Houston Texans (Last Year: 8-8)

2008 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
RB Chris Brown, RB Marcel Shipp, WR Tim Carter, TE Ryan Krause, C Chris Myers, OLB Rosevelt Colvin, OLB Chaun Thompson, OLB Kevin Bentley, CB Jacques Reeves, CB Jimmy Williams, S Nick Ferguson.
Draft Picks:
QB Alex Brink, RB Steve Slaton, OT Duane Brown, DT Frank Okam, OLB Xavier Adibi, CB Antwaun Molden, FS Dominique Barber.
Offseason Losses:
QB Quinn Gray, RB Ron Dayne, FB Jameel Cook, TE Jeb Putzier, OT Jordan Black, OT Charles Spencer, C Steve McKinney, C Mike Flanagan, C Drew Hodgdon, DE Earl Cochran, OLB Danny Clark, OLB Charlie Anderson, OLB Shawn Barber, CB Roc Alexander, S Von Hutchins, S Jason Simmons, S Curome Cox.

2008 Houston Texans Offense:
It's a shame when a team doesn't get to prove how good it can be. That's what happened with the Texans last season. After trading two second-round selections for Matt Schaub, and expecting big things from Andre Johnson, they watched the two miss extensive periods of time. In fact, Schaub and Johnson played in only five games together. They were 3-2 in those contests.

Putting Schaub aside for a second, there could be a legitimate case for Johnson to be named league MVP if Houston advances to at least the second round of the playoffs. Johnson participated in just nine games. The Texans were 6-3 when he started, averaging 25.6 points per contest. Without Johnson, they were a mere 2-5, scoring about a touchdown less (18.8) if you take away a ridiculous fourth-quarter near-comeback against a lackadaisical Titans squad playing prevent defense.

Johnson is obviously one of the top receivers in the NFL. In those nine starts, he had 60 receptions for 851 yards and eight touchdowns. Translate that over a 16-game slate, and Johnson would have registered 107 receptions, 1,512 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Schaub, meanwhile, may not look important when you take his numbers into account (2,241 yards, nine touchdowns and nine picks) and consider that Sage Rosenfels may have actually out-played him. However, Rosenfels was lucky enough to have Johnson in four of the five contests he played. When Schaub and Johnson were hooking up, the former had eight scores and only five interceptions (which translates to 32 and 20 over an entire campaign). Schaub also compiled at least 227 yards in every game and maintained a completion percentage of 66.1. It's clear Schaub needs Johnson more than the other way around, but it just goes to show how lethal that combination can be if they're both healthy.

I hate to drown you in a cascade of stats, but Houston's success heavily depends on the availability of Schaub and Johnson, particularly the latter. That's because there aren't that many other reliable skill-position players for Schaub and Rosenfels to work with. That doesn't include Owen Daniels, who has emerged as one of the better tight ends in only his second season. Daniels had 63 receptions for 768 yards and three touchdowns in 2007. No. 2 receiver Kevin Walter edged Daniels out for the team lead in both categories, notching 65 catches and 800 yards. Walter may not be a recognizable name, but he tore it up in Johnson's absence. He had 12 receptions for 160 yards in a 37-17 loss at Jacksonville in Week 6.

Other than Daniels and Walter, the two signal callers don't have anyone proven to work with. That includes No. 3 receiver Jacoby Jones. As a rookie, Jones had just 15 catches and 149 yards. He needs to step up in his second season. At running back, it looks like Houston will go with an unexciting committee comprised of Ahman Green, Chris Brown and rookie Steve Slaton. Green, who signed a 4-year, $23 million deal last spring, started only six games because of a knee injury. But even when he was playing, Green didn't do much, as he averaged a meager 3.7 yards per carry. Green's knee should be repaired, but he just turned 31. I wouldn't expect anything significant out of him this year. As for Brown, the former Titan rushed for 175 yards at Jacksonville in Week 1, but finished the year with only 464 yards. Brown was out for a while with injuries, which shouldn't surprise anyone because he has never completed a 16-game campaign.

It's safe to say Slaton is the most intriguing out of all the backs. He has great speed and should be a solid fit in Gary Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme, but Slaton has a history of quitting on his team and not showing up in big games. He'll likely be relegated to third-down duties until Green and/or Brown suffer injuries.

