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Texans face short term crisis with injuries to Daniels and Casey
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Owen Daniels down the middle will be missed. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel
As if the news that Owen Daniels was lost for the season wasn't bad enough, Texans fans found out that James Casey will also miss time due to a knee scope he had done earlier today.
Casey's injury, which occurred during practice last week, was diagnosed as a torn meniscus (knee cartilage) according to comments made today by Texans head coach Gary Kubiak. Casey played on the injured knee at Buffalo.
Click here if you're interested in menisci 101.
Casey posted this to his Twitter account at about 5:30 Monday afternoon: @jamescasey86 "The surgery went really well and I will be back in no time ready to rock and roll."
Indeed, based on comments by Gary Kubiak on his weekly coaches show on SportsRadio610 Monday evening, the Texans are optimistic that Casey can return to action in three weeks when the Texans face the Titans on Monday Night Football. The Texans face the Colts this Sunday and have their bye week the following week.
Casey's absence creates a short term crisis for the Indy game since Casey is now the #2 tight end. Casey also plays special teams and backup fullback so his absence will force some short term adjustments in personnel.
One of the adjustments will be to cut back on Joel Dreessen's workload since he's now the #1 TE in addition to long snapper and special teams player. Kubiak said in his radio show comments that the Texans would be looking at long snappers and tight ends this week with the roster vacancy created by Daniels moving to the IR.
There are a few free agent tight ends floating around by I wouldn't venture a guess as to who the Texans might ring in. I heard names like Jeb Putzier and Mark Bruener mentioned by some radio guys but I assume neither is in football shape.
The Texans could sign a player off another team's practice squad since they have a vacancy on thier 53 man roster (the rule states if you sign a player off another team's practice squad, you have to place them on your 53).
Considering this week's opponent, maybe they should go after Tom Santi, a tight end who's currently on the Colts practice squad. Santi, 6-3, 250, is a second year player out of Virginia.
Backup tight end Anthony Hill will see his first action of the season as the #2 TE at Indy. The Texans often run multiple TE formations so any way you look at it, the Texans will still be one short this week and the offense will have to adjust accordingly. Maybe Rashad Butler can kick out to blocking tight end if the need arises.
In terms of Daniels, how do replace a guy who's second only to Dallas Clark in receptions by tight ends, ninth in the NFL among all receivers in receptions, and the league leader in TD receptions by tight ends?
Ask Peyton Manning how he would like losing Clark for the season and you'll understand what the Texans are dealing with in terms of Daniels' absence.
The bottom line is that other guys, at other positions, will need to pick up some of the slack. Dreessen can't do it all and Kevin Walter and David Anderson will need to take turns attacking the middle to help replace that element of the offensive attack.
Daniels will have his surgery in two weeks and mid-September 2010 will be 10 months off ACL surgery. Some players recover completely in that timeframe while others take longer.
Daniels will be an Unrestricted Free Agent in March of 2010 only if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed between now and then - and the current 'UFA after 4 years' provision is retained. In the absence of a new agreement, Daniels remains a Restricted Free Agent in 2010.
Daniels' injury illustrates why players want to get the most guaranteed money they can during contract negotiations - because you never know when a career threatening injury might occur.
Likewise, as harsh as it sounds, it also illustrates why teams are careful when extending players, especially in capped years, because of the financial risk involved. After all, it's a business as owners and agents like to say.
The Texans were allowed by the current CBA rules to give a high RFA tender Daniels this year (which they did) but they couldn't reach agreement on a long term deal - presumably because of the amount of guaranteed money involved and the uncertainty of the upcoming labor situation.
Before the injury, Daniels was once again playing at a Pro Bowl level and it remains to be seen how the injury affects his market value next spring.
If there's no CBA extension, he will be RFA tendered again and it's a done deal. If there is a new CBA, Daniels can become an unrestricted free agent in March (under the current rules) and the Texans will have to sign him to a new deal before then to keep him from shopping around..
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