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

[One-Eyed Willy]

One of H-Town's Finest....GONE???

DeMeco Ryans contributed significantly toward helping us build the foundation we hope will bring a world championship to the city of Houston. His professionalism and leadership cannot be over-exaggerated. This move was mutually beneficial for the Texans immediate and long-term goals, DeMeco’s career, and the Philadelphia Eagles. We appreciate all the hard work and effort DeMeco invested in our organization and wish him only the best moving forward. He is a class act.”

-Texans general manager Rick Smith

The Prototype of What a Leader Should Be:

A Man Of Intelligence

Ryans always has been a hard hitter, on the field and in the classroom. He graduated with a 3.55 GPA at the University of Alabama. He got his business degree in only seven semesters and when he won Defensive MVP in the 2006 Cotton Bowl, he already had graduated. In addition to winning unanimous All-America honors as a senior, Ryans won every academic accolade he could win, including Academic All-America and being chosen to the NCAA’s Top VIII Award, the highest undergraduate honor an athlete can win. Alabama’s Culverhouse School of Business says Ryans is “the most decorated studentathlete in The University of Alabama’s football history."

- HoustonTexans.com

A Beast on the Field

• 2nd-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2007
  
• Pro Bowler in 2007, 2009
  
• AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006
  
• Going into 2011 He Ranked 3rd in NFL with 6.21 solo tackles per game since 2006
  
• Franchise career leader in tackles

A Leader in the Community

1/1/2012—Katrina inspired Texans player to help others

When Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans was playing at the University of Alabama, he was invited to help some victims of Hurricane Katrina. Witnessing the reaction of those who benefited from his time and effort to provide some temporary relief changed his life...

-JOHN McCLAIN, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

8/30/11—DeMeco Ryans Receives Award from the Houston Texans
Houston, Texas—Houston Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans was awarded the Inaugural Spirit of the Bull Award presented by Houston Texans owner Bob McNair in recognition of his community service at the team's annual Kickoff Luncheon. In spite of rehabbing an Achilles injury and the NFL Lockout, Ryans has been busy this off season with several events sponsored by The DeMeco Ryans Foundation, including tornado relief, a golf tournament, free football/cheer camp and scholarship competition where 10 students received partial scholarships to the college of their choice.

"I'm extremely proud and excited to receive this inaugural award and hope that it inspires my teammates and everyone to get involved and do what they can, when they can," Ryans said

- DeMecoRyansFoundation.org

A Leader on the Field

“When you talk about the Mo position, basically you’re talking about production, playmaking, an instinctive player, and that’s where we see DeMeco Ryans at, as being a productive instinct, run-hit football player. Loves the game, he’s smart, he’s intelligent. We’ll look to him to set the huddle; be one of our leaders, especially out in front of the huddle as a captain of our defense; to make all the adjustments and checks; to be a tempo setter; to be a productive guy using his instincts and his play production, his ability to get to the football, his nose for the football. That’s what we look for in our Mo, as well as blitz capabilities and then the weakside coverage in the passing game. We see him as an all-around instinctive football player that we expect a lot of production out of. And the smartness comes into play as far as his knowledge of football schemes and his ability to set the defense and be a leader in that manner.”

-Texans' LB coach Reggie Herring

Loved, I Mean LOVED by His Teammates

Man I leave for a Lil bit and all these changes Rick I trust u dog but come on let me know these things... Ok headed back home I'm gone get on this flight fall asleep and try to wake up from this dream...

-Antonio Smith

Gonna miss @DRyans59....what an amazing leader and great player, good luck bro!

-T.J. Yates

Just want to say thank you to @DRyans59 for everything you have done for me.. Taught me a lot and I appreciate you with all my heart bruh!

-Dom Barber

Its a sad day in Houston!...Hate to inform y'all he was one of our most important CORE PLAYERS!...@DRyans59 gonna miss u my dude! It was a honor to play wit u.

-Rashad Butler

Really tough to see @DRyans59 go. True leader on & off the field. Gr8 player & person who represented Htown to the upmost. #Texans

- Matt Schaub

One of the best people I have ever had the opportunity to play with...@dryans59 you will be missed. I owe you a lot! Thanks

- Connor Barwin

DeMeco is the epitome of a team captain. A true leader, who'll most definitely be missed. Wishing him nothing but the best. We got this...

