Texans get Reed, and still making moves

After winning his first Super Bowl Championship Ravens S Ed Reed got a call from former teammate and Texans WR Andre Johnson. At some point in that conversation Reed asked Johnson to get him to Houston. At the opening of free agency Texans owner Bob Mcnair sent his private jet and GM Rick Smith to bring Reed in for a visit and to negotiate contracts. After keeping everyone waiting a week or so Reed has signed a deal with the Texans. The 34 year old Reed has never played on any team but the Ravens. But after the team allowed him to test the free agent market the Texans made Reed an offer that would net about 4-5 million a season. The Ravens decided that wasn't a price they were willing to pay for the future Hall of Fame S.

The addition of Reed couldn't come at a better time for the Texans. They've already lost 3 starters to free agency so far. 2 of them were on the defensive side of the ball. OLB Connor Barwin went to the Eagles and S Glover Quin took his services to Detroit. While Quin is younger than Reed and was a great fit in the defense that Wade Phillips has put together Reed is in no doubt an upgrade skill wise. Phillips loves loading the box and bringing heat with man coverage all over the field. With a player like Reed playing deep it should cut down on big plays over the top. Reed has a reputation as the ultimate ball hawk and playing behind JJ Watt and the Texans D line with their active hands should also benefit Reed. The Texans were also able sign their nickel CB Brice McCain to a 3 year deal worth about 5 million dollars. McCain played extremely well in the nickel spot, but got injured in week 12. By signing McCain the Texans insured that the core of Jonathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson, and McCain will be together at least the next couple years. All in all Reed to the Texans could be the best fit between any player and team so far and it puts the Texans back amongst the top teams in the AFC.

Right after the news of Reed agreeing to a deal with the Texans another visit to the Houston from maybe another Hall of Famer in former Raiders punter Shane Lechler. In 2010 the Texans had interest in Lechler but the Raiders gave him a record contract for a Punter. 2 big issues for the Texans last season were big plays in the passing game and opponents starting field position. If the Texans are able to land the big leg of Lechler to go along with Reed they should be back as one of the best teams in the AFC again next season.

Bad Decision 4: The Chargers Offseason

So after basically getting the division they once had control over for so many years the Chargers finally made changes after a very disappointing year. Norv Turner is out, along with his whole staff with the exception of defensive coordinator John Pagano. Taking over is former Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. The Chargers hired McCoy with the hopes he'd be able to re-ignite an offense that was once considered as one of the leagues best. In the last 2 years the the wheels have fallen off for the Chargers late in the season. McCoy will be expected to compete year in and out with Peyton Manning and his Broncos. And honestly I don't think that's even possible nor will it be, for a REALLY LONG TIME.

So first off let's talk about what Mike McCoy really did and didn't accomplish while in Denver. Before Tebow was given the reigns that offense was absolutely horrible. Kyle Orton got benched not because of the lack of his own ability. He got benched because Mike McCoy's offense couldn't move the chains. Even after Tim Tebow was put in and they simplified things up using the read option doesn't everyone remember asking who's calling these plays and why during the SUPER SLOW Tebow games. It was Mike McCoy calling for shotgun run plays on 3rd and 10-20 yards. He never really designed a productive offense with Tebow, he simply let Tim do what he did best. Read the edge rushers and make plays. That's that.

Then the Broncos get maybe the greatest EVER the following season with Peyton Manning. Once again McCoy would have to come up with a scheme that fit with the personnel the Broncos had right? Or he could just ask the future Hall of Fame QB who's REALLY going to run the offense what he needed and go get those players. He didn't even have a hand in the offense it seemed to me. If you watched ANY Colts games over the last decade you could easily see they were running the offense Peyton had been running in Indy. Think of it like this,  at the 2 big positions they signed ex Colts to help with the learning process. Stokely at WR and Tamme at TE. Both knew that offense extremely well, and look at the production of the WR's and TE's for the Broncos the year.

Really McCoy has just gotten 2 extremely gifted players and rode them to a head coaching job. Now he'll have to sit in this SD position and take the heat. And yes it's going to come. Phillip Rivers is just collapsing as a QB right now and they let their 2 most productive players on defense walk this offseason already. McCoy's inheriting an offensive group that's NEVER been productive together. Unlike in Denver McCoy won't have the luxury of a John Elway to bring in a Peyton Manning type player. He's STUCK with Rivers, and an offense that didn't have a 1,000 yard rusher or receiver. Doesn't sound promising in So Cal.