Speaking of the zone-blocking system, I was shocked when everyone called Houston's selection of Duane Brown at No. 26 overall a "reach." I had Brown going to the Chargers at No. 27, so I actually liked the pick a lot. It was about time the Texans addressed the offensive line with a first-rounder; Charley Casserly poisoned this franchise for way too many years with his neglecting of the front five, as he often chose bums like Jabar Gaffney, David Ragone and Jonathan Wells instead of solid blockers.

At any rate, I like Brown, though he may struggle as a rookie at left tackle. But he'll be really good in a year or two. If Brown works out, the Texans will be really solid on the left side, as Chester Pitts was the team's best lineman in 2007, while the newly acquired Chris Myers should be a solid fit at center. Right tackle Eric Winston is adequate, but right guard Fred Weary really needs to be upgraded. As a whole, the line surrendered just 22 sacks (which is incredible when you think about all those times David Carr was knocked down). They could stand to be better at run blocking, but it's not like the running back corps is doing them any favors.

Despite the past few paragraphs, the Texans' offensive success depends on Johnson's ability to stay healthy. Kind of sad that it all comes down to one player, but he's one of the NFL's best, so it's understandable.

2008 Houston Texans Defense:
So, this Mario Williams character is good after all, huh? Everyone messed up here. About 99.9 percent of the people who follow and cover the NFL laughed when the Texans eschewed consensus No. 1 overall prospect Reggie Bush in favor of Williams. Williams had just 4.5 sacks as a rookie, so everyone who projected him to be a bust or a marginal player (I'm under the latter category) patted themselves on the back.

Fourteen sacks and a Pro Bowl-caliber 2007 campaign later, the Texans are left looking like geniuses. The scary thing is, 10 of Williams' 14 sacks came in the final seven games of the season. If you project his Week 11-17 production over a full 16-game slate, Williams would have registered 23 sacks. Twenty-three sacks! That's more than some teams accumulated last year.

Houston spent another No. 1 selection on a defensive lineman last April. This time it was defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, who had six sacks in 2007. But here's the catch - Okoye managed solid rookie production as a 20-year-old. Okoye just turned 21 on June 10. Seriously, how lucky are the Texans that former Louisville idiot head coach Bobby Petrino passed up on one of his own players? Atlanta's eschewing of Okoye in favor of defensive end Jamaal Anderson allowed Okoye to fall into Houston's lap.

How scary is the Texans' defensive front going to be over the next decade? It seems like all they need to do is find solid complements for Williams and Okoye, which is something they lacked in 2007. In fact, excluding the two No. 1 picks, no Texan had more than two sacks. Left end Anthony Weaver is good against the run, but I'm disappointed that Houston's front office didn't acquire a pass-rusher or two to help Williams out on obvious passing downs. The only addition the team made to the defensive line was fifth-rounder tackle Frank Okam, who needs to supplant the very injury-prone Travis Johnson as soon as possible.

The Texans desperately need to find a third guy who can consistently get to the quarterback because their secondary stinks. Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback Dunta Robinson tore his ACL and hamstring last season, and could be out until Thanksgiving, if he even plays at all. Houston spent a lot of money (five years, $20 million) on former Dallas corner Jacques Reeves. If you've been reading this Web site for a while, you know that I think Reeves is the worst thing since sliced bread. He often struggled in coverage with the Cowboys, a squad capable of registering way more sacks than the Texans can. Playing across from Reeves until Robinson comes back is Fred Bennett, who despite entering his second season, already has started eight games, thanks to the massive number of injuries Houston suffered at the position in 2007.

At least Houston is solid at safety. Will Demps somehow made the Pro Bowl last year (as an alternate), but only because the voters are clueless. Demps started just eight games and was pretty mediocre until the end of the year. At strong safety, C.C. Brown, a proud member of this Web site's forum, recorded a career-high 84 tackles, nearly matching the total he predicted on the message board.

The linebacking corps, meanwhile, is much more interesting than the injury-ridden secondary. I'm looking forward to watching DeMeco Ryans this year. Entering his third season, Ryans, one of the top middle linebackers in the NFL, had outstanding production in 2007 (128 tackles, two sacks, one pick) despite playing through a torn PCL. Now at 100 percent, Ryans is going to be a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators.

Playing next to Ryans will be the unspectacular Morlon Greenwood and Zach Diles (no career starts), though that may change soon. Xavier Adibi, considered a second-round prospect by some, was a steal in the fourth round. He'll be given a chance to win a starting job. Meanwhile, Houston recently signed ex-Patriot Rosevelt Colvin. Colvin missed time with a foot injury in 2007, but he should be fine. If healthy, Colvin will be a major contributor to this defense and could put the team over the playoff hump.

