Bill O'Brien May Take On Play-Calling Duties
After the Texans parted ways with offensive coordinator George Godsey yesterday, some in league circles believe head coach Bill O’Brien may simply assign himself play-calling duties, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. O’Brien was already leading the Texans’ offense at various points during the season, so a move of this nature wouldn’t be a complete surprise. In such a scenario, Houston would likely reshuffle its offensive staff, including shifting wide receivers coach Sean Ryan to quarterbacks coach, per Wilson.
2017 Proven Performance Escalators
According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.
If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $1.8MM in 2017. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.
Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2017 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:
49ers: Aaron Lynch, LB; Marcus Martin, OL
Bears: Charles Leno, T; Will Sutton, DT
Bengals: Russell Bodine, C
Bills: Preston Brown, LB; Seantrel Henderson, T
Broncos: Michael Schofield, OL
Browns: Christian Kirksey, LB
Buccaneers: Kevin Pamphile, G
Cardinals: John Brown, WR
Chiefs: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, G; Zach Fulton, G; Phillip Gaines, CB
Colts: Donte Moncrief, WR
Cowboys: Anthony Hitchens, LB
Falcons: Devonta Freeman, RB
Giants: Devon Kennard, LB
Jaguars: Aaron Colvin, CB; Brandon Linder, G; Telvin Smith, LB
Lions: Nevin Lawson, CB; Travis Swanson, C
Packers: Corey Linsley, C; Richard Rodgers, TE
Panthers: Tre Boston, S; Trai Turner, G
Raiders: T.J. Carrie, CB; Justin Ellis, DT; Gabe Jackson, G
Rams: Maurice Alexander, S; E.J. Gaines, CB
Redskins: Bashaud Breeland, CB; Spencer Long, G; Morgan Moses, T
Texans: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE; Andre Hal, S
Titans: DaQuan Jones, DL; Avery Williamson, LB
Vikings: Shamar Stephen, DT
Texans Likely To Re-Sign Shane Lechler
- The Texans are likely to re-sign pending free agent punter Shane Lechler to a one-year deal, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Lechler indicated Monday that he’d like to return for what would be his age-41 season in 2017. “Looking forward to next year,” he said. “Hopefully, they’ll have me back. I’m ready to go. I feel good. We’ll see how it goes.” After spending the first 13 years of his career in Oakland, where he earned seven Pro Bowl nods and six first-team All-Pro selections, Lechler joined the Texans in 2013. He’s coming off a season in which he finished sixth in the NFL in yards per punt, ninth in kicks inside the 20 and 16th in net yardage.
Texans Hope To Retain Romeo Crennel
With offensive coordinator George Godsey now out of the organization, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien is going to have at least one new high-level assistant on his staff next season. He could end up on the search for a defensive coordinator, too, as Romeo Crennel‘s contract is up. Crennel intends to coach again next season at the age of 70, and the Texans want to retain him, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
“Romeo’s done a great job,” O’Brien said Monday. “I know we’d love to have him back. I haven’t sat down with any coaches yet, but I can tell you Romeo’s a great coach. He means a lot to me personally, and we’d love to have Romeo back.”
Crennel has been atop the Texans’ defense since 2014, and the unit has ranked between sixth and eighth in DVOA all three seasons on his watch. Houston also led the NFL in yardage allowed in 2016, which was no small feat given that end J.J. Watt – the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year – only played in three games and went on injured reserve in late September. The Crennel-led, Watt-less Texans had other stars emerge, including end Jadeveon Clowney and cornerback A.J. Bouye (like Crennel, he’s also without a contract), while linebacker Whitney Mercilus‘ excellence continued.
If the Texans aren’t able to work out a deal with Crennel heading into 2017, it’s possible he could join another staff. However, as PFR’s Coordinator Tracker shows, only the Redskins and Chargers are currently without defensive chiefs. The likelihood is that the 49ers will also be on the lookout for a coordinator after they hire a new head coach. For Crennel, taking over another team’s defense would mean doing so for a fifth franchise. Along with Houston, he has been a D-coordinator in Cleveland, New England and Kansas City.
