NFL and Houston Texans Superthread: Are we ready for some football?

[TheDon]

Great finds Willy, can't wait for 12:00 to hit..

[TransAm]

Not a fan of the Winston cut without even trying to renegotiate, if true. Hope there's some kind of plan at work.

[Rubchasertx]

I still can't believe that Houston is in the Papa Smurf sweepstakes. How in the world could they be? The speculation that I have heard is that he is going to get $20M from someone since there is interest from so many teams. As of this morning, after the Winston and Leinart getting released and assuming that the reported $1.6M from the Cowgirls and the Skins is added, we have only $13,495,873 to spend on rounding out the rest of the team. That's $7M short of what Manning is reportedly going to get.

As of right now, there are only 47 players under contract. Spending it all on Peyton would make 48. 48 players is 5 short of the every week roster plus we still need a practice squad full of future players.

Among the notable free agents that we have all discussed that would be nice to sign are Myers, Mario and Winston. Among some of the role players who's contracts are up are Rackers (too expensive IMO), Demps, Dreesen, Allen and Barber. There are some solid players in there that we need to keep so that we can keep the 2011/2012 momentum rolling.

I am assuming that there will be news of some other notable players getting cut and / or restructuring in the next week or so. (Are you listening Jacoby?) the problem with some of the cuts is that the buyout clauses in NFL contracts doesn't free up the whole salary that gets cut. For instance, Amobi Okoye, Winston, Dan Orlovsky, Matt Leinart, David Anderson and Steve Slaton combined are hitting our cap number for $12.135M. This is dead money. Cutting more players may free up room for us to sign our late round draft picks but not enough to be a big player in free agency this year.

The only way that I can see that we figure into free agency is to cut some players that will hurt. Would you cut Schaub ($7.6M cap hit) to potentiall free up $5M to contribute to the Papa Surf fund? How about cutting the Ninja ($8M cap hit) to free up $6M for Mario?

The bottom line IMO is that the only way that the Texans find any $$ for free agency is by cutting players that have been instrumental to our success in the past. The only way that makes sense to me is if we siginificantly upgrade as a team. I have to say that Kubes' comment about keeping the team together is the key to winning the Super Bowl and that we need to focus on the guys that we have had in the system.

This website: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/houston-texans/cap-hit/ is the best source of contract / salary cap information that I have found. It paints a pretty bleak picture of the reality of business in the NFL if you are on the tight end of the salary cap.

I think the Texans may sign a mid-level FA or 2, like Robert Meacham, and will work like hell restructuring contracts to keep Myers, Winston, etc. The next big splash that I am looking forward to is the draft. There are some interesting players out there that might be able to plug straight into the system. Hope we have a draft like last year!

[One-Eyed Willy]

Lawrence Vickers cut

[boardman]

The heart and soul of our offense is the Line. Kubes has said many times that he holds them to the highest standard of any group on the team.

O-line chemistry is something that takes time to gel. Having confidence that each man next to you is going to get his assignment right so all you have to worry about is blocking your man is critical to the success of the O-line. Zone blocking magnifies this importance because now it becomes even more dynamic. Losing one or two starters from the line will devastate our offense more than any one hall of fame player can make up for next year.

[Jusanotherdude]

Originally Posted by boardman

The heart and soul of our offense is the Line. Kubes has said many times that he holds them to the highest standard of any group on the team.

O-line chemistry is something that takes time to gel. Having confidence that each man next to you is going to get his assignment right so all you have to worry about is blocking your man is critical to the success of the O-line. Zone blocking magnifies this importance because now it becomes even more dynamic. Losing one or two starters from the line will devastate our offense more than any one hall of fame player can make up for next year.

While very true.... the fact is that Meyers is a FAR more integral piece of that puzzle then Winston is...... Butler can fill in honorably if Winston does in fact leave whereas there is ZERO depth at Center (the most important in a zone blocking scheme).... Butler has been with them long enough, and filled in enough times that the drop off won't be all that noticeable....

Vickers getting clipped actually surprises me more than Winston..... Also I imagine they are working like crazy to restructure DeMeco..... word is Dre is being asked to rework his too...... that's a LOT of cap room they are trying to make for someone...... Should be interesting........

JaD

[carkido45]

Originally Posted by Jusanotherdude

While very true.... the fact is that Meyers is a FAR more integral piece of that puzzle then Winston is...... Butler can fill in honorably if Winston does in fact leave whereas there is ZERO depth at Center (the most important in a zone blocking scheme).... Butler has been with them long enough, and filled in enough times that the drop off won't be all that noticeable....