While Houston's offense depends on Andre Johnson staying healthy, the stop unit needs to find someone along with Williams and Okoye who can get to the quarterback consistently. The secondary is thin and pedestrian, and needs all the help it can get. Colvin could be the guy to do that, but he's coming off injury and has been stuck in the 3-4 for years.



2008 Houston Texans Schedule and Intangibles:
Since the franchise was born in 2002, Houston was 14-26 at home prior to last season. I said Gary Kubiak needed to develop a dominant homefield advantage like the Broncos have at Mile High, and that's exactly what he did. The Texans were 6-2 at Reliant Stadium in 2007, beating solid squads like the Broncos, Buccaneers and Saints.

That's not the only thing that changed this year. In 2006, the Texans surrendered two returns for touchdowns and failed to score one themselves. In 2007, Andre Davis took three kickoffs back to the house. Jerome Mathis chipped in with another. And the icing on the cake was that Houston surrendered none to opponents.

One more thing that improved in 2007: Kris Brown hadn't nailed at least 80 percent of his kicks since 2003. Last season, Brown hit 25-of-29 (86.2 percent), including 5-of-5 from 50-plus yards out. That's not a misprint.

Punting was Houston's only minor weakness on special teams, as Matt Turk maintained a mediocre 41.7 average, hitting 24 punts inside the opposing 20. Still, those figures aren't terrible or anything.

In addition to battling all of the tough AFC South squads twice, the Texans will have their work cut out for them against the Steelers, Browns and Packers. Luckily, they should be able to dispatch the Ravens, Dolphins, Lions, Bengals, Raiders and Bears.

2008 Houston Texans Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks		Offensive Line		Secondary
Running Backs		Defensive Line		Special Teams
Receivers		Linebackers		Coaching

2008 Houston Texans Analysis: While the Texans' best chance to qualify for the postseason for the first time in franchise history will be in 2009 (once they develop Duane Brown, get Dunta Robinson back from injury and find better defensive depth), there's a shot they can make the playoffs this year. If Andre Johnson stays healthy, Rosevelt Colvin contributes, Brown transitions quickly and someone emerges as a tertiary pass rusher, Houston will be in the postseason.

I know that's a lot of if's, which is why I mentioned Houston probably will be in the Doggone Playoff in 2009. This is the NFL though, so nothing would really surprise me.

Projection: 9-7 (4th in AFC South)



2008 Fantasy Football Rankings:

Matt Schaub: Matt Schaub is a nice sleeper quarterback because he has the potential to put up solid numbers as long as Andre Johnson is in the lineup. In every full game that Schaub and Johnson played together, Schaub had at least 225 yards and averaged 1.75 touchdowns per game.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 3,600 passing yards. 24 passing TDs. 80 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 332.

Chris Brown: I wouldn't draft any of the Texan running backs. It's likely that both Ahman Green and Chris Brown will each get about 40 percent of the carries. Brown had 175 rushing yards against the Jaguars in Week 1, but finished with 462. The potential's there, but Brown simply gets hurt way too often. He has never played a full season.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 580 rushing yards. 150 receiving yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 97.

Ahman Green: Not much to like here either. Ahman Green, 31, is coming off injury. When he was healthy, he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. Houston's offensive line can pass protect well but struggles in run blocking. Green is also stuck in a platoon, as Chris Brown, Darius Walker and Steve Slaton will all receive opportunities to rush the football.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 530 rushing yards. 150 receiving yards. 4 total TDs.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 92.

Steve Slaton: Steve Slaton will take away a few receptions from Chris Brown and Ahman Green, but who really cares in terms of fantasy? Slaton wouldn't be a bad pick in a keeper league draft, as he fits really well into Gary Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 250 rushing yards. 300 receiving yards. 1 total TD.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 61.

Owen Daniels: In only his second season, Owen Daniels emerged as one of the better tight ends in the NFL, catching 63 passes for 768 yards and three touchdowns. Daniels never had an incredible game, but he was pretty consistent. All three of Daniels' scores came in Week 12 and beyond, so he could become a more featured end-zone target in 2008. Daniels is a sleeper tight end, as he'll go a bit later than he should because he's not a sexy name.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 800 receiving yards. 5 TDs.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 110.

