Texans FA's

[Blitzwood]

Dreesen signed with the Bengles...


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...gent-visitors/.


I'm happy because now we might focus on Fleener @ 26.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by Blitzwood

Dreesen signed with the Bengles...


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...gent-visitors/.


I'm happy because now we might focus on Fleener @ 26.

Hasn't signed, just making visits.

[NBT]

Originally Posted by Blitzwood

Dreesen signed with the Bengles...


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...gent-visitors/.


I'm happy because now we might focus on Fleener @ 26.

I'm with ya. Fleener and OD would give Gronk & Hernandez a run for their money. But Dreesen hasn't signed yet. Still hoping we can find the cap money for him.

[WMH]

TE Joel Dreessen says he will choose between the Texans and Broncos by Friday morning. He's also visited Saints, Bengals and Titans. -- John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL)

[TheMatrix31]

Hope he signs with us. I think his importance to our team is severely understated. An unsung hero. But if he goes to Denver, obviously I can't blame him.

[WMH]

Free agent TE Joel Dreessen says he will sign with the Denver Broncos -- Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26)

[Nconroe]

I guess Denver could offer more money. Plus hard to pass up receiving from Peyton.

[Keith]

Probably has more to do with going home than with who the QB is though. Dreessen went to HS in Colorado and of course played for Colorado State.

[Mike]

I would have liked to have kept Dreesen. Briesel really cashed in. Now Rick Smith has to earn his salary and hit on some lower level inexpensive free agents to fill in the holes, and we need to hit on our draft. This offseason has been a bummer. I am dissapointed that Mario all of a sudden becomes a twitter freak, even though I figured he was gone with the amount of $ he cashed in with. I liked Winston, be he was alot of sizzle and no steak, the defense I think has leaders in Cush, Manning, Antonio and JJ.

Darn, I need some Texans sunshine. Good teams find good inexpensive players. We picked up Dreeses and Briesel for nothing. Time to do it again.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by WMH

Free agent TE Joel Dreessen says he will sign with the Denver Broncos -- Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26)

Saw somewhere that Dressen got a 3 yr, $8.5MM deal. Didn't see the particulars.

[Roy P]

After losing Vickers & Dreesen, I would like to see the Texans sign FB Owen Schmitt. It would be nice to have somebody on the team who could block in the running game. Maybe take a look at UCLA TE Harkey as an undrafted Free Agent. Just sayin'

[WMH]

Hey, they are alive over there on Kirby!

P Donnie Jones signs 1-year deal with Houston -- Jason Cole (@JasonColeYahoo)

[WMH]

#Texans WR Kevin Walter took a $1.5 million pay cut to stay with the team. -- Dov Kleiman (@NFL_RealUpdates)

[NBT]

Now for the other weak spot on our WRs, Jacobe Jones. On second thought he just needs to go.

[Nconroe]

I might be the only one, but I'd be ok with Jacoby staying as 3,4,5 WR and punt returns, as long as they can teach him when to leave a punt alone during preseason. And, maybe if he reworks his contract like Walters did.

stats for Kevin Walters receiving past 5 years is much better than many no. 2 receivers
YR Team GP REC Yds
2007-08 Houston 16 65 800
2008-09 Houston 16 60 899
2009-10 Houston 14 53 611
2010-11 Houston 16 51 621
2011-12 Houston 15 39 474

stats for Jacoby not bad for third, four WR, not that many plays available for all, he really hasn't fumbled that much, we just remember when
2007-08 Houston 14 15 149
2008-09 Houston 16 3 81
2009-10 Houston 14 27 437
2010-11 Houston 15 51 562
2011-12 Houston 16 31 512

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

I might be the only one, but I'd be ok with Jacoby staying as 3,4,5 WR and punt returns, as long as they can teach him when to leave a punt alone during preseason. And, maybe if he reworks his contract like Walters did.

stats for Kevin Walters receiving past 5 years is much better than many no. 2 receivers
YR Team GP REC Yds
2007-08 Houston 16 65 800
2008-09 Houston 16 60 899
2009-10 Houston 14 53 611
2010-11 Houston 16 51 621
2011-12 Houston 15 39 474

stats for Jacoby not bad for third, four WR, not that many plays available for all, he really hasn't fumbled that much, we just remember when
2007-08 Houston 14 15 149
2008-09 Houston 16 3 81
2009-10 Houston 14 27 437
2010-11 Houston 15 51 562
2011-12 Houston 16 31 512

I think he's a bad punt returner. And it's not about the one poorly timed muff. He shuffle steps every punt like he is devin Hester. Only he is not quick. He is big and fast for a PR, but not quick. He needs to catch it and go instead of giving away 10 yards every time in the hope he might make 11 guys miss by standing in place.

