The Houston Texans achieved a winning record in 2014. And that was despite two rather big disappointments on the defensive side of the ball.
With the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Texans drafted South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Expected to solidify a defensive from seven that already featured the league’s defensive MVP in tackle J.J. Watt, Clowney was a major disappointment in 2014.
More from Toro Times
- Houston Texans: Can Sean Payton really be the next head coach?
- Houston Texans Draft: Michael Mayer should be a no doubter at pick 12
- Houston Texans already telling fans the Davis Mills era is over
- Houston Texans have hand forced, waste no time in firing Lovie Smith
- Houston Texans: Pros and Cons of keeping Head Coach Lovie Smith
Struggling with a knee injury all season, one that eventually landed him on the Injured Reserve list after only four appearances, Clowney would go on to record just seven tackles total during his rookie campaign.
Now the soon-to-be 22 year old is recovering from having the dreaded microfracture surgery on his knee. And it’s unclear how that risky surgery will go on to effect the rest of his career.
Although Clowney has only been a disappointment for one year, linebacker Brian Cushing has been one for a bit longer. The Texans’ first round pick back in 2009 was the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year and elected to the Pro Bowl in his first season.
But Cushing was suspended for the first four games of the 2010 regular season for testing positive for banned substances. He also lost his second team All-Pro election after a revote by the Associated Press due to the incident, but retained his rookie of the year award.
The last three seasons have been marred by injury and inconsistent play by Cushing, who signed a six-year, $55.643 million contract back in 2013. In that span, the 28-year old linebacker has missed a total of 22 games.
Pro Football Focus ranked Cushing as the 100th best player at his position in 2014. That’s out of a total of 125 inside linebackers.
So, which one are you most disappointed in as a Texans’ fan? Jadeveon Clowney or Brian Cushing?
Submit your answer in the poll below and feel free to explain your choice in our comment section.
Toro Times is committed to giving a fan’s take on all things Houston Texans. And we believe it’s our staff’s unique and varied perspectives that makes us different than any other sports site on the internet. With that being said, getting our readers’ perspective on various Texans-related topics is essential for us to be successful.
Therefore, we’ll often use poll questions to gauge how our readers feel about a specific topic. Their answers not only influence our articles, but they also keep us in touch with what our fans actually think and feel about their beloved team. So, please considering giving your answer in the above poll and participate in the conversation below in our comment section. Thanks!