Andre Johnson: Andre Johnson had 60 receptions for 851 yards and eight touchdowns in just nine starts last year. If you translate that over a 16-game slate, Johnson would have notched 107 receptions, 1,512 yards and 14 touchdowns. I think that's pretty good, what about you? For the first time in his career, Johnson enters a season with a proven quarterback at the helm. He should be one of the first wide outs off the board.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 1,400 receiving yards. 12 TDs.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 212.

Kevin Walter: Kevin Walter had more than 210 yards for the time in his career in 2007. He actually held the receiving corps together in the wake of Andre Johnson's injury, as he registered 12 catches for 160 yards at Jacksonville in Week 6. Walter, a nice target at 6-3, 215, scored three of his four touchdowns in Week 12 and beyond, so maybe that's a good sign for 2008.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 700 receiving yards. 6 TDs.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 106.

Jacoby Jones: Jacoby Jones will be Houston's No. 3 receiver this season after playing behind Andre' Davis as a rookie. He's not worth taking in any regular leagues, though I'd consider him late in a keeper draft.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 550 receiving yards. 3 TDs.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 73.

Kris Brown: Kris Brown nailed 11-of-13 field goals from 40-49 in 2006. Last season, he was 5-of-5 from 50-plus. The fact that Brown kicks inside a dome makes him even more appealing. Without a doubt, one of the top kickers in fantasy.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Stats: 25-31 FG (2-4 50+). 42 XP.
Projected 2008 Fantasy Points: 128.

Houston Defense: Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye get plenty of sacks, but there's no one else who's going to apply any sort of pressure. The Texans are worth starting against opponents with weak offensive lines.
Projected Fantasy Ranking: Spot-Starting Defense.

2008 NFL Draft Grade:

Good Moves: Why is everyone bashing the Duane Brown pick? Because no one has ever heard of him? Well, I had the Chargers taking Brown with the 27th pick in my mock draft, so getting him at 26 isn't much of a reach. Brown is perfect for Houston's zone-blocking scheme and should be able to take over as the starter by mid-season at the latest ... Because Houston moved down, it was able to address its two other huge needs, cornerback and running back. Antwaun Molden was a great choice at 79. Steve Slaton? We'll get to that later ... Xavier Adibi and Frank Okam made sense in the middle rounds, especially the former, who was great value at No. 118.

Bad Moves: Now, as for Steve Slaton - I thought the Texans picked him too early. He's small and has a history of quitting on his team. He wasn't even the best running back on the board; I feel as though Tashard Choice would have been a better option. Who knows though, maybe Slaton will get his act together ... I'm surprised the Texans didn't obtain a receiver in the later rounds when there were really solid talents still available like Marcus Monk, Steve Johnson and Adrian Arrington.

Grade give on 4/29/08: B+



2008 NFL Draft Picks:

26. Duane Brown, OT, Virginia Tech
The Texans did a solid job trading down to recoup some picks. I had Duane Brown going at 27, so they obtained pretty good value and a much-needed upgrade at tackle. (Pick Grade: A)

79. Antwaun Molden, CB, Eastern Kentucky
The Texans addressed their dire need for a cornerback with a solid player. If Dunta Robinson can make it back soon, Houston's secondary should be a lot better than it was in 2007. (Pick Grade: A)

89. Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia
Ugh. Texans fans will understand what that "ugh" is about when Steve Slaton quits on the team. Reach. (Pick Grade: D)

118. Xavier Adibi, OLB, Virginia Tech
I guess this pick makes up for Steve Slaton. Xavier Adibi was a second-round prospect, so getting him in the middle of the fourth is quite a bargain. (Pick Grade: A)

151. Frank Okam, DT, Texas
Frank Okam was once a first-round prospect. The Texans are taking a gamble with the injury-ridden defensive tackle, but he's worth the risk in the fifth round. (Pick Grade: A)

173. Dominique Barber, FS, Minnesota
I don't really have any problems with this pick because Dominique Barber is a sixth-round prospect who fills a position of need, but there are better free safeties out there. (Pick Grade: B)

223. Alex Brink, QB, Washington State
Not on my board, but it's the seventh round. (Pick Grade: C)





Season Summary:
Considering that Houston's starting quarterback (Matt Schaub), top skill player (Andre Johnson) and best defensive back (Dunta Robinson) all missed significant playing time in 2007, the team's 8-8 record is extremely impressive. After enduring four years of Charley Casserly's blunders, the NFL's newest franchise finally looks like it's headed in the right direction.

