A Look At Rick Smith's Non-Draft Moves As General Manager Of The Houston Texans

A little over a week ago, we looked at the moves made via the NFL draft by your Houston Texans since Rick Smith was named general manager. Now we examine the moves made under Smith's watch that didn't involve drafting players. As discussed in the earlier post, your Houston Texans have maintained a log of all transactions made since Charley Casserly was hired almost precisely eleven (11) years ago, on January 19, 2000, making it rather easy to see precisely what the Texans did and when.

Sidebar: Remember that date the next time anyone tells you that Y2K was a false alarm. While the rest of the world was spared annihilation in January of 2000, the NFL's 32nd franchise was not. We got YCC'd.

Back to Rick Smith, the Teflon General Manager...a list of the most noteworthy non-draft moves of his Texans tenure awaits your review after the jump.

In a failed attempt at brevity, I'm not going to address the Texans' signing their recently drafted players unless it later involved inking a Texans draftee to an extension. I'll just note that Smith has been very successful in getting the players drafted by the Texans signed and into training camp. Additionally, I've deliberately left out some of the "lesser" moves made on Smith's watch where I could; you're free to examine the list in total if you're dying to know when the Texans released Guss Scott or Atlas Herrion. Onward!

2006

Signed restricted free agent Antwan Peek.
Hired Dale Strahm as Director of College Scouting.
Waived Todd Wade.
Signed Earthwind Moreland (not of great significance to the analysis; just wanted to type that name).
Released Mike Brisiel.
Released Tramon Williams (curiously, Tramon's release is not mentioned in the transaction log, but he was in the final round of cuts before the 2006 season).
Released Seth Wand.
Released David Anderson.
Released Robaire Smith.
Released Chris Taylor.
Signed Mike Brisiel to the practice squad.
Signed Ron Dayne.
Signed David Anderson, Anthony Maddox, and Chris Taylor to the practice squad.
Promoted Chris Taylor to the active roster.
Released Chris Taylor.
Traded Vernand Morency to Green Bay for Samkon Gado.
Signed Chris Taylor to the practice squad.
Waived Bennie Joppru.
Signed Vonta Leach.
Released Mike Brisiel from the practice squad.
Promoted Anthony Maddox to the active roster.
Signed Tim Bulman to the practice squad.
Promoted David Anderson to the active roster.
Signed Chris White to the practice squad.
Signed Von Hutchins and Cedric Killings.
Signed Bradlee Van Pelt.
Promoted Chris Taylor to the active roster.
Promoted Tim Bulman to the active roster.
Promoted Earl Cochran to the active roster.

2007

Signed Mike Brisiel and Chris White to reserve/future contracts for the upcoming season.
Signed Joel Dreessen to reserve/future contract.
Allocated Mike Brisiel to NFL Europe.
Released Zach Wiegert, Seth Payne and Eric Moulds.
Signed free agent Ahman Green.
Re-signed Ephraim Salaam and N.D. Kalu.
Signed free agent Danny Clark.
Re-signed Chad Stanley.
Signed free agent Jordan Black.
Re-signed Mark Bruener.
Signed free agent Jeff Zgonina.
Signed free agent Shawn Barber.
Completed a trade with the Falcons for Matt Schaub (Atlanta received Houston's second-round draft picks in the 2007 and 2008 NFL Drafts, and the teams also swapped first-round picks in the 2007 draft, with Houston moving down two spots from No. 8 overall to No. 10 overall).
Re-signed Ron Dayne.
Released David Carr and Domanick Davis.
Matched the offer sheet signed by Vonta Leach with the Giants.
Signed exclusive right free agents Bradlee Van Pelt and Chris Taylor.
Signed exclusive rights free agents David Anderson, Tim Bulman, Earl Cochran, and Anthony Maddox.
Re-signed free agent Dexter McCleon.
Signed restricted free agent Von Hutchins.
Signed free agent Jamar Fletcher.
Re-signed Samkon Gado.
Signed free agent Andre Davis.
Re-signed Shantee Orr.
Re-signed Charlie Anderson.
Re-signed Glenn Earl.
Signed undrafted rookie free agent DelJuan Robinson.
Terminated contract of Kailee Wong.
Signed Bethel Johnson.
Signed unrestricted free agent Matt Turk.
Released Darius Walker.
Signed Keenan McCardell (I remember being totally jazzed about this move)
Signed Darius Walker.
Released Bradlee Van Pelt.
Released Mike Brisiel, Bethel Johnson, Darius Walker, Brandon Frye, Keenan McCardell (ouch), Wali Lundy, David Anderson, and DelJuan Robinson.
Traded Jason Babin to Seattle for Michael Boulware.
Signed Darius Walker, Mike Brisiel, Brandon Frye, DelJuan Robinson, Tim Bulman, and Brandon Mitchell to the practice squad.
Signed Rashad Butler.
Released Chad Stanley (Ed. Note: Huzzah!).
Signed free agent Will Demps.
Waived Joel Dreessen.
Signed Cedric Killings.
Signed David Anderson and Joel Dreessen.
Waived Samkon Gado.
Signed Adimchinobi Echemandu.
Signed Brandon Frye to the active roster.
Signed Curome Cox.
Signed Darius Walker to the active roster.
Released Shantee Orr.
Signed Mike Brisiel to the active roster.
Signed Tim Bulman to the active roster.
Released Adimchinobi Echemandu.
Signed DelJuan Robinson to the active roster.