-JJ Watt

Really cant believe this one here........

-Duane Brown

“@DuaneBrown76: Really cant believe this one here........”yeah tell me about it

-Kasey Studdard

And ironically, his predecessor is the one it will hurt the most. It's RARE you get something like this out of Cush:

I wouldn't be half the player or person I am today without @DRyans59. This one hurts. Philly got a unbelievable player and leader today. #59

- Brian Cushing

[Satin]

BT, as usual you still don't get my point bro so I'll just drop it. The stuff you spouted out is true but has nothing to do with what I'm saying.

Great fucking tribute Cat-Man as only you can do. I'm glad someone "gets it" & understands what DeMeco brings to the table. Mario is replaceable (he was this year) but DeMeco not so easily. It's hard to replace a leader. You can see by the comments how the players feel. You can only imagine what they're really saying behind close doors. Read between the lines. Big loss man....

[One-Eyed Willy]

JJ Watt and The Ninja just happened to be in LA @ NFL Network when they heard the news and shared their thoughts (sort of).. http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-networ...ontinuous=true

Arguements for the Trade?...

Cap Casualty... Most likely, but he wouldn't restructure? Or lower his Salary take bonuses? DeMeco is nobody's fool. So if he didn't like what was on the table, so be it. However, was it even attempted?

DeMeco is better suited to a 4:2 defense... huh? OK it maybe what he's used to, but who did the others turn to for help again?

We don't need DeMeco... huh? Texans Defense fell to near last in the league without him. When he was playing injured(elbow) with limited time 2011-12, he STILL came up huge... I liked to call him "Hell Boy" with that big ass club-looking brace. In fact an injured Meco can still make a nomination for Hit of the Year! Remember this one as he nails a shit-talking Jeremy Shockey

As far as Cush being a better LB... Yeah last year he was but Meco wasn't Meco. He was Hellboy!lol. Every other year Meco was better than Cush. Meco AND Cush, to me make one of the most ferocious tandems in the NFL... For any Johny-Come-Lately, this may be new to you. But Meco is one of the best in the League... He is the guy that leads the huddle before the game, after the game, and during the game... His presence alone makes others play better just knowing he's there with them. When he talks, they STFU & listen. The guy just fucking BLEEDS LEADERSHIP. True his #'s are down, but the intangibles are through the roof, over the wall, off the bleachers, though the cheerleader's legs, and nothing but net! And he's expected to be 100% next yr.


DeMeco will be in the Pro Bowl next year! I'd put $ on it. Any takers?

Now Cush may be able to fill Meco's shoes for plays and has the respect of his teammates. However can he deliver the same impact with speeches, directions, and get others motivated as Meco has?? -lets hope

The biggest question moving froward is Darryl Sharpton, what can he do?? I guess we'll see unless we're now looking to draft a starting LB.. Whomever it is will have BIG shoes to fill. I can't justify this move and I doubt DeMeco wanted it. The only positive thing makes me question releasing Winston.. That is at least it was a trade and we got something in return... But what about Winston?? No takers for a trade for him?? What are we doing????

The Texans are Mysterious. I still trust them but the moves they make just leave me baffled...

[Guest040616]

Originally Posted by Satin

BT, as usual you still don't get my point bro so I'll just drop it. The stuff you spouted out is true but has nothing to do with what I'm saying.

Great fucking tribute Cat-Man as only you can do. I'm glad someone "gets it" & understands what DeMeco brings to the table. Mario is replaceable (he was this year) but DeMeco not so easily. It's hard to replace a leader. You can see by the comments how the players feel. You can only imagine what they're really saying behind close doors. Read between the lines. Big loss man....

We are not as far apart on Meco as you think. I have always liked and respected the guy. He has been a hell of a player! Clearly one of the best in our history. The Texans will miss him both inside and outside of the huddle. My only point in our exchange was that the trade was a business decision. In that regard it was like the Mario decision or even the Colts decision to cut ties with Peyton.

I don't have to agree with or like the actual decision but I accept it for what it is.

