Yeah, if Clay can do it in Green Bay, I'm sure Cushing can do it. I was thinking the same thing with Champ Bailey, if we could sign him and have him teach, motivate our young CB crew, nothing but upside. C'mon McNair, please get it done!
The funny thing is... it really can't get much worse than what it already was. The change may seem a bit unorthodox, poorly timed, and Wade might not be the ideal choice... but heck it's a change. I'll be interested to see the 3-4. I like the 3-4, actually.
I think this is a good change for the defense, definitely looking forward to it. I love the idea of Barwin at OLB. If he can come back at 100%, the dude will be beasting. Sure, the players we had on D were part of the problem last season, but Im laying the majority of the blame on Bush...his schemes are terrible. Im confident that with a competent DC, we can improve dramatically, if we can get some help via FA and the draft. Here are some free agents that the Texans may want to consider: James Jones (WR) Ryan Kalil (C) - Day dreaming Aubrayo Franklin (NT) Pat Williams (NT) Stephen Tulloch (ILB) Ike Taylor (CB) Champ Bailey (CB) Carlos Rogers (CB) Eric Weddle (S) Dawan Landry (S) As far as the draft is concerned, I'd like, at the least, for the first 2 picks to be allotted to the defensive side of the ball. If we can get 2 defensive players from the list above, as well as 2 defensive players with our first two picks, then that will be potentially 5 new starters on the defensive side of the ball (Barwin being the 5th). Biggest question now is: Does Robert McNair really want to make a push to improve the team or not? I have my doubts.
Ngata was 12th. We're drafting 11th. Not saying that we're going to strike gold but there's a possibility.
The thing I really don't like about this is how Wade's version of the 3-4 puts so much pressure on the secondary to lock things down - the worst possible thing to ask our guys to do. I think that is a big reason why the Cowboys stunk it up - their safeties have been iffy, and teams that gameplan (*cough* not us) exploited that. We need to have a 5 star offseason. Not in this draft. There's a couple of guys that would be nice 3-4 ends, but no NT to be found. Guys like Suh don't come around each year.
I don't think there are any safeties worth chasing until the very end of the first round this year. Where we are, DB: Prince (if lucky), Jenkins (not a sure thing) DT: Dareus (if lucky), Paea, Watt (all look good, none would be a real 3-4 NT) Interior O-Line: no one Tyrone Smith (OT) would be tempting. I love some of the receivers (Julio Jones!), but I agree that our need for defense is an overwhelming priority unless they've got a solid line on free agent NTs, CBs, and S. If the draft were today and Prince goes ahead of us...I probably do take one of the DTs still on the board. Phillips is saying he wants to keep Mario at DE....but I don't see it panning out. I'd go ahead and get another stout guy to play opposite Smith. Label it as depth if you want.
I wouldn't be against trading away picks (including future picks) to solidify the NT, CB and S positions. We have one of the youngest teams already and it might be beneficial to bring in some quality vets.
I am curious why some people do not think Cushing can play OLB in the 3-4? I think he would be amazing there
it will be interesting to see how this effects the draft. DT is obviously a place for concern, as is the secondary, but at the 11th pick the top DT and CB are possible gone. However, at least one of the top LBs is likely to fall to the texans. Before going to the 3-4 i would have put drafting a LB much lower on the "need" list as i do now.
I would place money on Amobi Okaye being named your Official 2011 Houston Texans Space-Eating Nose Tackle.
I would think (hope - there I go hoping again) that even before they hired Phillips, their approach to the secondary was going to be finding more proven experience. I just can't imagine they thought the way to fix a young, inexperienced (possibly under-talented) secondary was to throw more young, inexperienced players at it. People do NOT want to hear this but the Texans REALLY are a young team. Look at their defense: Quin, Jackson, Cushing, Okoye, even Mario and Ryans are young, by age, guys. That’s not an excuse; it’s a fact. And one of the issues is that they lack veteran know-how and experience. I believe Andy Reid (it might have been his OC, Marty Morningweig) said the other night how surprised he was that the Eagles, another young team, wasn’t more inconsistent, the theory being that younger players (maturity-wise, not necessarily experience-wise) tend to be up and down; motivated and focused one minute, lost and apathetic the next. I think that is absolutely an issue in Houston; and it’s a bed Kubiak has to sleep in because it was his choice to not only go young, but to turn the youngsters over to an equally inexperienced coaching staff. Bringing in Phillips, a guy much more likely to be able to coach up young players, is a step in the right direction. But getting more experience is an equally important step, IMO. Should have happened last offseason but this is absolutely, positively THE offseason in which they need to invest in finding final pieces that can help this team get over the hump. They've built this team through the draft already. Time to find cherries to go on top. Lockout aside, they should enter this draft with ALL holes addressed via free agency, trades, etc., rendering the draft a 7 round excercise of drafting the BPA, regardless of position.
