I think we all could have expected that this move was coming but I just wanted to let everyone know that it is now offical. Ryan Young is a Cowboy. March 5, 2003, 1:01AM Ex-Texan Young signs free-agent deal with Cowboys By CARLTON THOMPSON Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Free-agent offensive tackle Ryan Young, whom the Texans wrote off after signing Zach Wiegert to play his position last week, reached an agreement on a three-year contract Tuesday night with the Dallas Cowboys. Financial terms of the deal were unavailable, but Young was believed to have received a $2 million signing bonus. He will sign his contract today at Valley Ranch. Young had been seeking a deal similar to the five-year, $17 million deal Wiegert signed with the Texans. A source said the value of Young's deal was significantly less than Wiegert's, but the annual average salary was only slightly less. Young turned down two offers from the Texans -- a one-year deal and multiyear proposal -- at which point the Texans turned their attention to Wiegert and acted quickly in getting a deal done. The Texans selected Young in the 2002 expansion draft with hopes he would become one of the anchors of their offensive line, but groin and knee injuries limited him to eight starts and made for a disappointing season. Prior to joining the Texans, Young spent three years with the New York Jets. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells was Jets coach in 1999 when the team drafted Young in the seventh round. "Obviously I'm excited about getting the deal done," Young said Tuesday night from Dallas. "I enjoyed playing for coach Parcells in New York, and that was a huge factor in me coming here. "After it didn't work out with the Texans, this is pretty much where I wanted to be. The deal came together pretty easily. I don't hold the Texans at fault for anything. I'm a firm believer that you make your own bed." Texans free agent news At Reliant Park, five years and $12 million were the terms that were ringing through the Texans' offices, and not just because those were the numbers on the contract free-agent linebacker Jay Foreman signed. Those also happen to be the terms of the contract Cory Hall signed with Atlanta on Monday, making him the first and only free-agent safety to ink a deal this offseason. Gene Burrough, the agent for Texans free-agent safety Eric Brown, believes Hall's deal set the market for safeties and wants a similar contract for his client. Brown had hoped to have a deal in place with the Texans before he boarded a plane to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, but it never materialized. "At this point, the market has been set, and it shouldn't take long to determine what the market is for Eric," Burrough said. Brown, who started 15 games at strong safety for the Texans, will visit the Steelers today, and he has drawn interest from New Orleans. Hall has started 47 of 62 career games with three interceptions and six sacks. He has been credited with 148 tackles and nine passes defended. Brown has started 67 of 68 career games with eight interceptions, six sacks, 283 tackles and 31 passes defended. One of the time-tested principles of negotiating suggests the market for a particular player is whatever someone is willing to pay. For now, it appears Brown will have to test his worth on the open market. That's a concern Foreman no longer has after signing his new contract, which includes a $2.2 million signing bonus. "I have a lot more money today than I did yesterday, but it's not going to change me," said Foreman, who was accompanied at Tuesday's news conference by his fiancee, Stephanie. "It's not like I'm going to go buy 8 million cars or anything like that. I'm going to get a house here, but that's about it. I've got to save my money. "Just because you get money doesn't mean you have to spend it. I'm not really an extravagant person. I'll probably just have a nice dinner, and I know I'm going to crack some champagne. My best years are ahead of me, and I'm excited about being here for my best years." The Texans wrapped up another busy day by visiting with free-agent running backs Stephen Davis and Shawn Bryson and restricted free-agent linebacker Clark Haggans. Davis, who has rushed for more than 1,300 yards three times over the past four years, is the best available running back on the market. In addition to the Texans, Carolina and Tampa Bay are interested in his services. The Texans had the second-worst rushing attack in the NFL, averaging just 84.2 yards per game. Only Chicago (84.0) was worse. Rookie Jonathan Wells led the Texans with 529 yards, but averaged just 2.7 yards per carry behind a makeshift offensive line. Veteran James Allen was a close second with 519 yards. Allen is a free agent, and it's unlikely the Texans will re-sign him. Bryson, who has spent his entire four-year career in Buffalo, is coming off an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered Oct. 13 against the Texans. Haggans arguably was the most intriguing of Tuesday's visitors because he's a restricted free agent and would only cost the Texans a fifth-round draft choice as compensation if they signed him to an offer sheet and Pittsburgh declined to match it. The Texans have two fifth-round picks. Although Haggans started just one game in three years with the Steelers, he displayed solid pass-rush skills last season. Haggans' 6 1/2 sacks ranked third on the Steelers, who like the Texans use a 3-4 defense. "The transition wouldn't be that drastic," Haggans said. The Texans also are interested in Keith Newman, who had 14 1/2 sacks for Buffalo over the past three seasons.
