A handful of thoughts on your Houston Texans' efforts at free agency, primarily in response to this report:
- Corey Smith, huh? Perhaps I'm being a homer here, but would he really be a significant upgrade over Earl Cochran?
- Then again, Smith has recently been more productive than our own Anthony Weaver (he of the $6,200,000.00 cap number in 2008). Which is to say that Smith has 4.5 sacks in the last two years, whereas Weaver has one more sack than a dead man during that same period.
- I'm not overly concerned about the relative lack of size that Smith brings to the table for a DE. Not everyone can be built like this guy. For an interesting analysis on the merits of undersized DEs, take a look at this article, if for nothing else than the amusement of seeing some of the names cited as hot prospects at the position back in 2001.
- I guess their visits went well enough for the Texans to offer deals to both John Wade and Chris Crocker. In other words, they didn't "pull a Hadnot." I still have my doubts about signing Wade to a multi-year deal, but I'm beginning to warm up to the idea of adding Crocker. Since it's clear the team wasn't going to target any big-name free agents, the black hole that is the Houston secondary has to be plugged some other way. First and foremost is via the draft, and I'm growing increasingly convinced that the team is going to take the best available CB at No. 18 (assuming a trade back isn't possible; that remains the most preferable option if it presents itself). But in addition to the draft, it makes sense to add free agents where possible to compete for playing time and/or roster spots. The more possibilities the Texans have in camp to fill the holes in the secondary, the better.
- Still haven't wrapped my mind around why Jacques Reeves got $8,000,000.00 guaranteed. But see the previous point.
