The Houston Texans’ main objective this offseason was to improve the offensive line. But that doesn’t mean there’s action elsewhere as the team enters free agency.
The Texans’ special teams has already been hit hard in the opening days of the new league year. Long snapper Jon Weeks left Houston to sign with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week, depleting a unit that ranked 18th with a 77.6 special teams grade last season.
Houston’s special teams took another blow on Saturday morning when a special teams ace changed teams in the middle of the night and landed with an AFC opponent.
Kris Boyd Leaves Texans to Sign With New York Jets
According to KPRC’s Aaron Wilson, Texans special teams ace Kris Boyd has agreed to a deal with the New York Jets. Boyd played all 17 games for the Texans, but nearly all of it was on special teams, playing just 50 defensive snaps with 48 coming in Houston’s regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans.
Boyd was also an adventure when he was on the field, posting a 50.7 grade on 406 special teams snaps. It was the 12th-lowest grade among players with 50% of the league lead in special teams snaps last season and came with a league-high seven special teams penalties.
But Texans fans will most remember Boyd for a penalty during the AFC Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The play came when Boyd made a tackle and forced a fumble on the opening kickoff but was penalized for throwing his helmet. Boyd shoved special teams coach Frank Ross when he arrived on the sideline but chalked it up to being excited about the play.
“I was just too excited, did something that I shouldn’t have done,” Boyd said of the play. “Learning from it. Keep my helmet on.”
Boyd also downplayed his relationship with Ross and the rest of the Texans staff but it apparently wasn’t enough to keep him in Houston. The Texans will move on and look for a new gunner and hopefully find a solution that isn’t as mercurial as Boyd was during his time in Houston.