Offseason In Review: Houston Texans
The Texans finished 9-7 and won the AFC South for the second consecutive year, and they did so with quarterback play that was below average to say the least. It’s fair to wonder how far Houston may have advanced with competence under center, and the club went into the 2017 offseason with signal-caller as the No. 1 item on its to-do list.
Notable signings:
- Ryan Griffin, TE: Three years, $9MM. $3.225MM guaranteed.
- Breno Giacomini, T: One year, $2.75MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Shane Lechler, P: One year, $2MM. $500K guaranteed.
- Nick Novak, L: One year, $1.15MM. $250K guaranteed.
- Sio Moore, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Marcus Roberson, CB: One year, $690K.
When two of your six offseason signings were the re-upping of your kicker/punter combo, you didn’t have very busy spring. The Texans were among the least active clubs during the free agent period, and that’s a result of both cap space constrictions and roster makeup. Houston ranked in the bottom-third of the league with roughly $25MM to work with, so it didn’t have an exorbitant amount of funds to spread around. But the Texans’ squad was also relatively stable outside of quarterback (a position they weren’t going to fill in free agency), so upgrades were difficult to find.
Aside from Nick Novak and Shane Lechler (obligatory Punters Are People Too link), the only player Houston decided to re-sign was tight end Ryan Griffin, whom it inked to a cheap three-year deal. Griffin played second fiddle to C.J. Fiedorowicz in 2016, but still raked in 50 receptions on 74 targets. He didn’t do much else well, however, as he earned poor blocking grades from Pro Football Focus and rarely played on special teams. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Griffin starts to lose playing time to second-year tight end Stephen Anderson next season.
Griffin could be lining up next to a new right tackle in 2017, as the Texans brought in former Jet/Seahawk Breno Giacomini to provide insurance given that Derek Newton won’t play until at least 2018. Now 31 years old, Giacomini has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness over the past two seasons, but he’d been roughly an average player prior to that. Chris Clark, who started 14 games in the absence of Newton a year ago, rated among the league’s worst tackles in 2016, so Giacomini shouldn’t have any trouble overtaking him for the starting job.
While Giacomini could end up providing surprising production at a cheap rate, it’s a tad odd that Houston didn’t go after a more high-profile addition at tackle. The Texans did add Bucknell product Julien Davenport in the fourth round, and while he could conceivably compete for snaps during his rookie campaign, Houston could have attempted to sign someone like Ricky Wagner (admittedly, an expensive undertaking) or Mike Remmers in free agency. Austin Pasztor, who played well for the Browns in 2016, is still available, and would still be a welcome supplement to the Texans’ front five.
As PFR’s Connor Byrne noted in his pre-free agency Texans analysis, Houston could have addressed the safety position this offseason, as well, but aside from selecting Treston Decoud in the fifth round, the club stood pat while losing 13-game starter Quintin Demps to the Bears. Andre Hal and Corey Moore project as Houston’s 2017’s starters, but both earned middling grades from PFF last year. The Texans could have targeted free agent options such as Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, or D.J. Swearinger earlier this year, but players such as Corey Graham and Jairus Byrd are still on the open market.
Redskins Fighting Over Kirk Cousins’ Value
We have a new management structure in Washington, but it appears that everyone is not on the same page. With days to go before the extension deadline, there is internal disagreement over Kirk Cousins’ true value, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. 
[RELATED: Why The Transition Tag Isn’t A Real Option For The Redskins In 2018]
The top decision makers in D.C. have not been aligned on Cousins’ value for years now. In 2015, Jay Gruden had to slug it out with the front office to have Cousins slotted in as the team’s No. 1 quarterback over Robert Griffin III. Heading into the 2016 season, the Redskins missed on an opportunity to sign Cousins to a relatively reasonable multi-year deal, opting instead for the softer commitment of a one-year franchise tender. This time around, Cousins has grounds to become the league’s highest-paid player and management is split on the best course of action.
Both sides are reportedly comfortable with the idea of Cousins playing out the 2017 season for $24MM. After that, the Redskins could cuff Cousins once again via the $28MM transition tag or the $34MM franchise tag. On Friday morning, we explained why the transition tag probably won’t do much for the Redskins.
