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After weeks of silence on the subject, Rick Smith recently gave Texans fans an update on the status of the team's first round pick in last year's draft. Our buddy Rivers McCown wrote a piece that's worth your time based on the question of whether the Texans should realistically count on any significant contribution from Jadeveon Clowney next season. Rivers opined that Houston should take a hard look at adding a pass rusher of consequence via free agency, as expecting Clowney to provide the non-J.J. Watt generated pressure the team needs in 2015 is likely overly optimistic. Rivers is careful to note that he's not writing Clowney off; he simply recognizes the severity of Clowney's injury and the always present possibility of setbacks in any return.
Not surprisingly, I concur with that analysis. Anything the Texans get from Clowney in 2015 is gravy. I hope the team is making plans to address the pass rush instead of expecting any sort of immediate return on their investment with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
What say you? Are you buying Jadeveon Clowney as a contributor to the 2015 Houston Texans' success on the field? Or are you already looking to 2016 to serve as Clowney's true rookie year?