Taking a closer look at the NFL free agents still available late in the process that could fit with the Houston Texans.
The Houston Texans have a loaded roster, but there are still a few spots on the depth chart that could use some competition. The Texans have a solid roster that could be ready to compete for a playoff berth tomorrow and possibly contend for a Super Bowl with the talent they have on both sides of the football.
However, there still remains several free agents out there that could fit well with some of the qualities the front office envisions on their roster. Talented players like Cam Newton and Jadaveon Clowney are clear examples of players that would have a multi-year deal in any other year due to the immense impact and upside they would bring to any football franchise.
The COVID 19 pandemic has played a role in several players remaining without a team this late in the process due to the difficulty to access physicians to perform physicals than in prior years.
Here are three players that could help the Texans in their pursuits in being one of the better teams in the league for the upcoming season.
Houston Texans: Cordy Glenn OT
Cordy Glenn is still one of the better free agent offensive tackles in the NFL, but being buried on non-contending teams have taken some of the spotlight of what he can bring to the table. Glenn started his career with the Buffalo Bills after he was drafted in the second of the 2012 NFL Draft. Glenn showed to be a solid left tackle for the Bills and signed a five-year contract extension worth up to $65 million to remain in Buffalo.
However, health has ultimately been the momentum killer for the past few seasons. Glenn dealt with foot and ankle injuries that limited him to six games in 2017. His injuries incentivized the Bills to move him to the Cincinnati Bengals in order to swap first-round picks to move up the draft and put themselves in a better position to select quarterback Josh Allen in 2018.
Glenn filled a big need for the Bengals in their pursuits to elevate their talent on the offensive line, but injuries influenced his exit in Cincinnati after two seasons. Glenn only missed three games due to injury in 2018 but the Bengals finished the season 6-10. The Bengals struggled as a team on and off the field in 2019 as they finished with the worst record in the league at 2-14.
Glenn only started in five of his six appearances as he dealt with a concussion that sidelined him multiple games. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that Glenn had a fallout with the Bengals after he believed they rushed him back to the field before he was ready to return from his concussion. He was suspended in Week 7 and ultimately released towards the conclusion of the season after they were unable to trade him to a new team.
Glenn remains a talented player at the age of 30, and he could be a valuable depth player for a contending team like the Texans. Houston relied on Chris Clark, Roderick Johnson, and Dan Skipper with injuries affecting the offensive line last season. Glenn would be an upgrade on the offensive line, and Houston’s training staff remains one of the better sports medicine programs to help him with any injuries he might face playing football.
Houston Texans: Damon Harrison NT
Damon Harrison is an obvious fit with the Houston Texans after he was released by the Detroit Lions. The New England Patriots, Texans, and Lions all share similar coaching philosophies and sign players from each other’s roster since it aligns with how they want to structure their roster.
Harrison is still a talented defender on the right team, and the Texans could use a nose tackle like him after D.J. Reader signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in this past free agency period. The Texans re-signed Brandon Dunn after Reader’s departure, but there isn’t another veteran nose tackle that could step in to help the defensive line.
Texans have intriguing players in Eddie Vanderdoes and Auzoyah Alufohai on the depth chart, but they are still relatively young and are still developing as players at the professional level. Harrison’s fit with the Lions was awkward at certain moments with the Lions not really contending under Matt Patricia as the head coach.
Harrison originally signed with the New York Giants but he was traded a few seasons later to the Lions. He had to adapt to a new situation and working environment with coaches he didn’t choose to be with. If Harrison signs with the Texans he will have chosen to be there, and he will have the opportunity to work with former NFL defensive lineman, Anthony Weaver.
Weaver is now the defensive coordinator for the Texans, but he will still be coaching the defensive line players for the upcoming season. Weaver has a great track record with the players he coaches and Harrison could be one of the players that could benefit from working with him. Harrison would be a solid addition to the Texans defense if he decided to play in Houston.
Houston Texans: Eric Reid DB
At 28 years of age, Eric Reid remains one of the better safeties still available in free agency, and he would fortify the safety position with his younger brother, Justin Reid. There have been previous endorsements from Justin to get his older brother on the roster, and the concept of both brothers sharing the field remains an intriguing scenario to keep an eye on.
Reid demonstrated he remains a productive player that can contribute to any defense after his stellar season in 2019. He ranked second on the Panthers defense with 120 total tackles and became the first safety in franchise history to have four sacks in a season.
Reid played in 99 percent of the possible snaps last season despite dealing with several injuries. His coverage took a hit last season after allowing 750 receiving yards, eight touchdown receptions, and had a 149.1 passer rating when targeted.
However, there is natural optimism that he can improve that part of his game with a cleaner bill of health as he recovers from several leg injuries he played through last season. Reid had a better season in coverage in 2018 when he allowed 358 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and a 99.5 passer rating when thrown in his direction.
The safety position has seen it’s fair share of turnover in the last few seasons, and it has been difficult for the Texans to locate proven talented players to add to their safety group for multiple seasons.
A player of Reid’s skill set would be a welcome addition to the Texans secondary. The defense could use an experienced veteran to strengthen the depth chart for this upcoming season.