From the January 27th, 2006 Sporting News: Dan Pompei's Inside Dish: The Texans already know they will be switching defenses next season, going from a 3-4 to a 4-3. That means Antwan Peek and Jason Babin almost certainly will move from outside linebacker to end and the team likely will need more linebackers. The Texans also will have a glut of defensive tackles - players who had been ends and nose tackles in the 3-4 - and could look to trade someone such as Gary Walker. Inside the AFC The Texans are expected to switch to a 4-3 next season, which could be good news for OLB Antwan Peek. Peek probably would be come a pass-rushing end, which would allow him to focus on his biggest strength; pressuring the quarterback.
So which is it - he's staying at OLB or moving to end? Oh yeah, I'm sure teams are lined up around the block to trade for Gary Walker btw.
I'm sure New Orleans will give up the second pick in the draft for him so everyone can be happy when the texans draft both Young and Bush.
I have a feeling it will be good for Babin. He looked good to me whenever he rushed as an end. Playing linebacker takes a ton of quick decision making and he didn't seem ready for that at all. Evan
I'm happy the Texans are dumping the 3-4. Since the team's inception, they never really had the linebackers on their roster to make it work, and when they lost Jamie Sharper, you could really see it.
They never had the right personell for the 3-4...Btw, has anyone heard if Capers is interviewing for DC jobs?
What about that bum, Travis Johnson. We passed on Derrick Johnson, Jammal Brown, Alex Barron, and David Pollack to draft this loser. How the hell does Casserly stay employed?
Not sure how anyone can call him a bum considering he was playing an unfamiliar system and was only a backup. While we can all probably agree there seems to have been better options, I'm not sure we can say that definitivley until Travis is put into a 4-3 DT spot where he can pressure the QB from a 3 technique spot.
I'll hold off too much judgement on Johnson for another year, but looking back taking a DT in the top half of the first round is just plain stupid. DT is probably the least important position on the field, and maybe the easiest to filll. I'm sure the new coaching staff would have absolutely loved to have Johnson or Barron there. Casserly better be on zero tolerance at this point. That leaves us with Gary Walker, Seth Payne, Robaire Smith, Travis Johnson, Jason Babin, and Peek on the D-line. I say we get what we can for Walker and Payne, or cut them altogether, and let the other 4 start.
At this stage, you can't have an accurate assessment of him as a player. He came from a Florida State program that ran a 4-3 where his role was that of a pass-rushing defensive tackle, to a system here in Houston in which his role became that of a defensive tackle, which by design, was to take up blockers to allow the linebackers to make plays.
Based on Casserly's poor track record with draft picks, I'm going to go ahead and call Travis Johnson a bust. He looked slow and had difficulty coming off blocks. He didn't log significant time on the worst team in the NFL.
Neither did Steve Foley or Marlon McRee. Based on how they performed in our wonderful 3-4 scheme, they were both let go. I'd say they're both doing fine now. What a shock!
I'm not sold on Babin as a defensive end at all. Peek would KILL folks as an end.. Trade Walker, he is overpriced and never wanted to be here anyway..
I think Travis Johnson will be a beast if the Texans switch to a 4-3. He'll be our Rod Coleman. If there is anyway we can get a draft pick for Walker, I'd do it in a hearbeat. Walker still tears it up when he's on the field, but he's been oft-injured and makes a ton of money. We have too many tackles for a 4-3 with Walker, Payne, Smith, Johnson, and perhaps Alfred Malone. I think the run defense will benefit from a change to the 4-3 as well.
And we all know Baqui's personnel pronouncements are golden. Sincerely, "Luther Head is a piece of crap."
