Interesting. Lamar Jackson rising up in the draft. Maybe having mom handle things wasn't so bad after all.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...fseason-analysis-Tight-end-needs-12794185.php The Texans still need reinforcements at tight end. In the wake of starting tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz being forced to retire due to chronic concussions, this position is dangerously thin. Fiedorowicz provided a combination of blocking and pass-catching skills not possessed by any other tight end on the roster. Texans general manager Brian Gaine made it abundantly clear that Ryan Griffin is a complementary player, not the ultimate answer as the lead tight end. The Texans need a starter at the position who can block and catch They have some pass-catching options, including Griffin and Stephen Anderson. Anderson is more of an H-back type. The Texans didn't get involved in the free agent market at the tight end position. The Texans have some intriguing developmental prospects under contract, including converted former Stephen F. Austin quarterback Zach Conque and former North Carolina State and Barry University basketball player Jevoni Robinson. Texans tight ends coach Tim Kelly conducted a private workout with Stanford tight end Dalton Schultz. Schultz is a strong blocker and a good receiver who could help the Texans. They are expected to try to bolster the position through the draft. What's next?: The Texans are expected to address the tight end position through the draft. Under contract: Stephen Anderson, Zach Conque, Ryan Griffin, Ryan Malleck, MyCole Pruitt and Jevoni Robinson.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...n-analysis-J-J-Watt-wild-card-on-12794045.php The future of the Texans' defensive line hinges heavily on the comeback trail star defensive end J.J. Watt is working diligently to blaze. If Watt regains his vintage three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year form, this is one of the strongest units in the NFL. If Watt can't make a full comeback from a gruesome broken leg suffered last season one year removed from undergoing a pair of surgeries to repair a herniated disk, then this isn't nearly as special of a group. Watt says he's making excellent progress and both coach Bill O'Brien and general manager Brian Gaine anticipate him being ready for the start of the regular season. Here are the primary questions surrounding the former All-Pro pass rusher and run-stopper: Will Watt ever be able to play a full season again? Will Watt regain his trademark explosiveness as a pass rusher? He's had 1 1/2 sacks combined over the past two seasons after notching 17 1/2 sacks and 20 1/2 sacks in 2015 and 2014. What's the shelf life for Watt as a 29-year-old who plays a meat-grinder position and played nearly every snap for years and putting a ton of wear and tear on his body? Because Pro Bowl outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney plays with his hand down in a three-point stance a lot, he counts as a member of the defensive line. Clowney is outstanding and deserving of a blockbuster contract extension. He's an extremely disruptive pass rusher and run stopper. Nose tackle D.J. Reader provides a strong anchor in the middle of the defense and is tough to budge inside. He can also push the pocket and is quick enough to harass the quarterback. Joel Heath is the fourth-best defensive lineman on the roster. He has long arms and has great technique. Brandon Dunn made major strides last season and is an underrated player. Carlos Watkins' rookie season was way too quiet and he needs to have a great offseason. The Texans like Christian Covington's versatility, athleticism and toughness. He should make a full recovery from a torn biceps tendon. Angelo Blackson and Ufomba Kamalu are solid rotational contributors. What's next: The Texans could use another pass rusher and a possible future replacement for Watt. It's time to start planning for a future without Watt in the conversation. That would likely mean drafting a player, not acquiring a free agent. Under contract: DE Angelo Blackson, OLB-DE Jadeveon Clowney, DE Christian Covington, DE Brandon Dunn, DE Matthew Godin, DE Joel Heath, DE Ufomba Kamalu, DE J.J. Watt, DT Carlos Watkins, NT Darius Kilgo, NT Marcus Hardison, NT D.J. Reader
Texans had the #1 Rated Off when DW4 was healthy. I like our WRs, comfortable with our RBs, however we need at least 2 TEs. But I think we get another RB in the draft and a TE and another free agent TE. Plus with the new OL, they're going to be fine
Umm what? Not perfected along OL, and TE lacking but we havent had a franchise QB since Warren Moon. If Watson stays healthy the offense will be one of the best in Texans history.
So you're just going to disregard the fact that the Texans had the #1 rated offense last season when Deshaun was on the field? I understand that they can upgrade at a few positions, but name a team that doesn't need that? Watson, Hopkins, Fuller, Coates, Miller, Foreman, Miller, etc. should be enough to put points on the board. We obviously have a glaring need at TE, OL, and perhaps a RB2/3, but those can be addressed in the draft/FA. If our defense stays healthy and our DBs can cover, the Texans don't need to put up 35 to win every week (although they just might).
Execs unfiltered on every team's free agent signings, trades Houston Texans This offseason is all about getting healthy for key Texans contributors such as Deshaun Watson, J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus. It was somewhat notable, then, that two key players signed in free agency carry availability concerns. Tyrann Mathieu has finished two of his five NFL seasons on injured reserve and is coming off the first 16-game season of his career. He has yet to recapture the peak form that made him a dynamic player in Arizona before his injuries. Aaron Colvin finished the 2016 season on injured reserve and also served a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs that year. "Colvin is a good player and very, very talented," an exec said. "In my opinion, he was probably the second or third best corner in free agency, with Kyle Fuller being No. 1, so I think they helped themselves. [Colvin] can play inside, he can play outside, he is strong, has good speed, competes well at the ball, has good instincts. I think he is going to be a high-value signing." Another exec liked the Mathieu signing for the price, noting that Mathieu performed better late in the 2017 season. But with no picks in the first two rounds of the upcoming draft, Houston wasn't positioned well to make a run at tackle Cordy Glenn, who could have brought badly needed stability to the left tackle position. "You got Deshaun Watson in the draft last year -- congrats -- but having no pick til the third round is what you have to live with," an exec said. "They have three third-rounders, so I do see them trying to move up, potentially for a tackle. In free agency, Mathieu grades out as a low-level starter right now, but he is so instinctive, so tough, so gritty that he is the type of player that I really want on my team."
