Brooks to move to ILB

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by ckhouston

Give Braman a shot, I think he could do it.

I like Braman, too. He's rough around the edges, but he's a high motor player. If they move Brooks inside, this will definitely create a hole for a guy like Braman on the outside.

Originally Posted by Jules Winnfield

why do you guys want to resign barwin?

WTH is up with you guys giving extensions to players who are not performing?
this is what im talking about. Kubiak and schaub contaminating the fan base.
yeaaa he's funny and has goofy hair lets give him an extension even though he sucked. yeaa lets keep walter as #2 reciever because he blocks good.


This team and now this fan base has no accountability whatsoever.

It sickens me.

Your Kubiak rant aside, I don't want Barwin back. I was not impressed with him at all in 2012.

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

Clearly moving Brooks inside is more about his inability to perform up to what Wade is looking for in his OLB and less about his ability as an ILB.

This mentality is what concerns me. They seem to be trying to make players fit a system instead of customizing a system to fit available talent.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

Hmmmm...not sure about Brooks at ILB, but honestly not thrilled at all about potentially re-signing Barwin. That dude never really showed up this year.

Does Brooks have coverage ability required at ILB in this system?

I mentioned this potential move months ago , long before people were talking about moving Bawrin inside (which I think is a horrible idea) .... I think he instantly upgrades the position and he does have the ability to cover as he had to do it as an OLB. To be honest , I think he's a much better fit inside than out.

I can see him inside even of they dont resign Barwin.

This does open up the possibility for another OLB to be drafted early along with a guy on the front be it NT/DT/DE. This draft will be really interesting.

[Wolf6151]

Originally Posted by Doppelganger

Several of us in the mock forum have been saying this for months. Shift Reed to ILB next to Cush, resign Barwin and start him as SOLB and make Mercilus the WOLB.

Hmm...Texans front office seems to be reading the Texans Talk Draft Gurus!!!

Yep we've brought this up numerous times in the mock forum, this move just makes sense.

[76Texan]

Deleted.

Can't seem to get the correct link to Photobucket to show Reed at LB in the 43 look from the Jags game last year.

I need to work on it.

[Thorn]

I'm just gonna do what I always do for next season. Follow free agency, probably not get pumped up about that. The draft, I will probably get pretty pumped over that. Pre-season, well, there's no telling. And by the time the season starts, I'll be a brand new wide eyed fan ready to rock and roll again no matter who starts where.

It always happens that way. Can't help it.

[Premier]

does this mean, in all likelihood, we will be drafting another 3-4 DE/OLB to sit behind merci and barwin.. if brooks can make the move then cush/reed inside tandem could be nice.. i heard they were considering moving brooks inside to cover gronk..

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

Hmmmm...not sure about Brooks at ILB, but honestly not thrilled at all about potentially re-signing Barwin. That dude never really showed up this year.

Does Brooks have coverage ability required at ILB in this system?

First, Wade deserves the benefit of the doubt. I didn't see Mario at OLB, but Phillips made it work. Brooks has looked as lost in coverage as most of the Texans LBs. Barwin does not deserve a big contract. I can't see re-signing him to anything more than a one year deal. But even if Barwin does sign a multiyear deal, that wouldn't be the worst contract decision the Texans have made.

Originally Posted by mussop

Because we were so weak up the middle. No push. It's not rocket science.

Ever heard of this guy named JJ Watt? Wears #99? He got some push up the middle (and everwhere else). Blaming Barwin's failure on anyone but Barwin is laughable.

[76Texan]

http://s1217.photobucket.com/albums/...1%20Jags/Reed/

Reed at WLB in the 53 against the Jags

[Nawzer]

I really hope they don't overspend on Barwin. I understand that good pass rushers are hard to find, but Barwin had a really down season and I wouldn't give him anything longer than a 2 year incentives laden deal. I think they still need to address the ILB and OLB positions this offseason.

[Vance87]

Originally Posted by 76Texan

http://s1217.photobucket.com/albums/...1%20Jags/Reed/

Reed at WLB in the 53 against the Jags

Sweet, that was our best defensive performance of the year.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by Vance87

Sweet, that was our best defensive performance of the year.

a real qb lights up 5 linebacker/3DL's...but I guess you only need 3 on the backside when you play the Jags.

[CloakNNNdagger]

If Barwin doesn't lose the Popeye look and go back 12 pounds to his 256 weight, he will be no different than the 2011 lead-in-the pants version.......and a waste of any money he is thrown.

[WolverineFan]

They need to address both ILB and OLB in the draft regardless of Barwin re-signing or Reed moving inside.

[Rey]

This could work or be a complete failure.