Raiders Sign Two Players
The Raiders announced the signings of running back John Crockett and offensive lineman Kareem Are. The team also confirmed the previously reported addition of linebacker Brady Sheldon.
Are was a two-year starter at Florida State and earned an All-ACC Second Team nomination in his final year on campus. He participated in the Raiders’ rookie minicamp in May as a tryout player and, like Sheldon, he finds himself with a contract here in July.
Crockett’s initial entry into the league came when he signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in May 2015. Unfortunately, he has been slowed by injury in the NFL and was forced to miss the entire 2016 season. He has nine carries for 21 yards in the NFL with all attempts coming over the course of two games as a rookie. As a senior at North Dakota State in 2014, Crockett set school records for all-purpose yards (2,419), rushing yards (1,994) and rushing attempts (368).
The Raiders’ roster is now back to the 90-man max following some roster shuffling earlier this month.
Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott To Receive Ban?
There is a “growing sense” that Ezekiel Elliott could be hit with a short suspension in the coming weeks, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (video link) reports. The Cowboys running back is personally bracing for the possibility that he could miss the start of the 2017 regular season. 
[RELATED: DeAngelo Williams Rules Out Four Teams, Including Cowboys]
The Cowboys open the season against the rival Giants before facing the Broncos in Week 2. At this time, Schefter gets the feeling that Elliott will miss one, if not both of those games. Still, the NFL has yet to make a final determination on the matter and nothing will be decided until the investigation is wrapped up.
Last year, a woman accused Elliott of abusing her on two separate occasions in 2016. He was never arrested or charged for either supposed incident, but the NFL requires much less evidence to levy punishment than the American legal system. Given the league’s ugly history with domestic violence, they are not taking the accusations against the young star lightly.
Elliott, 22 later this month, ran for a league-leading 1,631 yards off of 322 carries last year with 15 touchdowns. He supplemented that incredible stat line with 32 catches for 363 yards and one score.
Latest On Redskins, Kirk Cousins
The Redskins are looking to lock up Kirk Cousins beyond his one-year, ~$24MM deal, but they are doing so with the knowledge that they can also retain him in 2018 via the transition tag or the franchise tag. The $28MM transition tag would be the cheapest option, but it would not disincentivize teams from signing Cousins to an offer sheet, nor would it give the Redskins any compensation if they choose not to match. 
[RELATED: Redskins, Cousins OK With One-Year Deal]
In fact, the transition tag might not be a viable option for the Redskins at all. Two GMs tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) they believe some team out there would use a mammoth roster bonus on Cousins in 2018 to make it hard for the Redskins to match.
Between next year’s projected cap increase and the insane amount of rollover possessed by some teams, it could be very difficult for the Redskins to yank Cousins back after applying the transition tag. The 49ers, who have been connected to Cousins for some time now, will be rolling over nearly $67MM in cap space for 2018. The Browns and Jaguars, two more teams with serious question marks under center, will be rolling over $50MM and $44MM, respectively. The Redskins project to have $54.7MM cap room in 2018, but their rollover amounts will pale in comparison to those clubs and others, putting them at a relative disadvantage.
The Redskins’ only viable approach next offseason might be to use franchise tag. With the exclusive tag, the Redskins can keep teams away from the quarterback and guarantee that he will be in the building for the 2018 season. By using the non-exclusive franchise tag, the Redskins will have the first right of refusal and, if they decline to match an offer sheet, they will be entitled to two first-round picks from the team that signs him. In either case, they’re looking at a one-year, $34MM tender.
Cousins’ camp is well aware of the available cap room that will be out there in 2018 and that is certainly having an impact on negotiations. It has been suggested that a full guarantee of $52MM – the combined value of this year’s franchise tag and next year’s transition tag – could be the floor for talks. Instead, Cousins’ team could be pushing for upwards of $58MM guaranteed at signing, plus aggressive cash flow to give Cousins 70% or more of his money in the first three years of the pact.
If the two sides cannot reach agreement by Monday, they will not be allowed to discuss an extension until after the 2017 season. Right now, an accord seems unlikely.
Joique Bell Hopes To Continue Playing
Joique Bell isn’t finished with football. At least, he hopes he’s not. The veteran running back says he’s still looking to find work for the 2017 season (Twitter links via SiriusXM). 
