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Since taking over as the defacto general managers, Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien and personnel development guru Jack Easterby still haven’t made any significant moves to bolster the roster. Unless you consider their failed attempt to bring in GM candidate Nick Caserio as a “move”. With less than three weeks to go before it’s put-up-or-shut-up time with Jadeveon Clowney’s contract, the clock will continue to tick on this situation until the bell tolls.
Over at CBSsports, they gave Houston some pretty good reasoning to sign Clowney and gave Jadeveon some pretty good firepower to ask for a big payday by ranking Clowney as the 25th best player in the league.
While many people have blinders on when it comes to a player in Clowney’s role, thinking if he doesn’t rack up sacks in the high double-digits, he’s not a serious contender. However, Clowney has truly blossomed into one of the league’s premier run stoppers.
HOUSTON TEXANS OLB
He is a good pass rusher -- not a great one -- but he’s also really good against the run. His sack numbers do need to go up.
Over the last three years, Clowney has racked up 53 tackles for loss, nailed 158 combined tackles, 59 QB hits, 24.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles—all while only starting 44 of the potential 48 games. All of this doesn’t measure his total impact either, since having Clowney and J.J. Watt (#10 on Prisco’s list) certainly gives opposing offensive coordinators nightmares leading up to the game and fits of frustration between the whistles.
Another area new Houston Texans general manager O’Brien Easterby needs to address is the run game.
While all the rosy stories of OTA and mini-camp glory provides great off-season hope for fans, how many times has their been a story of training camp glory only to see if crash and burn in the real season? Devier Posey anyone?
For anyone thinking D’Onta Foreman is going to come in and rumble like Earl Campbell after recovering from his Achilles tear, your optimism is inspiring, but pragmatism would have us believe otherwise.
Having Foreman play at his fullest potential, providing a one-two punch with Lamar Miller behind a solid run blocking offensive line would be amazing to watch. Barring the Achilles injury, the guy had the upside of a Mack truck’s power with a Lamborghini’s dexterity.
In the meantime, the Texans front office needs to be hedging their bets and bringing in another sure thing until Foreman has proven he can withstand live fire.
Right now, however, we must wait. Patience, the forced discipline of the offseason, oh how we rue thee!