Houston Texans Complete 2015 Draft Preview

Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots defensive lineman

(75) during Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Offseason Acquisitions:

On the other hand, the Texans made lots of notable big acquisitions after creating lots of cap space with the releases of Andre Johnson and Chris Myers. The first splash was re-signing right tackle Derek Newton to a five year, $26.5 million contract. Newton was originally a sixth round pick and should be an example for young players drafted later in the draft.

Just a few hours later, the Texans made the best deal of the offseason for the Texans by re-signing emerging star Kareem Jackson to a four-year, $34 million contract. Pro Football Focus graded him as a top 10 cornerback last year. Kareem is only 25 years old and just beginning to mature in his prime.

The next moves were made at quarterback. Ryan Mallett was given a two year “prove it” contact for $7 million. This is a good value given Mallett’s potential in a system he should be familiar with going back to his days with the Patriots. Another ex-Patriot was signed to create a quarterback competition for the pre-season and training camp. Brian Hoyer has more starting experience than Ryan Mallett and was rewarded with a two-year, $10.5 million contract. Neither look like long term options at this point, but without a true starting quarterback on the market, it was the only options for 2015.

To gather some weapons for Mallett and Hoyer, the Texans re-signed Damaris Johnson to a cheap one-year deal, but he is not the answer to losing Andre Johnson. Next up was signing Cecil Shorts III, who is still young enough to have some upside. It is possible that the quarterback play and overall offense in Jacksonville early in his career was holding him back. However, the Texans’ quarterback situation isn’t an upgrade. Either way, Cecil Shorts is a “between the twenties” wide receiver because he is not a threat in the red zone. His two year, $6 contact reflects that. Lastly, Nate Washington was signed as a veteran pickup. Without him, the oldest Texans wide receiver would only have been 27 years old.

On the other side of the ball, the Texans needed to find an answer to free safety. Surprisingly, ex-Bronco Rahim Moore visited the Texans and signed a three-year, $12 million contract. Rahim Moore is young but has experience practicing against Peyton Manning over the pest few years. Rahim Moore is a ball hawk and has a chance to lead the NFL in interceptions given the great pass pressure the Texans front seven will bring.

Vince Wilfork was the last major signing in the 2014 offseason. His two year, $9 million deal solidified the defensive line. Last years pick, Louis Nix has been out of shape and hasn’t shown enough to be the starting nose tackle. Not only will Vince Wilfork start, but he can also provide the leadership and guidance for a young Louis Nix.

Next: Texans Depth Chart