Related:
Bill O'Brien Doesn't Commit To Osweiler As Starting QB
It sounds like Texans head coach Bill O’Brien will return to the organization next season, but will he opt for the same starting quarterback? O’Brien wouldn’t commit when asked if he was going to stick with quarterback Brock Osweiler in 2017.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/16/17
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Dallas Cowboys
- G Clay DeBord
- G Kadeem Edwards
- WR Shaquelle Evans
- LB Jeremiah George
- TE Connor Hamlett
- DE Lenny Jones
- CB Jeremiah McKinnon
- DB Jameill Showers
- CB Sammy Seamster
- RB Rod Smith
- CB Duke Thomas
- LS Zach Wood
Houston Texans
- TE RaShaun Allen
- DE Brandon Dunn
- OT Laurence Gibson
- RB Kenny Hilliard
- WR Tevin Jones
- OLB Eric Lee
- ILB Shakeel Rashad
- OG Chad Slade
Seattle Seahawks
- C Ross Burbank
- FS Pierre Desir
- RB George Farmer
- DT Tylor Harris
- DT Shaneil Jenkins
- FB Malcolm Johnson
- WR Kenny Lawler
- TE Marcus Lucas
- C/OG Will Pericak
- RB Kelvin Taylor
Tennessee Titans
- CB Tye Smith
Washington Redskins
Texans, OC George Godsey Agree To Part Ways
Following the team’s season-ending loss to the Patriots this weekend, the Texans are starting to make some changes. According to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (via Twitter), the organization and offensive coordinator George Godsey have “mutually agreed to part ways.”
“I’m grateful for the tireless work ethic and contributions George has made to our team over the last three years,” head coach Bill O’Brien said in a statement (via Berman on Twitter). “I wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
After starting his career with Central Florida and the Patriots, the 38-year-old spent that past three seasons in the Texans’ organization, and he spent the past two years as the team’s offensive coordinator. The Texans offense was average in 2015, but that wasn’t necessarily a reflection on Godsey. The coordinator was forced to use four different starting quarterbacks during that campaign, including Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden. Despite the inconsistency at quarterback, the squad still managed to finish 19th in the league in total offensive yards and 21st for offensive points.
Following the offseason signing of quarterback Brock Osweiler, there was optimism that the Texans offense would take another step forward in 2016. That wasn’t the case. The offense finished with the fourth-fewest yards in the league, and most of the blame could be attributed to the performance of the quarterback. Osweiler finished the season with 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. His 2,957 passing yards was the fewest in the NFL among quarterback’s with at least 500 attempts, and the 26-year-old was benched for Tom Savage late in the season. As a result of the Texans weak passing game, the team’s wideouts predictably suffered. Star receiver DeAndre Hopkins ultimately finished the season with 78 receptions, 954 yards, and four scores – his lowest totals since his rookie season.
Of course, there was some positive to take out of the Texans 2016 offensive performance. The team finished with 1,859 rushing yards, the eighth-best mark in the league (although they did finish 19th in yards-per-carry). Lamar Miller also had a bounce-back season in Houston, rushing for 1,073 yards and five touchdowns.
Mutual Interest Between Texans, A.J. Bouye
Both Bill O’Brien and A.J. Bouye expressed interest in having the breakout corner return on a second Texans contract. The fourth-year cornerback stands to be a coveted commodity on the UFA market, but the third-year coach identified him as a player to retain.
“From people I talk to around the league, he’s a top corner. We’d love to have A.J. back,” O’Brien said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Entering the season a relatively unknown talent, the former UDFA finished as 2016’s No. 3 overall cornerback in the opinion of Pro Football Focus — behind only Chris Harris and Aqib Talib. As a result of this campaign, Bouye figures to be a sought-after prize for a team in need of a corner. That could make a Texans return tricky if the 25-year-old reaches free agency. But Bouye expressed a desire to return, with the obvious caveat of uncertainty about the upcoming process.
“I would like to be back,” Bouye said. “It’ll mean a lot because it’ll show that they wanted me and saw what I did this year and there are better things that are going to happen in the future from an individual and team standpoint. I’ve been through a lot here with the organization, a lot of ups and downs, and they never gave up on me. I’m appreciative of that. I’d like to be back, but we’ll see what happens.”
Bouye made 62 tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up 16 others. The No. 8-ranked player on PFR’s free agent list, Bouye joins a UFA cornerback crop that as of now includes Trumaine Johnson, Morris Claiborne, Stephon Gilmore and Dre Kirkpatrick. Malcolm Butler will be a restricted free agent.
