| 1. aliciahuang - 15 Èþíÿ, 2017 - 06:06:24 |
Five names to watch for in Texans minicamp
Ah yes, Texas only means one thing; football is officially back. With basketball and hockey season over and the Houston Astros still in control of the AL West race, the 110-degree muggy summer found in Houston, all eyes turn to the Texans as they prepare to make another run at the Super Bowl with their all-star defense.
With the arrival of first round pick DeShaun Watson, AJ Bouye and John Simon, of course the battle of the quarterbacks will be the talk of summer. There’s much more than that however that will keep Houston off the radar moving forward. After losing key free agents such as Quintin Demps, multiple positions have opened up allowing other prospects to get their chance to make an impact.
Bill O’Brien and staff are still in prime position to be considered a top unit in the AFC, but every team is need of improvement whether they believe it or not. While the quarterback battle should be the biggest news coming off NRG Parkway, there still are multiple names to look at moving forward.
Here are the top five names to watch for during minicamp.
Zach Cunningham
After failing to re-sign Jon Simon, Houston wasted no time addressing their linebacker issues after drafting Zach Cunningham out of Vanderbilt. The 2016 SEC leader in tackles was a key part of the Commodores success the past two seasons being effective in the running game but also as a key defender in pass coverage.
With Brian Cushing coming off another injury-plagued season,Authentic Randall Cobb Jersey, if Cushing is able to remain healthy, it’s safe to say that Cunningham is the long-term option as Benardrick McKinney’s new running mate. However,Authentic Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey, Cunningham might battle with Brennan Scarlett for reps on the outside. Cunningham has taken snaps as both the “WILL” and “JACK” backer in the Texans 3-4 defense during mini-camp and
Cunningham has taken snaps as both the “WILL” and “JACK” backer in the Texans 3-4 defense during mini-camp and OTAs. No matter where he plays,J.J. Watt Jersey, inside or out, expect the former Commodore to be a big plan for the Texans defense moving forward in 2017.
Alfred Blue
Tyler Ervin was brought to the Texans more a special teams player rather than an actual running back. While Lamar Miller is expected to be the primary back for Houston moving forward,DeAndre Hopkins Jersey, the Houston backfield might be getting a little crowded. With Ervin maybe out of the picture, with the arrival of former Doak Walker winner D’Onta Foreman, Alfred Blue could use a big minicamp to keep his third down role in 2017.
Or be used as trade bait before the season begins.
Blue did an excellent job in his third season and as the Texans secondary back. Starting in three games for an injured Miller, averaging 4.2 yards a carry and collected one touchdown for the Texans offense. His 6-foot-2 frame makes him a quality run blocker, Blue rushed for 420 yards, but his speed can allow him to win past the first line of defense.
If Foreman is able to become the Texans secondary back, even if Blue has a good minicamp, this could do wonders for both him and the Texans. Houston won’t be selecting til the third round next draft so loading on Day 3 picks could be a fair trade for both the former LSU product and GM Rick Smith.
Chris Clark
Derek Newton will not play in 2017 (or perhaps ever again) after tearing both patellar tendons last season on a Monday Night in Denver. That opened up the right tackle spot. Chris Clark came in to play the final 11 games and let’s just say he underperformed during that span…by a significant margin.
Clark allowed more sacks (seven) and tackles for losses (14.5) than any other lineman last season. Still, with seven years of NFL experience, it’s his job to lose. Right tackles have to be able to create running lanes on the outside and be extremely effective in run blocking schemes.
If Clark continues to allow defenders to blow past him and into the backfield, expect Breno Giacomini or fourth round pick Julie’n Davenport to compete for first teams reps before the start of the regular season.
K.J. Dillon
With the departure of Quintin Demps this offseason, the race for strong safety is anyone’s game. While Kareem Jackson has been taking reps at the position, former fifth-round pick K.J. Dillon might be able to keep Jackson at bay for another season. Dillon might have ended this battle early if not for a lower body injury during a special teams play that cost him a majority of his rookie season.
A hard-hitting strong safety coming out of West Virginia,Randall Cobb Jersey/url],[url=http://bit.ly/2quKhP6]Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey, Dillon would best be used in the box and against the run. Known for his footwork and ability to come downhill, Dillon led all Mountaineer defensive backs with 6.5 tackles for losses.
Don’t let his cover skills fool you either; the three-year starter had 20 pass deflections and three interceptions in his final 18 college games. While Dillon could be taken out in nickel and dime formations,Authentic J.J. Watt Jersey, he also could be a valuable cover man in the slot position. With Demps gone,Authentic DeAndre Hopkins Jersey,Authentic Jadeveon Clowney Jersey, expect the second-year safety to be the big name to look forward to in the defensive backfield.
Robert Nelson
Part of the reason the Texans could be thinking of moving Jackson to safety could rely on the return of Kevin Johnson. While Johnson spent his first season in the slot, man coverage ability,Jadeveon Clowney Jersey, his size, and tackling skills might him better suited to play outside with Johnathan Joseph.
That or Robert Nelson pretty much destroyed OTA’s and picked up where AJ Bouye left off. Yeah, let’s go with that one. |
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