And as a wr he is an average deep threat (without ball skills), who can't run a route.

[HPF Bob]

Up until his gaffe against the Ravens, I thought Jones stepped up rather well in Andre Johnson's absence until Schaub got hurt, then the deep ball was taken out of our game plan and that is Jones' chief weapon as a receiver.

He's a good return man when he doesn't dance or run backwards, and he occasionally cracks the long one so I'm fine with him back there as long as he learns from his mistakes - and that's the real question. I felt he had made good progress last year until Schaub went down and then he had the gaffe in the Ravens game.

It should be noted Jones made some big plays last year and would have set us in Ravens territory with one punt return that got called back for a block in the back. He's not as bad as some folks around here make him out to be but he is starting to exceed his value salary-wise and just doesn't play smart at times.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Up until his gaffe against the Ravens, I thought Jones stepped up rather well in Andre Johnson's absence until Schaub got hurt, then the deep ball was taken out of our game plan and that is Jones' chief weapon as a receiver.

He's a good return man when he doesn't dance or run backwards, and he occasionally cracks the long one so I'm fine with him back there as long as he learns from his mistakes - and that's the real question. I felt he had made good progress last year until Schaub went down and then he had the gaffe in the Ravens game.

It should be noted Jones made some big plays last year and would have set us in Ravens territory with one punt return that got called back for a block in the back. He's not as bad as some folks around here make him out to be but he is starting to exceed his value salary-wise and just doesn't play smart at times.

He has one skill as a WR, catching deep balls where he has run by the defense. He is ineffective on any route with timing or a cut involved, and he is ineffective on deep balls if there is a defender in the play. I think a deep threat has to have some ball skills, otherwise there are about 50 guys who can run fast on a deep route, and none of them get paid like Jacoby.

As a punt returner he is average at best. Way too many zero and negative returns when he has 10+ yards if he would get upfield. But he does occasionally break one. I did not have a huge issue with the muff other than the timing, since he has actually been reliable fielding punts in comparison to his early years. I think the playoff muff was just a guy trying to force a play when there wasn't one. But I can't get over the fact that he tries to dance like a waterbug instead of getting upfield like a 6'2" guy. But that could be a coaching issue (or lack of coaching issue) for all I know.

[popanot]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

stats for Kevin Walters receiving past 5 years is much better than many no. 2 receivers

YR Team GP REC Yds
2007-08 Houston 16 65 800
2008-09 Houston 16 60 899
2009-10 Houston 14 53 611
2010-11 Houston 16 51 621
2011-12 Houston 15 39 474

I don't like the trend I see here. KW hasn't been a productive #2 since '09. KW was smart to take a pay cut because he was probably at risk of working as store manager at his local Krogers. Factor in those recent numbers, JJ's inconsistency and AJ's increasing injury status, and you have a pretty huge area of need. I see the Texans spending at least 2 picks at WR, signing a scrap-heap veteran (hello Braylon or Ocho) and hoping like hell Lestar Jean can become something.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by popanot

I don't like the trend I see here. KW hasn't been a productive #2 since '09. KW was smart to take a pay cut because he was probably at risk of working as store manager at his local Krogers. Factor in those recent numbers, JJ's inconsistency and AJ's increasing injury status, and you have a pretty huge area of need. I see the Texans spending at least 2 picks at WR, signing a scrap-heap veteran (hello Braylon or Ocho) and hoping like hell Lestar Jean can become something.

And here is where looking at stats can get you in trouble. Our receivers have fewer catches in the past few seasons because a) we are running the ball more effectively and b) we are playing from behind less. That means fewer balls in the air which means smaller stats for our receivers. When Foster can chew up big chunks on the ground, why throw as much as we did when the ground game sucked?

I do think a legit #2 receiver is a definite need (in part because Walter has never been Ed McCaffrey) but I'm not sure we need to draft two and sign another one. The WR corps isn't a huge need, just one of a few. I could go for several other positions at #26 besides WR.

BTW, on Keith's chart regarding cap space, remember we still have to sign our draft choices so there is less cap space than you might believe. We might even have a June 1st cut just to open up more space after the draft (so those hoping for Jacoby to get cut, watch to see whether we draft a WR at #26 and then cut Jones on June 1st to free up cap space).