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2016 Houston Texans Free Agency Tracker: Recapping Who Has Signed With, Left Houston Texans

It's been a crazy day for the Houston Texans. BRB has a recap of who's coming, who's going, and how it went down.

By Tim
If Reef doesn't unveil a dish called "Brock Lobster" soon, for shame.
If Reef doesn't unveil a dish called "Brock Lobster" soon, for shame.
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Well, that was a rather eventful couple of hours, wasn't it? Your Houston Texans made some NOISE in the free agent market. For a team that rarely disturbs the peace, this qualifies as a historic day. We haven't seen this kind of action since the Great Post-Lockout Free Agent Frenzy of 2011 that saw the Texans ink deals with Johnathan Joseph (immortalized here) and Danieal Manning (echoing through eternity here) under a moonlit July sky.

That last turn of phrase was brought to you by Matt Weston.

Anyway, here's a quick recap of what's gone down at NRG Park since the legal tampering period opened two days ago:

1. Your Houston Texans reached agreements to bring back Shane Lechler, Charles James, Nick Novak, Jeff Adams (those deals are discussed here), and Chris Clark (post here).

2. Ben Jones agreed to join the Titans on a four-year deal (post here).

3. With their quarterback problems evident to everyone not named Brian Hoyer, the Texans decided to pursue Brock Osweiler. The competition for Osweiler's services was reportedly down to Houston and Denver. But would the Texans offer enough to make Osweiler leave Denver? The Broncos seemed determined not to let Osweiler go without a fight, and there were reports of Denver "gaining steam" in their attempts to keep Osweiler in the fold.

Then Rand Getlin broke the story that Texans fans won't soon forget.

To get Brock Osweiler to Houston, the Texans had to offer him a lot of money. That's the state of the quarterback market. Even if you think Osweiler is not worth $72,000,000.00 ($37,000,000.00 of which is guaranteed), I submit that he's worth whatever the market says he's worth, and the market just established that he was worth $72,000,000.00 ($37,000,000.00 of which is guaranteed).  Besides, let's see how the Texans structured the contract before we pass judgment on it [UPDATE: Here are the details of the structure. I love it.]

If it makes you rest any easier, the Broncos' offer was not so much less than the Texans' as to merit laughter.

There's speculation that Osweiler's decision to decamp for Houston was not a shock to the Denver brass.

And that Osweiler didn't choose Houston for only financial reasons (though, c'mon, I doubt he's coming to Texas if the Texans were offering less than the Broncos).  Brett touched on one theory here, which sort of ties into this tweet.

It remains to be seen whether Osweiler will flourish under Bill O'Brien. Maybe he won't be an improvement over Ryan Fitzpatrick or Brian Hoyer. We'll find out soon enough on the field.

What Osweiler's arrival does mean, however, is hope. That's something Texans fans haven't had in the quarterback position since Matt Schaub committed NFL seppuku back in 2013. Given the scarcity of hope when it comes to quarterback play in Houston, that's reason for celebration right now.

4. The Texans weren't done spending after finding their franchise quarterback. Yes, Osweiler's a franchise quarterback. It's March of 2016; that opinion could change as quickly as six months from now, but that's where we are at the moment.

Desperately needing a running back after parting ways with Arian Foster, Houston focused on a player they'd been linked to for the last several days. Earlier this afternoon, word was that Lamar Miller was close to becoming a Houston Texan, and then it became official shortly after the Osweiler story broke.

Something to consider about the Texans' new stud running back: He apparently turned down a bigger offer because he's playing the long game.

5. It wasn't all sunshine and lollipops for the Texans, though. Brandon Brooks, who most would have said was the single most important player for the Texans to retain in free agency, left for the Eagles, thanks to a monster deal.

6. That vacancy at guard wouldn't last long. It was quickly announced that the Texans had signed Jeff Allen to a four-year deal. Less money on a shorter contract for a player the same age as Brooks, for what the Texans hope is comparable play. The logic is understandable, if nothing else.

7. After Allen's signing, the Texans still had an opening at center due to Jones' move to Nashville. They addressed it (in theory, anyway) by signing Tony Bergstrom, a third round pick from the 2012 NFL Draft, just like Brandon Brooks. While Bergstrom has nowhere near the experience Ben Jones did, his signing gives the Texans one more option on the offensive line. It doesn't preclude Houston drafting a center this year, but it does give them a veteran who's logged some snaps at the position. That's better than nothing.

I'm going to log off now, because the screen is starting to spin.  I'll close with a timely tweet from our own Capt. Ron.

Memorialize your reaction to today's moves and continue the discussion as you see fit in the Comments.

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