Many Texans fans, including me, were confused as to why Brandon Harris couldn't crack the CB rotation last year. He wasn't even active for several games. For a team that was far from bursting with proven quality performers at CB, the thought of the team's second-round selection being deemed not even good enough to suit up on game days, much less actually play, was puzzling. We speculated as to why that was the case. Were the Texans making a concerted effort to take things slow with Harris after seeing how poorly Kareem Jackson fared when he was thrown into the fire as a rookie? Was Harris simply not picking up the scheme? Was it a technique issue?
At least one report indicates that it was something else. What's more, if the report is accurate, it may not bode well for Harris' chances to break through at corner any time soon.
In one of its recent "AFC Whispers" features, Pro Football Weekly said:
While rookies J.J. Watt, Brooks Reed and T.J. Yates were making big contributions for the Texans this past season, second-round CB Brandon Harris, whom the club moved up to draft, was pretty much a forgotten man. Word is Harris' lack of speed made it hard for him to get on the field, even on special teams. With the improvement of nickel CB Brice McCain, it remains to be seen if Harris can carve out a bigger role next season.
Wow. As much as I'd like to dismiss the possibility that Harris' lack of speed was keeping him from seeing snaps at corner, there may be some legitimacy to it. Recall that the Texans did entertain the notion of having Harris back Troy Nolan up at safety after Danieal Manning was injured. At the time, that made no sense. But if Harris' speed really is/was an issue? Maybe you can see the rationale.