Just saying its been a pattern. Where did the Swearinger didn't want to play st come from? Where did the AJ didnt want to take a reduced role come from? All unsourced and unsubstantiated stuff that makes the players look bad. I'm not down on the Texans or B'ob. Just Rick Smith.
Leadership and heart don't matter. Signed, 2014-15 Houston Rockets in the second round of the playoffs.
Please don't start the Dre BS again.....the "AJ didn't want to take a reduce role" thing came from Dre when he was whining that they'd asked him to take a reduced role....remember?
He's not a good safety. I would not have called him one of the worst last season...though he was among the worst that played regularly two years ago. This is the problem with changing systems. Looks like team doesn't want a box safety. That said, he was best safety on the team...least bad might be a better word. When someone has an identity to their game..it usually translates to the player having a tangible skill that makes a positive impact (not necessarily overall..but in that one area) on the game. He was good in run support. He had an identity. Granted, I would prefer safeties to have a more passing oriented identity, but run support identity is preferable to guys that don't make a positive impact anywhere. I just hope the Texans can replace him with guys that can actually play safety. Texans need guys on the field. I more sad that the Texans feel he can't help than I do about the decision to cut him. It basically means the Texans wasted a pick drafting him. Granted, admitting the mistake and moving on is better than keeping a mistake on the roster.
Exactly, the Rockets have clearly defined leadership (Harden) and heart (Brewer), but are still losing to the better skilled team.
I don't agree with the comments about BOB needing to essentially coddle DJ if he didn't want to play special teams as has been reported. His job his to coach the guys that want to be there and that will do whatever it takes to win. If he goes to JJ Watt and says "I need you on special teams", is JJ going to say no? Heck no...he'd just go destroy someone on special teams. DJ was an average safety at best who is (apparently) unwilling to do the extra things to contribute to a winning team. BOB had every right to cut that potential cancer out of his locker room and I applaud him for doing it decisively.
He is not the worst player on defense, not even the worst starter. It's more than just his performance
You say it's stupidity and it's besides the point but when you see a entire 2013 draft basically go down the drain you think that is okay. I think what they are trying to do is the right way to go about it don't get me wrong. The main problem over there is the Group Think when it comes to drafting and bringing in players. Rick is a figure head so we have a GM that can't truly build a team. You brought up Seattle but they are so far away from group think. I mean look at how they got Russell Wilson(who just happens to be a QB) they had just sign a QB for 10 million but the still went out and drafted Wilson because Pete said you know what this kid is a very high value at this point. They took a chance they were never satisfied with what they had and in turn they are the ones everyone is trying to copy. The Texans on the other hand have always wanted to keep players comfortable going back to David Carr and Matt Schaub. Didn't want to draft Vince because they wanted so bad for it to work with Carr(not saying it would have been any better) Didn't want to bring in Peyton(whom I've heard Rick wanted) because we didn't want to hurt Matt's feelings. Last year they tried sale us on Fitzpatrick being a starting QB until it got so bad that they reluctantly brought in Mallet. If they are doing this at the QB position(The Most Important Position on the Field) , you know they are doing it at the others. It's talent evaluation and acquisition over all. Now I do think OB is different, He just wants his guys and there is something to be said for that, but when you see Louis Nix, and Su'a-filo, and the rewarding of Derek Newton, as a fan start to wonder is it the same song different verse. As far and the QB in Super Bowl statement the only one I'll give you in Rex, Everybody else on your list I think have good runs like Gannon. Definitely not Franchise in the Brady Manning sense but Solid NFL starters for a while with great teams around them. I put Schaub a step below all those guys except Rex.
Why not? We were weak at safety last year. We are still weak at safety. Thin is probably a better word than weak.
If Stevie Brown can return to where he was at before the ACL tear then he's solid, if not, he might not even make the team. Where he's at is certainly something to watch for.
Yeah, Rahim Moore is an upgrade at safety for us (even if you think he's only above average) and Brown is a total question mark. The rest is sort of throwing a bunch against the wall and seeing what sticks. However, last year was the same except in place of Rahim Moore as your fixed starter, you had DJ Swearinger who was bad. So in a sense, we've upgraded from a bad safety and a bunch of question marks to a good safety and a bunch of what ifs.
Just want to respond to this to say that the "AJ didn't want to take a reduced role" came from AJ and his agent. The Texans didn't try to sully him on the way out. He and his agent claimed that the team wanted him to take a reduced role and that he laughed at them.
