Four Decisions That Will Shape The Houston Texans Offseason
By Travis Oquin
Dec 21, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans cornerback
Kareem Jackson(25) celebrates after making an interception during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Cornerback
The most impactful decision on the defensive side of the ball is at corner and it’s not even really close on any other position. Kareem Jackson is a free agent. The Texans first step should be trying to re-sign him if they can do it for reasonable money and not allow him to hit the market. If he hits the market they run the risk of a team throwing crazy money at him much like the Falcons did with Dunta Robinson a few years back.
Signing Kareem and locking in one of their starting corners would buy them some leverage to ask Jonathon Joseph to restructure his deal to a more team-friendly number than the $12 million dollar cap hit they are facing with him. With the likely scenario being J-Jo gets a few more years of guaranteed dollars in exchange for a lower salary.
If both of these things happen prior to the draft the need at corner goes to close to zero although wouldn’t be a shock to see a nickel corner type in the 4th through 6th rounds.
Nov 29, 2014; University Park, PA, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Trae Waynes (15) breaks up a pass intended Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Eugene Lewis (7) in the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
If the Texans only retain one of the starting corners then most feel the Texans would be looking for a corner in the first three rounds, and very likely in the 1st or 2nd. Many keep trying to pencil in the top corner Michigan State’s Trae Waynes to the Texans at 16 in the first round.
If Kareem is gone this is certainly possible. We also keep hearing that Romeo Crenell doesn’t believe that he needs elite corners in his defense. If this is true, then it allows the Texans to sit at 16 while maybe not simply take the best player available at any random position. But among the elite positions quarterback, offensive tackle, cornerback and the need position of wide receiver the Texans can simply take the best player on the board at 16 or trade back and pick up some extra picks.
Given that the Texans essentially have decisions to make on both starting corners I’d say at this point the odds are strong we will be looking at a cornerback in the first 3 rounds. Besides Waynes, the Texans will consider LSU’s Jalen Collins, Kevin Johnson from Wake Forest and Florida State’s pair of P.J. Williams or Ronald Darby.
We can all speculate and talk about all kinds of needs for the Texans. But until the smoke clears on the initial free agency signings, it’s just a series of “what if’s”, trying to figure out what direction the Texans will go in the early rounds of the draft specifically.
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