http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5125298.html Nice move Rick Smith!!! By MEGAN MANFULL Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle The Texans have agreed to a deal with veteran safety Will Demps, giving them a fourth safety heading into their game against the Carolina Panthers this week. Demps, 27, will help fill the void left by Jason Simmons, who tore his left patellar tendon in the season opener. Demps has played in 73 games over the past five seasons. He had 100 tackles in 16 games for the New York Giants last season. He also had one forced fumble and two interceptions. A number of teams had been trying to acquire him in recent days. Demps will be playing behind C.C. Brown, Von Hutchins and Michael Boulware, who was acquired just last week. Demps has worked his way up throughout his whole career. He was a walk-on at San Diego State and became a two-time all-Mountain West first-team selection. He was then passed over in the NFL draft and signed with the Ravens as a free agent. He was so impressive during his first camp, however, that he played in 14 games with 10 starts as a rookie. In March 2006, Demps reportedly signed a five-year, $12 million contract as a free agent with the Giants. He struggled last season as the starter, however, and eventually lost his job to James Butler. Demps was placed on injured reserve with a dislocated right elbow when the rosters were cut to 53 on September 1. He later reached an injury settlement with the team and is expected to join the Texans on the practice field tomorrow.
Man, is it me or do Daryl Morey and Rick Smith have a very similar M.O.? This is a great move, no doubt. If both Demps and Boulware can get back to their form from 2 years ago, what was once a weakness at the safety position could very well end up being one of our strongest points. Just based on what I've seen of Demps in Giants games, he has a lot of potential in this defense, especially if we can start getting pressure on the QB like Strahan and Umenyiora did in New York.
Here's a little more in-depth article w/ the agent of Will Demps: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/p...n=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=6.1.1 Texans Sign Demps as Injuries Mount at Safety The agent for former New York Giants safety, Will Demps, tells Fox-26 Sports his client is ready to become a Texan. "Will will sign with Houston," agent Tony Agnone said. "He reached an agreement with the Texans and will sign for the rest of the season." Demps started 16 games for the Giants last year and had 100 tackles with two interceptions. He dislocated his elbow Aug. 19 in a preseason game at Baltimore and was placed on injured reserve Sept. 1. Shortly after that, he reached an injury settlement with the team and became a free agent. Before last season, Demps played four years with Baltimore and started 46 games. "He brings veteran leadership," Agnone said. "Will is guy who knows what's going on. He had all kinds of offers but chose to go with the Texans because of the opportunity to play and because they have a good organization." Faced with another injury to a safety Sunday, the Texans were looking for a player to help provide depth at the position. Starter Jason Simmons suffered a patella injury in the game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had surgery on the knee Monday morning and will miss the rest of the season. Backup safety Von Hutchins will be elevated to the starting position and Michael Boulware, who came over in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks last week, will figure prominently at the position. "That's very unfortunate that we lost him," coach Gary Kubiak said of Simmons. "Of course, that's an issue at the safety position, so that's going to get (SS Michael) Boulware in the mix here real quick." Boulware arrived Sept. 1 in a trade for defensive end Jason Babin. The Texans have been in need of safeties since losing veteran Glenn Earl to a season-ending injury in the pre-season opener and seeing starters C.C. Brown and Jason Simmons both suffer bruised shoulders in the last pre-season game. Earl suffered a foot injury against the Chicago Bears. It is described as a Lisfranc injury and he had surgery the next day. The recovery process is expected to take 9-12 months.
Interesting. I'm pretty sure Demps plays FS correct? Anyway, he struggled with the Giants so I'm not sure what to make of him at this point. Considering the talent this team lacks at that position however, I'm all for upgrades.
Man... Is it too much to think that some day the Texans will be able to attract FA offensive linemen?!?!?!?! That is the last hurdle of rebuilding this franchise, right? To get a veteran O-lineman who didn't come here to get paid and stay injury prone all season. Rather the money was the same elsewhere and he choose to come here based on the opportunity it would provide. I can finally say it's going to happen in my lifetime. LOL
he didn't look too good with the Giants.. I like the move in terms of risk/reward, but I'm not gonna put too much hope on Demps. I'm hoping Boulware and Brown hold it down
I am having me some funz talking trash and trolling on the Panther's fan forum. http://www.carolinahuddle.com/forum/carolina-panthers/
Nice. He has his own website with a disco flash intro. http://www.willdemps.com He must be big time. BTW, is it wrong that I still giggle every time I see Megan Manfull's p*rn star name?
Nobody attracts good FA offensive linemen because it is a rare thing that a team will let a good O-lineman go. They are high valued. The best way to build an Oline is to draft and develop. It will just take some time for our young guys to learn the ropes.
He will be a nice addition to our hard hitting secondary. Isn't he the guy that layed out Shockey in practice and made him miss some games? If that's him, he's already one of my favorite Texans.
