Safety Jimmie Ward
Another player gone after just one season, only this time on the opposite side of the ball. Jimmie Ward came into a rebuilding Texans secondary and helped a young Jalen Pitre grow. Now that there are veterans like Eric Murray and Lonnie Johnson Jr to help the young rookies continue to grow, the Texans may choose those two as inexpensive coaches over Ward’s $7.7M price tag.
Now that the Texans aren’t rebuilding, the need for Ward isn’t there anymore. Not after spending a portion of last season in street clothes battling injuries. The Texans need somebody they can rely on, and with Ward turning 33 years old, he’s not the same player as he once was with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Texans made sure they found quality starters and depth players at the safety position this off-season, leading many to wonder if Ward is the odd man out. If so, he’ll finish his Texans tenure with 50 tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble in 10 games played. Ward is reaching the last couple of years of his career and may go ring chasing. If he can’t do that in Houston, he’ll surely look elsewhere to have a chance at a Lombardi trophy.