Houston Texans: Vernon Hargreaves cut before Week 9 vs. Dolphins

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Houston Texans are revamping their roster yet again. This time they are cutting cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III following parts of three seasons where apparently he didn’t make the most of his time with the franchise.

Hargreaves joined Houston in 2019 after he was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Nov. 2019, and since then the cornerback has played in 30 games with Houston, including 23 starts.

This season Hargreaves in eight games has one interception and he’s been targeted by the opposing quarterback 27 times, allowing 21 completions (77.8-percent), for a total of 360 yards and one touchdown. He’s allowed 17.1 yards per completion, and 13.3 yards per target in ’21.

Compared to 16 games played last season Hargreaves allowed 73 completions on 107 targets (68.2-percent) with six touchdowns and 907 yards.

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Going back to the ’21 season 273 yards allowed by Hargreaves have been in the air, with 87 yards after the catch. In ’20 those numbers in 16 games were 567 yards allowed in the air and 340 yards allowed after the catch.

As for the info on Hargreaves being released by Houston, Aaron Wilson reported the following via Twitter:

Texans: Hargreaves wasn’t apart of the long-term plan for Houston

Looking at the grades given to players by Pro Football Focus, Hargreaves in ’21 after eight games by Houston this season his grade is 54.3. In ’20 his grade was a dismissal 41.2, and in ’19 his combined grade was 46.2 with the Texans and Buccaneers.

Moving forward the Texans cornerbacks currently are: Terrence Mitchell, Tremon Smith, AJ Moore, Desmond King II, Tavierre Thomas, Jimmy Moreland, and Cre’von LeBlanc.

Being 1-7 with seven straight losses in ’21 – with the rebuild being currently taking place- the Texans were not able to trade Hargreaves before the trade deadline. It makes sense for them to cut the veteran cornerback as they continue to collect losses, because having Hargreaves on the roster hasn’t been working either.

Nobody can say Texans general manager Nick Caserio isn’t making changes and working to make the team in his vision, but it is tough not to see the Texans aren’t doing their best to try and win games right now, or at least that is how it seems.

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It is interesting, and somewhat exciting, to see how Caserio thinks about Houston and seeing the roster moves he makes. What will be next for the Texans, because we all know the Texans GM isn’t finished making roster moves this season.