“There are ton of guys in the league that know what I can do, coaches and GMs, but I have no timetable to sign with a new team,” Bell said. “I’ve never been an injury prone player. I feel better than I have in a long time, physically. Just waiting on the call.”
It could be a while before Bell gets the call he’s waiting for. Bell will turn 31 in August and he didn’t get to show teams a whole lot on the field last season.
Bell spent the majority of his career with the Lions before hooking on with the Bears last fall. His stint in Chicago lasted just four games and he totaled only three carries. When a December workout with the Packers did not result in a deal, he circled back to Detroit to serve as the team’s No. 4 RB behind Theo Riddick, Dwayne Washington, and Zach Zenner. He did not attempt any carries in his second Lions stint and had just one catch for negative two yards.
Bell’s most productive season as a runner came in 2014 when he ran for 860 yards and seven touchdowns. He also thrived as a pass-catching specialist for Detroit in 2012 and 2013, recording upwards of 50 receptions in each season.
AFC Notes: Mixon, Jets, Elway, Bell
Speaking with Sirius XM on Thursday, head coach Marvin Lewis delved into the Bengals’ decision to select controversial running back Joe Mixon with the 48th pick in the draft (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). The ex-Oklahoma Sooner was caught on video striking a woman back in 2014, which caused some teams to remove him from their draft boards. Not the Bengals, though, and Lewis explained that “a lot of time” and “a lot of research” went into picking Mixon. “Time spent with Joe. Time researching people around Joe. Joe’s past in East Bay [California],” he continued. “All those kinds of things that way. His past on campus at Oklahoma since the incident. So, there couldn’t be any other red flags to say, ‘Well, well, maybe…’ No, no, no. It had to be clean, and Joe knows that. He knows going forward, it has to stay clean all the time. He’s lived on the tip of the sword for three years now, and he’s got to continue to probably for the rest of his life.” If Mixon can avoid further off-field troubles, Lewis expects him to succeed in the pros, in part because “he’s off the charts talent-wise” and “as smart as a whip.”
More from the AFC:
- In an interview with “Boomer & Carton” of WFAN on Thursday, Giants wide receiver Brandon Marshall indicated that he requested his release from the rebuilding Jets in March because they’re not going anywhere in 2017 (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “For me, I just knew I couldn’t be in that environment,” said Marshall, who holds the unfortunate distinction of being the league’s current longest-tenured player without a postseason appearance (11 years). “I think everyone knows the type of personality I am at this point in my career. I wouldn’t have made it through an entire season knowing that we didn’t have a chance. That’s all you want as a player — you just want a chance.” Long after they cut ties with Marshall, the Jets released fellow veterans Eric Decker and David Harris in June. Marshall took exception with the timing in both cases, arguing that “it was too late in free agency” and calling the Jets’ maneuverings with Decker and Harris “bad business.” Harris’ agents made it known after his release that they were unhappy with the Jets, but the 10-year veteran did end up latching on with the reigning Super Bowl champion Patriots just over two weeks later.
- Toward the end of May, Broncos general manager John Elway expressed confidence that he would sign a contract extension by the start of the season. No agreement has come to fruition in the month and a half since, but the Broncos and the contract-year executive “have maintained dialogue recently,” reports Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. Given that there’s no deal yet for Elway, the assumption is that discord or tension exists between the two sides, writes Jhabvala, but a team source shot down that notion.
- The Steelers should not sign franchise-tagged running back Le’Veon Bell to a long-term deal by Monday’s deadline, opines Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Running backs have short shelf lives, contends Zeise, who points out that the 25-year-old Bell has already accumulated 1,135 touches (908 rushes, 227 receptions) during his four seasons in the league. Adding to the risk, the league has suspended Bell twice, meaning he might not be trustworthy enough to extend. In Zeise’s estimation, then, what the Steelers should do is allow Bell to play the season under the $12.12MM tag and, if he fares well, tag him again for roughly $14.5MM in 2018. The Steelers could then let Bell walk when he’s exiting his prime. (For more on Bell, check out Zach Links’ piece from earlier this week.)