At the end of the day, you and I both agree. It sucks!

[Satin]

Well in that case I can accept what you're saying & this clearly bothers me and others more than Mario leaving. Cat-Man summed it up perfectly....(great job)...

2 other points: it's also a similiar situation with Ray-Ray of the Ravens. You don't see them trading him because his production is down or because of his recent injuries. Second, trade him for a 4th round pick? It's highly unlikely they will get someone at that pick to be productive or even come close to making the impact DeMeco has.

Again, Rick Smith and the staff has privy to a lot of info and things we don't. They are professionals and get paid a lot to make these decisions. I'm trying to hold off judgment until I see the final product. But it's getting very hard. I know the cap situation is tough, but when you lose 2 of your starting OL & 2 star defensive players, it's very frustrating with the expectations we have for this season. I just hope they have a good solid plan.

[Daddio]

One Eye, once again you are the man!!

Fuck yes bring in cap specialists!!! This offseason has been fucked!! We cannot replace all of these studs through the draft!!! Rick Smith is fucking this thing up bigtime!! Hopefully we can get some bargain veterans to shore up some of the holes the salary cap fuck ups have caused!!

4th round pick for Demeco, fuck me, Philly fucked you in the ass Rick!!

In my opinion we are going from contender to pretender pretty damn fast! We won't have the easy schedule like last year, except for our division opponents. We are very lucky we are in the AFC South, instead of the East or North. I thought we might be able to get home field advantage next year, now it's just hope to make the damn playoffs!!

You better show me something now Rick or if I see you out in public I'm gonna kick you in the balls!!!

Next year we might be fucked as well, Duane Brown is up, Conner Barwin is up, Schaub is up, anybody else, fuck Rick what are you doing? At least lock up D. Brown!!! Anybody that can knock Pitts Harrison the fuck out, deserves to be re upped!!!

MFer I'm pissed!!

[Satin]

Omg, the Broncs traded Tebow to the Jets....


As far as Saints "bounty gate" - Sean Peyton suspended for a year, Greg Williams suspended indefinately. Roger put the hammer down.

[BigLouie]

It was time to trade Ryan while the team could get some value for him. He was NOT a good fit for the defense being run. AT MOST he played only 2 downs and if the went to the nickle package early he came out so he might be limited to either 1 or no downs on some series. The Texans needed someone who would not come out. Simple as that. The Eagles needed someone just like Ryan so actually it works out the best for him to go there. He will play more and make more. Something he could not do in Houston.

[Guest040616]

I would not be surprised if there might be more to the Meco story than the Texans are letting on. He clearly is not the player last year that he was before his Achilles injury. I had hoped he would return from another offseason much closer to 100% than he was last season. Perhaps the team doctors have now determined that he will never be that player again and that is why they only received a 4th round draft choice. If that is the case, the Texans certainly would not advertise it.

Just a thought!

[Satin]

BT you might have a point.

How does everyone feel about God's Son going to the Big Apple to play for Rex Ryan? This should be great....can they host hard knocks again?

Cromartie already tweets they don't want him... Will he replace Sanchez?

[Guest121013]

BT has a point on the injury but since the trade clause would require a physical you would think that Philly would pick up on any injury that could inhibit his play going forward and negate the trade. I think he's a victim of the cap and the change in defensive scheme since he was only on the field roughly 50% of the plays in 2011 and is a true 4-3 linebacker front office probably figured he was expendible.

Hard knocks would be comedy gold, with Rex dropping f bombs left and right, they could do a caption shot of tebows face every time he drops one. I gotta figure he's going to be used relatively little as a qb and more as a hybrid H back/full back/ tight end who gets some carries.

[One-Eyed Willy]

Originally Posted by BigLouie

He was NOT a good fit for the defense being run.

This seems to be what many sports writers are selling but I'm just not buying. If factual, then yeah, trade justified. That easy! But I tend to think its not so much that he couldn't fulfill the role or because Texans need another every down LB, but rather because he was getting full-time money for being a part-time LB. Cushing being the beast that he was and being able to have a #2 defense with Ryans part-time gives them a security blanket and the opportunity develop Sharpton with minimal risk.