2008

Released Shawn Barber, Mike Flanagan and Jeb Putzier.
Re-signed Chris Taylor.
Re-signed unrestricted free agent Andre Davis.
Signed unrestricted free agent Jacques Reeves.
Signed unrestricted free agent Kevin Bentley.
Re-signed Darius Walker.
Re-signed unrestricted free agent Will Demps (curiously, this is missing from the team's transaction log).
Re-signed Mark Bruener and Glenn Earl.
Signed unrestricted free agent Chris Brown, with a player option for a halfback pass.
Signed unrestricted free agent Chaun Thompson.
Traded a sixth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft to Denver for Chris Myers.
Signed unrestricted free agent Quinn Gray.
Re-signed Matt Turk.
Released Steve McKinney.
Re-signed CC Brown and Brandon Frye.
Re-signed Anthony Maddox.
Re-signed David Anderson.
Re-signed Joel Dreessen.
Re-signed Fred Weary.

***On June 3, 2008, Rick Smith signed a contract extension of his own that runs through the 2012 season.***

Released Quinn Gray and Jordan Black.
Signed Rosevelt Colvin.
Released Charles Spencer.
Signed free agent Mike Bell.
Released Brandon Frye.
Signed free agent Eugene Wilson.
Signed Eric Winston to a contract extension.
Promoted Darius Walker to the active roster.
Signed Ryan Moats to the practice squad.
Released Fred Weary.
Waived Darius Walker and Chris Taylor; promoted Ryan Moats to the active roster.
Released N.D. Kalu.
Signed Jesse Nading to the active roster.

2009

Announced that head athletic trainer Kevin Bastin and strength and conditioning coach Dan Riley would not have their contracts renewed.
Released Ahman Green and Morlon Greenwood (unfortunately, the transaction log does not contain an entry detailing the volume of tears shed by MDC when Morlon's career as a Texan ended).
Hired Geoff Kaplan as director of sports medicine/head athletic trainer and promoted Ray Wright to head strength & conditioning coach.
Released Will Demps, Anthony Weaver, and Ephraiam Salaam.
Extended qualifying offers to five (5) restricted free agents: Owen Daniels, Joel Dreessen, David Anderson, Rashad Butler, and Earl Cochran.
Traded Sage Rosenfels to Minnesota for a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Signed unrestricted free agent Antonio Smith.
Re-signed Joel Dreessen and Eugene Wilson.
Signed unrestricted free agent Dan Orlovsky.
Re-signed David Anderson.
Withdrew tender offer to Earl Cochran.
Re-signed unrestriced free agent Nick Ferguson.
Signed unrestricted free agent Shaun Cody.
Signed unrestricted free agent Cato June.
Re-signed Rashad Butler.
Signed John Busing.
Signed unrestricted free agent Rex Grossman.
Re-signed restricted free agent Owen Daniels.
Re-signed Kris Brown to contract extension.
Re-signed Jeff Zgonina.
Traded Travis Johnson to San Diego for undisclosed draft pick.
Released Cato June.
Released Arian Foster.
Signed Arian Foster to the practice squad.
Franchised Dunta Robinson.
Signed unrestricted free agent Bernard Pollard.
Promoted Jesse Nading to the active roster.
Promoted Arian Foster to the active roster.
Demoted Jesse Nading back to the practice squad.
Signed Brian Russell.
Promoted Chris Henry to the active roster.
Released Brian Russell.
Signed Ephraim Salaam.
Signed Brian Russell.

2010

Signed John David Booty.
Hired Cedric Smith as strength and conditioning coach.

***On February 10, 2010, Gary Kubiak signed a contract extension that runs through the 2012 season.***

Agreed to contract extension with DelJuan Robinson.
Extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Tim Bulman, Rashad Butler, Owen Daniels, Ryan Moats, Bernard Pollard, DeMeco Ryans and Chris White.
Agreed to contract extension with Mike Brisiel.
Re-signed unrestricted free agents Kevin Walter and Matt Turk.
Signed unrestricted free agent Wade Smith.
Re-signed restricted free agents DeMeco Ryans and Tim Bulman.
Re-signed restricted free agent Bernard Pollard.
Signed unrestricted free agent Neil Rackers.
Re-signed restricted free agent Ryan Moats.
Re-signed restricted free agent Rashad Butler.
Signed Jon Weeks.
Signed Danny Clark.
Signed Owen Daniels to his restricted free agent offer sheet.
Signed Aaron Glenn to one-day contract so he could retire a Texan.
Signed Andre Johnson to contract extension.
Released Fred Bennett.
Signed Derrick Ward.
Placed Kris Brown and Andre Davis on injured/reserve list.
Released Jacques Reeves and DelJuan Robinson.
Released Danny Clark.
Signed Matt Leinart.
Signed Adewale Ogunleye.
Signed Ephraim Salaam.
Signed Karl Paymah.
Signed Mark Anderson.
Released Ephraim Salaam.
Waived Frank Okam.
Signed Malcolm Sheppard and Damione Lewis to the active roster.
Waived Adewale Ogunleye.
Signed Tim Jamison.
Claimed Jason Allen off waivers.
Waived Malcolm Sheppard.
Signed Shelley Smith to the active roster.
Signed Malcolm Sheppard to the practice squad.

There it is, people. What do you think about our esteemed general manager's non-draft record?