Vickers getting clipped actually surprises me more than Winston..... Also I imagine they are working like crazy to restructure DeMeco..... word is Dre is being asked to rework his too...... that's a LOT of cap room they are trying to make for someone...... Should be interesting........

JaD

I agree Myers makes the calls in the zone blocking scheme .
Hope they can get some extra cap room and get some contracts done.
Andre and Demeco willing to restructure there contract shows how much they want that ring.

[Rubchasertx]

Originally Posted by One-Eyed Willy

Lawrence Vickers cut

Another $750k freed up.

[Rubchasertx]

Originally Posted by Jusanotherdude

While very true.... the fact is that Meyers is a FAR more integral piece of that puzzle then Winston is...... Butler can fill in honorably if Winston does in fact leave whereas there is ZERO depth at Center (the most important in a zone blocking scheme).... Butler has been with them long enough, and filled in enough times that the drop off won't be all that noticeable....

Vickers getting clipped actually surprises me more than Winston..... Also I imagine they are working like crazy to restructure DeMeco..... word is Dre is being asked to rework his too...... that's a LOT of cap room they are trying to make for someone...... Should be interesting........

JaD

I couldn't agree more with Myers being the keystone to the O-Line. BM was right on with the line taking time to gel too. We have to sign Myers and I'm still thinking that they get something done to get Winston back in Deep Steel Blue.

As far as restructuring Dre and DeMeco, I love the thought of it for next year. I hate the thought of it for years down the road. Dre is already in a back-loaded contract. His base salary is only $700k this year but jumps up to $6.2M next year. DeMeco's is pretty balanced now through the end of his contract. How bad are they going to look against the cap in coming years? Is it worth throwing caution to the wind and risking several "rebuilding" years to take a shot at the big game in February next year?

[One-Eyed Willy]

Another Top Free Agent Tours the US


Mario Williams arriving to buffalo greeted by Bills' GM Buddy Nix-@buffalobills


Restructure Dre?... Its already done. Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reported it first. Chron's John McClain called it "a load of crap," I believe were his words. However, turns out McClain was wrong and now reneges and gives credit where it originally was due.
https://twitter.com/#!/McClain_on_NF...56062741311488

"Texans saved $5.2 million on Andre Johnson restructure. And I have to give credit to Jason La Canfora for being first on that one." -John McClain

Boardman first posted it here http://eccie.net/showthread.php?t=263870&page=86

I agree that Meeco may restructure similar to what Dre did subtracting from base salary and rolling it over into bonuses. But thankfully he wasn't cut contrary to some dumb-ass reports I've read.

[One-Eyed Willy]

Well shit, Here Is the List of Texans Up For Grabs!

Unrestricted
CB Jason Allen
S Dominique Barber
G Mike Brisiel
DE Tim Bulman
QB Jake Delhomme
ILB Tim Dobbins
TE Joel Dreessen
QB Jeff Garcia
WR Bryant Johnson
C Chris Myers
K Neil Rackers
G Kasey Studdard
P Matt Turk
RB Derrick Ward
OLB Mario Williams
Matt Leinart(cut)
Lawrence Vickers(cut)
Eric Winston(cut)
*S Quintin Demps*

*update* Texans did not tender Quintin Demps therefore he is no longer "restricted." He is now an Unrestricted Free Agent as well.

And Technically there not Texans anymore but rather "unemployed" for the moment.

What an assload of Texans hitting the market this year! Muffoby Jones and Kareem Jackson still employed???

TexansTV Nick Scurfield has been busy. His blog makes a great souce:
http://blog.houstontexans.com/tag/free-agency/

[Satin]

It looks like Buffalo is going to go all out and make Mario's stop his last. They are willing to make him the highest paid defensive player ever.

I hope the report that Cleveland is trying to swing a trade to get Ben Tate doesn't happen. We need that two-headed monster in the backfield. We lost Vickers so I guess Casey will pull FB duties. No great blocking back? Right guard Winston gone? Oh boy....

[Daddio]

I like Casey playing full time, he is a potential great player and great FB. But man if we lose Myers, Briseil and Winston, fuck me and poor RB and QB!!

Why the heck hasn't Jacoby been cut? Or Walters? Probably has something to do with cap money not saving much but I don't know. I had thought Rick Smith had done a good job of aquiring talent but apparently he stinks at salary cap management!!

I know Andre is big money, Schaub is 7 million salary, Foster has a new big money deal, J. Joseph has to be a big dollar guy, Duane Brown too, Cush, but after that who else is breaking the bank? We must have some dead money from previous years jacking up our cap. Salary cap sucks balls!!

[One-Eyed Willy]

Also Just in... Chris Myers to meet with Titans tomorrow.

[One-Eyed Willy]

DED.. what a classy exit by this feller..