However, I thought his play time was cut short due to that mysterious elbow injury he originally suffered in preseason vs the Jets. It was reported to be a deep bruise with moderate swelling. He made the injury report more often than not but still started every game. With limited movement in the elbow, and the HUGE padding/tape job, it makes sense to bench him on defensive pass formations. Furthermore, if the Achilles was still bothersome I could see it affecting his explosiveness and hindering lateral cuts.

With DeMeco's health at 100%, he is one of the most explosive, smartest LB's in the league. He didn't get the respect of the team by not performing or not knowing the plays in and out. He earned it. He understands the game and knows the playbook like no other. That's why teammates call him "Cap" and why teammates look to him for guidance for unclear responsibilities. Reporters saying he only works well in the 4-3 and cannot be a force in the 3-4, I think is unjust. Trying to make sense of it, I also agree with BT, though he was cleared to play, something wasn't there with DeMeco last year. He made strides toward the end of the season. But I think the elbow hindered him more than lack of know how or lack of inability.

Overall though, I'd say the Texans are quietly rebuilding this off-season, and I don't have a problem with that what so ever. Loosing good players is what good teams do and the whole "Next Man UP" theme proved proved it possible. It's just that loosing 2 Defensive Captains, one being the captain of the team (if you'd ask the players) makes quietly rebuilding get a little LOUDER...

[Tim Riggins]

we definitely took a step backwards this offseason. lost mario, briesel, winston, meco but i think the loss of meco can be overcome with the reverend sharper.

[One-Eyed Willy]

Originally Posted by Tim Riggins

I think the loss of meco can be overcome with the reverend sharper.

U mean *Sharpton right? IDK small sample size to really say how he measures up. It will be his 3rd yr. He was a 4th rd draft pick from the U. He's coming off surgery from a season ending torn quad tendon. Before that, he was battling groin and back issues. I know reporters(The General) are saying that he will fill the role next year for Ryans.But I'm not buying that shit either.

I'd even go out on a limb to say a new Mike LB will possibly take precedence over drafting a WR or OLB.

BTW: DeMeco ran a 3-4 Defense while at Alabama. Darryl Sharpton ran a 4-3 at Miami. That would give DeMeco 5 yrs in the 3-4 and Sharpton only ~1/2 yr (injury & shared role).

And again, DeMeco helped Wade teach the 3-4 to the Texans. To steal a quote from BT, "at the risk of being repetitive" I strongly believe that DeMeco's trade had to do with health/age/salary/Texans' love for the draft over DeMeco not being a "fit" in a 3-4 defense. If anyone could shed some light on HOW/WHY he is not a fit, I'd be delighted to hear it.

Anyway. It is what it is... NFL= Not For Long
________________

And with that here are a couple "phenoms" Wade might like to play with

Luke Kuechly, Boston College
2011 Dick Butkus Award Winner (best College MLB)


This guy is the most decorated ILB in the draft this year and he'll probably go before any others do. So most likely he won't be there @ #26. Also, he comes from a college that runs a 4-3, so there is a learning curve. Wade is projected to really open up the playbook this year so I don't see them starting a rook in a 3-4 coming from a 4-3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVz7e...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXSfQ...endscreen&NR=1

Dont'a Hightower, Alabama


This feller ran a 3-4 defense and was huge in Alabama's shut out vs LSU in the title game. Many mock drafts had him going to Philly and Luke Kuechly going to PIT in the 1st round. Being that Philly now has DeMeco and PIT runs a 4-3, Hightower may just fall into our lap. If he does.. Sorry Fellers, get that WR in the second round... GET HIGHTOWER in the 1st rd!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXsxoisEmxQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSuM0...eature=related

Yeah.... If he's there... Get this one, get him ready, and START HIS ASS!!




Satin I know you want WR a top priority, but we saw this game.. If U remember the play that set it off, it was Hightower who made the strip and led the epic shut out. How would you like to see him as a Texan?

& Remember fellers, The MLB's are the QB's of the Defense.. One of the reasons why I strongly believe our Texans' 2012 Draft just took a new turn...

[Satin]

And now Driessen signs with the Broncs...cant blame him for wanting to catch lasers from Peyton.