The Houston Texans historical season involved many highs but the lows were two pivotal players expected to make an impact but didn’t. Who are they? Look.
Coming into the season, the Houston Texans were expecting bothKevin JohnsonandAaron Colvinto help improve the cornerback position.
However, Kevin Johnson had two concussions early in the season that put him on the injured reserve list for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Colvin suffered a serious ankle injury that limited him to just 10 games and just two starts, after losing playing time to other veteran cornerbacks on the team.
The HoustonTexanstried to make up for their loss of depth by utilizing their ultra-versatile safeties likeTyrann Mathieuand Jackson in the slot and out wide. Throughout most of the season it worked but in last Saturday’s Wild Card bout with the Colts, ultimately their last game of the season,Andrew Lucktook advantage of aTexans‘ safeties group that looked terribly out of place.
The worst part about it was that if Luck was not taking advantage of theTexanssafeties playing man against his fast receivers, he was picking apart our aging cornerbacks, who struggled to cover guys likeT.Y. HiltonandDontrelle Inman.
WithKareem Jackson‘s effort emanating as if he could be a high-level starting safety andJohnathan Josephstill having solid production, yet declining at 34-years-old, the cornerback position will obviously be one of team’s top priorities this off season.
Be that as it may, the HoustonTexansneed to prioritize finding competent protectionDeshaun
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Watsonas ensuring that he remains upright in games should be paramount in order for this team to succeed.
Additionally, with Colvin locked into a four-year, $34 million contract and theTexanspicking up Johnson’s fifth-year option worth $9 million, theTexanswill more than likely look to the draft to improve the cornerback position.
Which in turn means theTexanswill need to draft the nextMarshon Lattimoreor they will again have to depend on the improvement of both Colvin and Johnson. TheTexanscan be cautiously optimistic because both Johnson and Colvin have had some flashes of brilliance but they haven’t had to chance to hone that because of their injuries.
Johnson had an impressive rookie season with 54 tackles, nine pass deflections and one interception; and just back in 2017, Colvin was considered one of the more versatile corners in the NFL.
However, optimism will not do as theTexansare in win-now mode and will need their veteran corners to step up their play or this team will suffer the same fate next season against a steadily improving AFC South.
Do you agree? Is there anybody else that I missed? Sound off below.
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