Offseason Moves:

Texans cut FB Jameel Cook

Texans sign RB Marcel Shipp

Texans cut OT Charles Spencer

Texans sign OLB Rosevelt Colvin

Texans cut S Curome Cox

Texans cut QB Quinn Gray

Texans cut OT Jordan Black

Texans sign WR Tim Carter

Texans sign TE Ryan Krause

Texans sign CB Jimmy Williams

Texans re-sign G Fred Weary

Texans sign SS Nick Ferguson

Texans re-sign S/WF Forum Member C.C. Brown

Texans re-sign OT Brandon Frye

Texans cut C Steve McKinney

Texans sign QB Quinn Gray

Texans re-sign DE N.D. Kalu

Texans re-sign P Matt Turk

Texans trade 6th-round pick to the Broncos for G Chris Myers

Texans sign OLB Chaun Thompson

Texans sign RB Chris Brown

Texans re-sign SS Glenn Earl

Texans re-sign TE Mark Bruener

Texans sign OLB Kevin Bentley

Texans re-sign FS Will Demps

Texans sign CB Jacques Reeves

Texans tender (low) DT Anthony Maddox

Texans tender (low) C Scott Jackson

Texans announce retirement of DT Cedric Killings

Texans re-sign WR Andre Davis

Texans cut LB Shawn Barber

Texans cut C Mike Flanagan

Texans cut C Drew Hodgdon

Texans cut TE Jeb Putzier


Offseason Needs:

1. Running Back: Ron Dayne and Ahman Green, both of whom couldn't eclipse the average of four yards per carry last season, are clearly not the answer at running back. The Texans need a top-tier runner to lead them into the playoffs. I'd be on board if they decided to throw tons of cash at Michael Turner, the top free agent at the position. Signed Chris Brown and Marcel Shipp; drafted Steve Slaton
   
   
2. Two Cornerbacks: There are rumors that Dunta Robinson, who tore his ACL and hamstring, won't be ready to play until November. Others speculate that he may miss the entire 2008 campaign. This is obviously a devastating blow to the Texans franchise, which has yet to qualify for the postseason in its 6-year existence. The team needs a starting corner (Mike Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Antoine Cason) and a solid reserve. Signed Jacques Reeves and Jimmy Williams; drafted Antwaun Molden
   
   
3. Left Tackle: Ephraim Salaam is mediocre at best. The Texans have always needed a franchise left tackle to protect the quarterback's blind side. If they get one, maybe Matt Schaub won't get hurt every week. It's too bad Houston doesn't have a second-round pick; it'll just have to settle for a guy like Duane Brown in Rounds 3 or 4. Drafted Duane Brown
   
   
4. Defensive End: Mario Williams proved all of his detractors (myself included) wrong by compiling 14 sacks last year. Unfortunately, the rest of the team had only 17. The Texans must acquire a competent pass rusher who can play across from Williams. Re-signed N.D. Kalu
   
   
5. Two Outside Linebackers: Danny Clark and Morlon Greenwood. Meh... I don't know how the Texans are going to plug all of these holes on their roster. Signed Rosevelt Colvin, Kevin Bentley and Chaun Thompson; drafted Xavier Adibi
   
   
6. Wide Receiver: It's amazing what Andre Johnson does when you consider he has no one on the other side drawing double teams away from him. Houston's offense could become pretty impressive with Bernard Berrian or D.J. Hackett in the lineup. Signed Tim Carter
   
   
7. Strong Safety: Obtaining a solid strong safety would allow this forum's own C.C. Brown to move back to free safety where he belongs. That can be done in the middle of the draft, unless Houston can get Hamza Abdullah away from Denver. Re-signed Glenn Earl; signed Nick Ferguson
   
   
8. Right Tackle: More help is needed on the Texans' offensive line (surprise, surprise). A talented right tackle should be added to the roster, allowing Eric Winston to move to right guard, replacing free-agent Fred Weary.
   
   
9. Defensive Depth: Better reserves are needed everyone on Houston's defense, particularly at defensive end, defensive tackle, outside linebacker and safety. Re-signed Will Demps; tendered C.C. Brown; drafted Frank Okam
   
   

Houston Texans Free Agents:

Salary Cap (As of Feb. 17): $22.91 million

1. C.C. Brown, S. Age: 25.
   Re-signed with Texans (1 year, $1.417 million)
   
   A proud member of my forum, C.C. Brown had a career-high 84 tackles in 2007.
   
