why McNair hired Phillips, who has a history of making one-year fixes on defenses and getting them shaped up for the playoffs. Injuries handicapped Asomugha last season, but he had only 13 passes completed on him in 14 starts, none for touchdowns. Kareem Jackson, the Texans' first-round pick last season, had 50 passes completed against him. Asomugha has had only 52 passes completed against him in the past three seasons. Giving Phillips a cornerback who can shut down one side of the field would grant him the freedom to come up with plenty of blitzes. That's particularly important in allowing Mario Williams to adjust from being a defensive end to a weakside linebacker in a 5-2 alignment. People wonder how Williams will handle dropping into coverage. If Asomugha had Williams' back, no one would have to worry about Williams in coverage. Williams can rush the quarterback, and having better coverage would force opposing quarterbacks to make decisions faster. Having Asomugha to match up against Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne is important. Although the Texans finally showed they could beat the Colts last year, the AFC South is still the Colts' division. It still might be if the Texans sign Asomugha, but his addition would help narrow the gap. This is an important season for the Texans to advance and challenge the Colts. The Titans are in transition -- Mike Munchak has replaced Jeff Fisher as coach, and Jake Locker is being developed as their franchise quarterback. The Jaguars' roster remains in transition, and Jack Del Rio must decide whether he wants to keep David Garrard as the starter or turn everything over to rookie Blaine Gabbert. Signing Asomugha is a no-brainer.
Saw a Chris Mortensen report on ESPN the other night about where'd he land...the Texans weren't even mentioned. That's certainly not dispositive, but I was surprised their name wasn't mentioned.
To tell you the truth I would really be surprised if he came to the texans, but I thought it was awesome that we were actually mentioned as a destination. If he does come to the texans, our defense would be just as SCARY as our offense .
I'd like to see him go to Houston because he's one of my all time favorites. Do I think it will happen? Not likely. But it would be cool. My money is on Philly.
If I was him I'd want to go to Philly, they've always had 2 solid corners but lately their secondary hasn't been as stable as it has during the Reid era. Add in that explosive offense and you've got a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
He eats at James Coney Island, and everything. He is the change we want to have happen. I hear if you touch him on the arm, it cures lupus and smallpox.
Not to mention that rumor where his daddy, O.A "Bum" Phillips, has been secretly giving him "walking on water" lessons.
My dad always said that you can wish in one hand, **** in the other, and see which one fills up quicker.
LOL for anyone who thinks he's our defensive savior...His signing will just expose the other side of the field as horrendous.....But he'll get all the credit for being the ultimate "shutdown corner".....Not saying he isnt great, but I wouldnt throw his way neither when I can throw all damn day on the other side!!!
But if you KNOW they can only throw to one side of the field, all you have to do is send blitzes, and load that side with more coverage, and everything gets tougher. Nobody is saying that Aso would be the savior, but he would sure as hell get us a lot closer to the promised land than ever before. I think if he's at all receptive to the idea of coming here, you throw your bankroll at him, and see if it sticks.
Yeah, I'll take the risk. The alternative is being afraid to upgrade with a shutdown corner. Shutdown corners make everyone in the secondary look better and give the line more time to work.
If Clayton lived in Houston, he would already realize that the Texan Way is to perpetually build through the draft, not throw money at FA's. They probably will not even contact the guy. Besides, signing him would be too traumatic to the defense and might impede the growth of Jackson, Harris and Carmichael.
TBH, if Aso came to Houston on a big contract, he would either get injured or just suck terribly. It's the Texans' luck.
