Five Biggest Free Agency Moves: Houston Texans
With free agency now into its fifth week as April’s Draft draws closer, it’s time to start reviewing which teams filled some needs and who got weaker. Here are the five biggest free agency moves for each team so far.
The Texans were arguably a quarterback away from the Super Bowl last season after sub-par play from $72 million man Brock Osweiler. Their defense was the best in the league despite missing superstar J.J. Watt for most of the season. General manager Rick Smith needs to reload this off-season, especially in the Draft. Here are Houston’s five biggest free agency moves:
1 — Trading away Brock Osweiler
In a stunning move that shook the league, the Texans cut their losses and traded quarterback Brock Osweiler to the Browns, sending a 2018 2nd round pick and a 2017 6th rounder to Cleveland for a 4th rounder. The Browns will now take on Osweiler’s $16 million cap hit, leaving the Texans with Tom Savage at quarterback. The rest of Houston’s roster is strong, despite an exodus of free agents on defense. Savage showed promise in one game after Osweiler was benched, but suffered an injury before the playoffs. With Osweiler’s salary off their books and Tony Romo choosing retirement, the Texans have two options; keep Savage as the starter, or swing for the fences and draft a quarterback in the first round in a poor class.
2 — Letting A.J. Bouye walk
Apart from the Osweiler trade, Houston has been the league’s quietest team in free agency. They have not signed any external free agents and have let several players leave. While fourth year corner A.J. Bouye exploded onto the scene as Houston’s top corner last season, he was also just a one year starter at the end of his rookie contract. The Texans didn’t want to commit to Bouye long-term in case 2016 was a fluke, and with April’s Draft loaded with defensive backs, letting Bouye leave may have been a shrewd move.
3 — Letting Quintin Demps walk
Safety Quintin Demps was second in the league with six interceptions and signed a three year, $13.5 million deal with the Bears. While Demps was one of Houston’s best players last season, this is a deep draft at safety and the Texans could easily find his replacement in the Draft, or even already on the roster.
4 — Letting John Simon walk
John Simon was Houston’s best player at times last season. In five starts across 11 games he had 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. However, Simon was a role player who could easily be replaced, so the Texans allowed him to sign a three year, $14 million deal with divisional rivals Indianapolis
5 — Re-signing Ryan Griffin
The only player signing a contract with Houston this off-season is tight end Ryan Griffin, who returns on a three year, $9 million deal. In Osweiler’s hands last season, Houston’s passing attack relied on short, safe throws across the middle to Griffin and fellow tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz. Griffin had 50 catches for 442 yards and two touchdowns on five starts across 16 games.