   
2. Will Demps, FS. Age: 28.
   Signed with Texans (2 years, $4.75 million)
   
   I still have no idea how this guy became an alternate for the Pro Bowl. Then again, Mario Williams wasn't voted to the thing, so that shows how much that means.
   
   
3. Quinn Gray, QB. Age: 29.
   Signed with Colts
   
   No one gave David Garrard a shot prior to this season, and look what he did. When Garrard was hurt, Quinn Gray stepped in and played admirably, tossing 10 touchdowns to only five picks. Gray, a mobile quarterback, deserves a shot.
   
   
4. Darius Walker (ERFA), RB. Age: 23.
   Tendered (low) by Texans
   
   Darius Walker came on late, averaging 60 yards the final four games of the season. He caught six passes twice.
   
   
5. Danny Clark, OLB. Age: 31.
   Signed with Giants (2 years, $4 million)
   
   A very average linebacker; the Texans need an upgrade.
   
   
6. Ron Dayne, RB. Age: 30.
   The only good thing about Ron Dayne coming to your city is that restaurant owners experience an increase in revenue.
   
   
7. Jeb Putzier, TE. Age: 29.
   Signed with Seahawks (1 year, $645,000)
   
   I don't get it - Jeb Putzier was really effective with the Broncos in 2004 and 2005. He signed with the Texans and disappeared off the radar. Maybe he'll have success somewhere else and match his 2004 numbers (36 catches, 572 yards).
   
   
8. Fred Weary, G. Age: 30. - Re-signed with Texans (1 year, $1.5 million)
9. Von Hutchins, S. Age: 27. - Signed with Falcons
10. Andre Davis, WR. Age: 29. - Re-signed with Texans
11. Charlie Anderson, OLB. Age: 26. - Signed with Dolphins
12. N.D. Kalu, DE. Age: 33. - Re-signed with Texans (1 year)
13. Glenn Earl, SS. Age: 27. - Re-signed with Texans
14. Scott Jackson (RFA), C. Age: 28. - Tendered (low) by Texans
15. Anthoiny Maddox, DT. Age: 30. - Tendered (low) by Texans
16. Jason Simmons, FS. Age: 32.
17. Mike Bell, RB. Age: 25.
18. Brandon Frye (ERFA), OT. Age: 25. - Re-signed with Texans (1 year, $370,000)
19. Cedric Killings, DT. Age: 30. - Announced retirement
20. Earl Cochran (ERFA), DE. Age: 27.
21. Shawn Barber, OLB. Age: 33.
22. Roc Alexander, CB. Age: 26.
23. Drew Hodgdon, C Age: 26.
24. David Anderson, WR. Age 25. - Tendered (low) by Texans
25. Mike Flanagan, C. Age: 34.
26. Jordan Black, OT. Age: 28.
27. Mark Bruener, TE. Age: 35. - Re-signed with Texans (1 year)
28. Joel Dreesseen (RFA), TE. Age: 26. - Tendered (low) by Texans
29. Matt Turk, P. Age: 38. - Re-signed with Texans (2 years, $2.35 million)
30. Curome Cox, S. Age: 27. - Signed with Saints
31. Jameel Cook, FB. Age: 29.

Divisional Rival History:
Indianapolis Colts: The Texans have existed now for six years. In those six seasons, they've only beaten the Colts once out of 12 times. Pretty pathetic.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Prior to the 2007 season, the Jaguars were always guilty of playing down to the level of their competition. That's why they had lost four of six to Houston. Well, they improved mentally last year and destroyed Houston in the only meeting where their starters played.
Tennessee Titans: The Titans have won the last five matchups. Think Vince Young wants to beat the team that passed on him?



Features to be Posted This Offseason:

1. Detailed season preview
2. Fantasy football projections
3. Positional rankings
4. Daily updates on free-agent signings

More 2008 NFL Offseason Pages:

DAL / NYG / PHI / WAS
CHI / DET / GB / MIN
ATL / CAR / NO / TB
ARZ / SF / SEA / STL

BUF / MIA / NE / NYJ
BAL / CIN / CLE / PIT
HOU /IND / JAX / TEN
DEN / KC / OAK / SD
Playoffs & Regular Season Results


Back to the 2008 NFL Offseason Page

2008 NFL Mock Draft


2008 NFL Free Agents


NFL Mock Draft Database


2008 NFL Draft Prospects


2009 NFL Mock Draft