With the Houston Texans coming off a 6-10 season, the fan base is expectedly upset with the lack of progress from the nine year old franchise. After Bob McNair decided to keep head coach Gary Kubiak in place and just change defensive staffs, the Texans need a quick turnaround to prove he made the right choice. This means the Texans don't have the luxury of being as "prudent" with player acquisition as they normally are.
A team that usually shies away from free agency is probably going to have to sign some players to play integral positions for Wade Phillips newly integrated 3-4 defense. It would be nice to have some of those players signed before the draft, but the looming expiration of the CBA has made that pretty difficult. Sometimes though, luck can help you out a bit. Want to know what I mean? Follow the jump for your daily links.
Shaun Rogers was told he'd be cut yesterday by the Cleveland Browns. Jerome Solomon thinks he'd be a perfect fit for the Texans and I agree. The Browns are rebuilding, and they don't believe that Rogers at 31 is worth the long-term investment. That doesn't, however, mean he doesn't have anything left, and he might be perfect to start in the middle while the nose tackle that surely will be drafted this year is developed.
That nose tackle drafted by the Texans may be Baylor DT Phil Taylor. Doug Farrar has him at 38 on his board of top draft prospects, and breaks down the 337 pound man from Baylor.
As Barrett Walton notes, the Texans might be interested in the CFL's leading rusher and former Houston Cougar Phillip Hunt. Cameron Wake showed that the transition is possible from the CFL to the NFL, so why not give it a shot?
The NFLPA and the league are in disagreement over whether the franchise tag can be applied or not, but I think the NFL is probably going to win this one. Who, if anyone, would the Texans apply the tag to? Paul Kuharsky thinks it might be Owen Daniels. I am going to weigh in with my opinion on the matter shortly.
Yesterday I wished Bruce Matthews luck as he was close to obviously leaving to coach the Titans offensive line for new head coach and best friend Mike Munchak. Alan Burge states that while he will always be an OIlers fan, he wishes them nothing but mayhem.
Did you feel slighted when the Texans were seemingly not represented in the NFL commercial in which various TV characters were wearing all 32 31 teams' jerseys? Diehard Chris did some analysis and thinks that we might be represented in a weird way.