D.J. Swearinger’s Swagger
Dec 5, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Houston Texans strong safety D.J. Swearinger (36) takes down Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne (7) in the third quarter at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
Probably the most exciting pick up for the Texans last year was D.J. Swearinger. Strong Safety. Former and now reunited teammate of Jadeveon Clowney while the two were at South Carolina. With Jonathon Joesph, Daniel Manning and for a brief and inglorious period Ed Reed also in the back for the Texans it was DJ who flashed potential moving forward and put dreams of what could be in the eyes of fans.
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Why we like him:
He’s got attitude, he’s got swagger and he plays fearlessly. I don’t normally pay much attention to the Safeties but DJ really caught my eye last year. He plays the run well and crashes hard on any receiver trying to make a play near him. During this years draft he made it clear he wanted Clowney on the team. Now that both are here expect the disruption that Clowney will add to the front line and the back end will get more chances to shine as quarterbacks find themselves with very little time to make smart decisions.
Why we worry:
Swearinger came to the NFL with the false belief that his 5’10” 210lbs frame along with his swagger were enough to shoulder shot anyone he needed to the ground. Welcome to the NFL DJ, that just ain’t so. Early on the biggest gripe I had with him last year was his lack of form in tackling. As the season progressed he amassed a respectable 54 tackles and 17 assist. However he only had 4 passes defended and a measly 1 interception. We’ll have to see how Crennel uses this aggressive young man in 2014.
I fully expect another solid performance from him. With the additions to the defense , a strong team first mentality and weak schedule the Texans could just have one of the more entertaining defenses in the NFL. DJ Swearinger looks to play a big part in that.
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