The Texans spent almost all of their free agency and draft capital on offense last year but still boasted the No. 1 defense without J.J. Watt for the most part. Although Bouye stands as by far the top free agent for a Texans team that is projected to possess more than $25MM in cap room, the possibility he could command an eight-figure-per-year deal may price him out of Houston. Houston has Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph on its 2017 books for $16MM combined.
Texans Notes: O’Brien, Hopkins, Bouye
The Texans will now look ahead to the 2017 campaign after last night’s season-ending loss to the Patriots, so let’s take a look at a few Houston-related notes as the club starts gearing up for another playoff run:
- Head coach Bill O’Brien said prior to last night’s game that he would return as the team’s head coach in 2017, and he adamantly reaffirmed that statement after the game was over. O’Brien said, “I’m tired of answering it. I can’t even have a sense of humor about it. I’ll be the Texans’ coach” (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is preparing to enter his fifth-year option year at a cost of just under $8MM, but Wilson writes that, if history is any indication, the Texans will sign Hopkins to a long-term deal this offseason. Houston has a tradition of hammering out contract extensions for their best players, and despite a statistical regression from his sensational 2015 campaign, Hopkins is clearly in line for a deal that will make him one of the highest-paid wideouts in the league.
- Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com names the offensive line as the Texans’ biggest area of need, and she writes that the team will likely draft a quarterback in April and have a competition during training camp to determine the starter. The Texans have just shy of $25MM in cap space, but they do have to address the contract situations of a number of players, including Hopkins and Duane Brown, so unless they can restructure a few deals and somehow shed some of Brock Osweiler‘s salary, they will be unable to make a big splash at the quarterback position.
- Cornerback A.J. Bouye came out of virtual anonymity to become perhaps the best cornerback in the league this season, and he did so just as he is about to hit unrestricted free agency. As Wilson writes, a new contract for Bouye will be a top offseason priority for the Texans, and Bouye did say after last night’s game that he would like to be back in Houston. But the franchise tag, which is projected to be over $14MM for cornerbacks this year, will likely be unpalatable for the Texans, and Bouye’s financial opportunities elsewhere may preclude him from giving the Houston a hometown discount. PFR recently named Bouye as the eighth-best free agent in the first version of our 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings.
- Despite dealing with some painful injuries this season, one of Bouye’s colleagues in the defensive backfield, Johnathan Joseph, missed just three games in 2016, and per Wilson, the 32-year-old plans to return for his 12th NFL season. Joseph is under contract through 2017, but considering the Texans could save $7MM by cutting him, he may be a release/restructure candidate.
- We learned earlier today that Texans DT Vince Wilfork plans to call it a career.
Vince Wilfork Planning To Retire
After last night’s loss to the Patriots, Texans DT Vince Wilfork told reporters that he has probably played his last NFL game (Twitter link via Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston). Wilfork did, however, stress that he is going to take his time to consider the matter before making an official decision.
Wilfork’s full statement, courtesy of Berman, is as follows:
“I’ll take my time and think about it, but I think I’ve played my last NFL football game. I’ll do my due diligence, sit back and see if I really want to retire. I don’t know how long that’ll take. It doesn’t change the fact that I enjoyed every bit of my career. I enjoyed 11 great years in New England. I enjoyed two great years in Texas. Unbelievable teammates, I couldn’t have any better teammates from both organizations. Two owners that anyone would love to play for.”
If it is, in fact, the end of the road for Wilfork, he should retire without many regrets. He captured two Super Bowl rings during his 11-year stint with the Patriots, who selected him in the first round of the 2004 draft, and during that time, he established himself as one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in the game. Raw numbers will not tell much of his story–for instance, he amassed just 16 sacks over the course of his career–but that is due to the position he played, not how effective he was. Indeed, most anticipate that he will be headed to the Hall of Fame when he is eligible for enshrinement.
He was selected to five Pro Bowls and garnered one First Team All-Pro nod in 2012. After his last season in New England in 2014, he signed a two-year deal with the Texans. Perhaps inevitably, the 35-year-old’s performance regressed considerably this past season. He started in all 15 of his appearances and finished second among Texans defensive linemen in snaps (507), but Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him just 99th among 123 qualified interior defenders.
As he will be eligible for free agency again this offseason, it is possible that Wilfork will suit up for a third team if he does not hang up the cleats.