Free Agency: Houston Texans Edition

The start of free agency is coming up people. So I figured it was time to get going on an article on who the Texans might be looking at signing. In terms of needs, the Texans do have holes to fill. With key defensive starters like Bradie James, Connor Barwin, and Glover Quin all set to hit the free agent market the Texans have a couple tough decisions to make. Here are some things to look for this upcoming week.

The Texans knew that OLB Connor Barwin was going to be a free agent soon, and would demand a lot after his 11.5 sack 2011 season. The Texans took OLB Whitney Mercilus in the 1st rd of the last season's draft. If that wasn't a sign of things to come I don't know what was. The Texans aren't going to challenge any team that offers Barwin anything over 10 million over 3 years, and basically that's lower than any bid he'll see. They're going to let Mercilus do what he did in college when he led the nation in sacks before being drafted by the Texans. Barwin is more than likely going to leave for coin, and if that's all he's about he should. The Texans have a great team and I doubt he'll be going to a better one. I expect the Lions to make a run at him. He's from the Detroit area and they will be looking for DE's for their 4-3 pass rush. Barwin has been a OLB the last 2 year's but is naturally a DE and could easily make the switch back.

The one player I think the Texans will make a run at to try to keep is FS Glover Quin. The defensive strategy of Wade Phillips is built on being able to bring a lot of pressure and have your safeties play man coverage against WR's and TE's. Quin, a former CB is a perfect fit in Houston's defense. If the Texans aren't able to make a deal with Quin I believe it'll be hard to find another FS with the same skill set as Quin. Knowing all this I think the Texans will be makin moves to clear space cap wise to keep Quin in Houston. Since Wade Phillips has been the defensive coordinator for the Texans Quin's been showing he can do everything on the defensive side. Against the teams that ran spread Quin was used as a CB like a nickel back, against run heavy offenses he played in the box like a extra LB. He was even used to as a blitzer more this season, Jake Locker can attest to that personally. The Texans absolutely NEED Quin if you ask me, hopefully they get a deal done.

At ILB the Texans depth was tested after defensive captain Brian Cushing went down with a knee injury. Bradie James knew the Wade Phillips defense as good as anyone. But that didn't help in terms of speed and getting to the ball.  Cushing just makes a HUGE difference while he's on the field. With that bein said if a player the likes of Bart Scott would take less money to be on a winning team the Texans may go that route, but I doubt it. I think they'll contact former Wade Phillips product and former Charger Shaun Phillips. Phillips would make more since because he'd compliment Cushing more, being that both can blitz and cover pretty well. Also worth noting here is that HC Gary Kubiak has already talked about moving OLB Brooks Reed to ILB this offseason. If that happens and Phillips is willing to take less money he'd fit even better as he played both ILB and OLB in a scheme very similar to Phillips current scheme while playing in SD.

Though the Texans have a great back up RB in Ben Tate I think they have to think about moving him to a bad team in need of a RB now for future picks. Last season this was talked about a lot right before the draft. Now after having a down year compared to his 2011 Tate won't fetch a 2nd rd pick but could get multiple late rounders. As a team planning to be good for a long time those picks will be important to have, ask the Patriots. Regardless after this season Tate is gone. The Texans just gave Arian Foster a long term extension so I doubt they'll give one to Tate too.  He'll leave looking for more carries and if that happens the Texans get nothing for him. If that happens I believe the best available option will be Annan Bradshaw as a spell for Arian Foster. Bradshaw has been to the SB and won twice, and his style fits our scheme. This past season when the Texans didn't have Ben Tate they had no real production outside of Foster. I believe that Bradshaw could be what Tate was in 2011 when he was able to carry the Texans offense with Andre Johnson and Arian Foster out with injury in stints. Bradshaw IF HEALTHY can be a difference maker late in the season.

Other players the Texans will probably take a look at will include a slew of defensive backs. The Texans REALLY struggled against teams that spread them out last year. With guys like Adrian Wilson, Chris Gamble, Dashon Gholdson, and Rod Woodson out there the Texans may try their hand out convincing one of them to take a minimal contract because the Texans only have 7 million in space as of right now. I think former Phillips favorite from San Diego Quentin Jammer will be a CB that get lots of attention. He's still a good player but the Chargers are purging now and getting ready to start the rebuilding phase on defense. It the Texans can add Jammer they'd boast a very experienced and physical secondary with Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph outside.