Is this an anti-Texans thread? Oh boy. I better drive this puppy off-topic before BanginScrew gets here. Carolina is very interested in Stephen Davis, but, according to ESPN Insider, management there expects Davis to sign a deal with the Texans soon. This is great news for the Texans! Davis is a top-notch back and will keep defenses honest. Now, if only we could get Boselli back and possibly acquire another above-average OL, perhaps Davis wouldn't have to create his own yardage from nothing. Stephen Davis and a playmaker WR (like Charles Rogers or Andre Johnson) would reeeeally help out the offense (not to mention any O-line upgrades, too).
What exactly happened to him in Houston? Last year it seemed like you guys were crazy over him (bookend tackles for the future, etc). Is it just the fact he wanted out, or did he play that poorly. Again it may be hard to tell due to the players around him (just like Larry Allen looked horrible last year with a rookie center beside him and a new blocking scheme) but just wasn't sure why you guys didn't pursue him more. He did have a couple offers from Houson (a 1 year and I believe a 3 year) but as soon as he hesitated it seemed like you guys went straight to Weigert. Did you guys really not want him, or did you think he wanted out and just moved on at that point? 3 years 8 million isn't that much for a starting NFL tackle. I am glad Dallas signed him, we definetely need some help there. Hopefully Weigert works out for you guys as well.
Well, he was injured a lot of last season, and when he finally came back he really wasn't all that good, as I recall. It may have been lingering injury effects, it may not have been.
There's also a reason they chose to take him in the expansion draft. When healthy he's one of the best young LT's in the NFL. Davis is a good pickup for the Texans but be wary of his fumble habits. I don't know if you guys have been paying attention but Dallas is putting together a team of awesome blockers. The only position they lack at the moment is ... LG. O-line so far ... RT - Flozell ... RG - Larry Allen ... C - Gurode ... RG - ?? ... LT - Ryan Young ... not to mention they just signed Richie Anderson from the Jets and already have JaMarr Martin.
Of course, that assumes that Allen returns to form (and stays off the injury wagon) and that Adams comes back from a certainly less-than-stellar season (in a contract year, no less). Personally, I think having Parcells there, along with abandoning Coslet's zone blocking scheme, will help make Adams better, but I'm not sure Allen's time is not passed. We'll see, though.
It seems Young just turned out to not be the cat the Texans thought he was. Period. That's not to say Young is no good. Its just that the team may have determined he doesn't fit their style. Young himself said that his contract demands weren't excessive and were in line with what the Texans offered Weigert. The Texans essentially chose Weigert over Young. Maybe we can look at what was said when Weigert was introduced to get a loose idea of what the Texans think Weigert brings that Young doesn't. Seems this may just be a case of Young not being a Capers guy. Nothing wrong with that. I expect Parcells to bring out the best in him (and Glenn).
actually, he is, and always has been, a RT -- even healthy, he's not good enough to play LT. and btw, this is team #3 in three years for one of the best "LT's" in the NFL and his last team, the texans, had arguably the worst OL in NFL history last year... and they let him go. red flag, anyone? you're a fan? really? young is a RT, adams a LT, and "awesome" has never applied to either's game. and allen's prime was about 5 years ago. maybe that's why no one's paying attention -- the OL's just as crappy as it was last year. 5-11 here you come! (again)
Actually Bangin Ric is right (unless you have your left and rights confused) LT Adams LG Allen C Guorde RG ? RT Young I do disagree that Allen's past his prime. Most O-linemen don't reach their prime until their Mid 30s (32-34 or so). Larry was beat up last year and was put into a new scheme (zone blocking) that made him look very bad. He blocks bodies not spaces. I really do think he will be fine. As for Young I hope he does ok in Dallas. I don't see a great turnaround in either (Dallas or Houston) O-lines next year. Typically O-lines get better by playing together for a couple years and it seems like both teams will have a couple new faces starting next year. In the case of Dallas we will have an all new right side and a second year player at center (and he spent 1/2 the year at RG). That being said both lines will hopefully improve to be more respectable next year. It would b ehard for either to be much worse!
Yeah, I believe they felt he was Tuna bound, so they went with Plan B to provide themselves with a bona fide player instead of finding the cupboard bare when Young finally signed in Duhllas.
Yea, it was my mistake on the LT/RT thing. Flozell is the starting LT and Young will be the starting RT. Simple mistake. I also agree that this may have just been a case that Young was not a Capers guy. He's definately a Parcells guy though considering he was drafted by Parcells in NY (Jets). As for Larry Allen not being any good anymore ... His down year had everything to do with the new blocking scheme, new o-line coach, and being in poor shape. The new scheme fits Allen's style to a T, they have brought in a Real o-line coach, and there is no way he shows up to camp out of shape with Parcells the head coach. I don't expect the Cowboys to make the playoffs this year however I expect them to be better than 5-11. I'm thinking more along the lines of 8-8.