NFC Notes: Floyd, Cousins, Lions
The Vikings have backed wide receiver Michael Floyd since he violated his probation by testing positive for alcohol last month, after which he insisted that he unknowingly ingested it when drinking kombucha tea. Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer spoke about Floyd’s situation Thursday, telling Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press: “Do I believe it? I don’t know how much tea he drank. I have no clue. I don’t have any doubt why there’d be skepticism, but he told me that he wasn’t (drinking). That it was legit.” Zimmer buys Floyd’s story, but he did issue the wideout a warning when the two spoke on the phone after his failed alcohol test. “I said, ‘If I find out you’re lying to me, I’m going to cut you,’ ” revealed Zimmer, whose team will go without Floyd early in the season because of a forthcoming suspension.
A bit more from the NFC:
- Both the Redskins and Kirk Cousins are reportedly OK with the quarterback playing 2017 under the franchise tag, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the club will nonetheless make him a last-ditch offer by Monday’s deadline. The expectation is that Cousins will need at least $52MM in guarantees in order to sign a long-term pact, though Florio suggests that something between that figure and the $40MM the Raiders gave Derek Carr could get Cousins to bite. If Cousins says no, the Redskins could leak the details of the offer and make him “seem greedy and selfish,” writes Florio.
- Thurston Armbrister is among Lions linebackers with an on-the-bubble status entering training camp, writes Tim Twentyman of the team’s website. Armbrister wasn’t much of a factor on defense in 2016, his first season as a Lion, as the ex-Jaguar only played 63 snaps and made nine tackles in 14 appearances. However, he was one of Detroit’s key special teamers, racking up the fourth-most snaps (260) for a unit that Football Outsiders ranked as the sixth best in the NFL.
- Earlier Thursday, PFR reviewed the offseasons of two NFC teams, the Giants and Eagles.
Akiem Hicks Hires Rosenhaus Sports
On the cusp of a contract year, Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks announced last month that he was seeking new representation. The search is over, according to Sports Business Journal’s Liz Mullen, who tweets that Hicks has signed with Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha of Rosenhaus Sports.
Turning to Rosenhaus, the most famous agent in football, certainly shouldn’t hurt Hicks’ cause as he vies for a major payday. Hicks made his own case for a raise on the field last year, his first in Chicago, when he performed like one of the NFL’s premier defensive linemen. After signing a two-year, $10MM contract in free agency last offseason, the former Saint and Patriot led all Bears D-linemen in snaps (930) and piled up 54 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles across 16 starts. In addition to recording excellent traditional numbers, Hicks ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 15th-best interior defender last season.
Now that Hicks has representation again, it won’t be surprising if general manager Ryan Pace attempts to lock him up to an extension this summer. The Bears have no shortage of cap space going forward, though a notable chunk of that would go to Hicks if the two sides were to hammer out a new deal.
As I noted last week when examining a potential extension for Hicks, a pact worth eight figures per year looks like a reasonable goal at the moment. If the Bears aren’t convinced Hicks is worth that type of long-term investment now and he ends up posting another huge season, the team could keep him via the franchise tag. However, tagging an end next year will cost roughly $17MM, which could be too pricey in Hicks’ case.
Dolphins Haven’t Made Offer To Jarvis Landry
Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry won’t be willing to discuss a contract extension once the season begins, yet the team still isn’t working to lock him up. The Dolphins haven’t made Landry an offer, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, though he notes there’s enough time between now and Week 1 for that to change.
Miami entered the offseason with the goal of extending Landry, so it’s fair to surmise that the club will make an earnest effort to get something done with the 24-year-old over the next two months. Landry made an emphatic case for a lucrative extension from 2014-16 by amassing 288 catches, the most ever for a player in his first three seasons, and 13 touchdowns. As a result, the 6-foot, 205-pound slot target is likely in line for a deal worth upward of eight figures per annum, which would be an enormous raise for a player set to make just under $894K this season.
Given that the franchise tag for receivers will cost north of $15.6MM next offseason, it would behoove the Dolphins to work out an extension with Landry over the next several weeks. Otherwise, they could be at risk of losing the leader of the enviable Landry-Kenny Stills–DeVante Parker wideout trio at season’s end. The club already prevented Stills from leaving via free agency back in March, when it handed him a four-year, $32MM contract, including $20MM in guarantees. Stills, 25, received that deal off a 42-catch, 726-yard, nine-touchdown season, while Landry put up 94-1,136-four in 2016.