Texans number one need? How about talent and stability on defense

February 14, 6:58 AMHouston Texans ExaminerAlan Burge

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Houston Texans Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Zac Diles                      (NFLPA Photo)

Texans TV star Brooke Bentley caught up with linebacker Zac Diles on Thursday and brought us up to date on Diles' progress as he rehabs from a broken leg suffered early last November.

The good news on Diles is that his rehab appears to be going well.  He's doing some running and and expects to be back for training camp in July.

But the thing that caught my attention in Diles' comments was this:

"...since I’ve been here, DeMeco’s the only one left. It’s me and DeMeco."

Wait a minute.  Wasn't Diles just drafted in 2007?  Wasn't he just playing for Kansas State at the Texas Bowl against Rutgers a few weeks ago?  And he and DeMeco are "the only ones left?" [in the linebacker corps]

So I go back to the Texans roster for opening day 2007, Gary Kubiak's second season as head coach, and sure enough here's today's roll call for the seven linebackers on the 53 man roster on September 2, 2007:

DeMeco Ryans (here), Diles (here), Danny Clark (gone), Morlon Greenwood (gone), Shawn Barber (gone), Charlie Anderson (gone), Shantee Orr (gone).

So a second year player, a 7th round draft choice who spent half of last season on IR, has the second longest Texans tenure at linebacker?

Someone at Two Reliant Park needs to buy Johnny Holland a few more boxes of name tags in that next Office Depot order.

Much of the focus has been on Richard Smith's scheme over these past few years, but at some point you would think this personnel turnover merry go round needs to slow down just a bit. 

But the Texans are in the midst of a linebacker corps makeover.  Some will say that's a good thing.  Others will say it's business as usual. 

Xavier Adibi ('08 draft) is entering his second year and will take over the weakside spot if he can stay healthy.   Kevin Bentley ('08 free agent) who played well in Diles' absence, is signed through 2010.  That's a start to building a stable corps. 

Kevis Coley is signed through 2010 and Chaun Thompson is entering the last year of his contract.

Expect another linebacker to be drafted in April, and a couple of undrafted free agents added to the roster before minicamp and OTA's in May/June.  Just no contact drills please.

Other than Adibi, Diles, and Ryans, the only other linebackers drafted by the Texans in their history were LB/DE tweeners Kenneth Pettway, Charlie Anderson and Antwan Peek. 

I realize that in this day and age you're not going to be able to keep everyone together for more than a few years, but you need a bit more stability in the corps (at least at the core of the corps) in order to be successful.  And stability comes when you find talented players that fit a scheme that works.

The secondary isn't much better in terms of the revolving door syndrome.

Five of the nine DB's on the opening day 53 man roster in 2007 are gone (Jason Simmons, Jamar Fletcher, Michael Boulware, Von Hutchins, Dexter Wynn) and three others (Demarcus Faggins, C.C. Brown, Dunta Robinson) could be gone when opening day comes around in 2009.

I'm hopeful that Dunta and Eugene Wilson re-sign.  I'm also hopeful that Fred Bennett continues to improve and that Antwaun Molden fully recovers from his broken ankle and is ready to take the next step up the depth chart.

I realize it takes time for a new coaching staff to get players they want to fit their schemes, etc,, but we're talking about changes since Kubiak's second season - just two years ago - and not what he inherited after the '05 season.

Some may say "that's this business," or "that's football," but I have a feeling that this is extremely high turnover for a team that fancies itself as a playoff contender. 

If anyone wants to run the 'stability numbers' for the Pats, Colts, Steelers, Giants, and other successful teams over the past two seasons, and prove that the Texans are no different than anyone else, please do.  Prove me wrong.  Please. 

And now with a new defensive coordinator, defensive line coach and secondary coach, what can we expect in 2009?

Well, I'm expecting more of the same, which is a bunch of new faces on the defensive side this year. 

So whomever is placing that next Office Depot order for the Texans, don't forget that box of name tags for Johnny Holland - and throw in a few for David Gibbs while you're at it.

READ MORE ON THE TEXANS AND THE NFL:

• NFL uncapped year will bring major changes, hopefully not chaos
• Memo to Vikings fans:  You're really no different than Houston or Cleveland
• Accused of violating NFL rules:  What say you, Texans?
• Would the Texans consider trading Sage - again?
• Texans are an estimated $32 million under the salary cap
• Texans release of Green and Greenwood should come as no surprise
• Dunta watch:  Expect more franchise tags on players this week