I'm nit a fan of the overall players that reed, barwin or merciless are. But they each have skill sets that can be useful.

I'd rather draft or sign a real MLB that won't have as many limitations that reed has. Hes not all that fluid and hes not all that quick or sudden when he's on the field. But if he's the silb then he's good enough to take in the fb, but he's going to get eaten alive in pass coverage in the middle of the field. If he has to cover for more than a few seconds.

Barwin is better suited for the solb position than the wolb position where he was counted on to be the primary source of outside pressure. But both are just average players. Nothing special about either and I'd be concerned with having both on the field for a majority of our snaps.

I'd rather add another dynamic player to the mix and not have so many blah guys with a returning from injury Cushing.

As far as merciless goes, he's good at getting to the qb when he's not touched or when he makes his second move to the qb once he starts scrambling or moving around. He's not shown that he can line up and beat tackles just from a pure skill stand point. Much of his sacks were unblocked or when a qb started to move around. But he has good quickness and closing speed. Again, a useful skill that is valuable, but I don't see him as being a dominant edge player. I think he can be ok if put in a good position...just like reed and barwin. I think they all have some big weaknesses to their games.

IMO, if this move happens and barwin re signs that won't be a good thing for the defense over the course of the year. I think they'd have some strong performances mixed with some awful ones, but overall I think they'd be an underwhelming group as a whole.

If I was the texans id let barwin go and leave reed at solb. Let merciless start as well, but draft another guy in the 1st or second round to put pressure on them both. I'm not thrilled with the ilb draft class, but there are guys in free agency that would be upgrades over what we had. Some older players, some younger guys. Pick one or two of them up.

[tru80texan]

Originally Posted by Nawzer

I really hope they don't overspend on Barwin. I understand that good pass rushers are hard to find, but Barwin had a really down season and I wouldn't give him anything longer than a 2 year incentives laden deal. I think they still need to address the ILB and OLB positions this offseason.

I believe the Texans will offer Barwin a fair deal for multiple years. The 1 year deal or incentive laden only deal I can't see working or being enough to sign him. There are plenty of teams going to a 3-4 & pass rushers w/ the potential that Barwin possesses are at a premium. Let's not forget or disregard the facts that this is a 6'3" 268lb OLB who runs a 4.5 forty & accumulated 11 sacks in 2011. He is capable & 1 down season hardly constitutes him as a complete bust imo. If that was the case then Cushing should've been deemed a bust as well as he suffered a slump in his 2nd season as a starter as well. Barwin has been around for 4yrs, but this was only his 2nd season as a starter & I believe he still has room to grow.

I don't believe he earned a huge contract by any means, but for the right price I would be happy to have him back as opposed to the unknown w/ a raw rookie. The Texans do still need to address the OLB & ILB in draft, IMO, for depth purposes.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by WolverineFan

They need to address both ILB and OLB in the draft regardless of Barwin re-signing or Reed moving inside.

I dont believe they have the luxury of spending early picks on both spots , its one or the other as there are other positions that really need a dose of speed / youth.

[Goldensilence]

Originally Posted by WolverineFan

They need to address both ILB and OLB in the draft regardless of Barwin re-signing or Reed moving inside.

This was my exact thought. All moving Reed to ILB is make it less of a high draft need. They're still going to need depth there because James was on a one year contract and while Merciless started to turn it up more as the season went on and increased PT they're going to need a capable 3rd OLB to rotate in.

[tru80texan]

Originally Posted by Goldensilence

This was my exact thought. All moving Reed to ILB is make it less of a high draft need. They're still going to need depth there because James was on a one year contract and while Merciless started to turn it up more as the season went on and increased PT they're going to need a capable 3rd OLB to rotate in.

I guess you aren't big on Braman. I would actually like to see what he has to offer, but I do believe both ILB & OLB will need some depth. ILB more if Reed is moved & Barwin is re-signed.

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by Playoffs

Interesting.

You know LZ father is back coaching in the NFL again.

Former Steelers, Browns coach Larry Zierlein to join Bruce Arians staff as asst. offensive line coach

JUP!! I heard this earlier this afternoon...

While his new role will be somewhat diminished (I don't know what his current role will be) from his time at Pittsburgh, He'll still have a big role in their O-Line.

Congrats Coach Z... & Lance.

*EDIT*

Although, now in retrospect this may be the wrong format for this............ My bad! I'll step out.

[Nawzer]

Originally Posted by tru80texan

I believe the Texans will offer Barwin a fair deal for multiple years. The 1 year deal or incentive laden only deal I can't see working or being enough to sign him. There are plenty of teams going to a 3-4 & pass rushers w/ the potential that Barwin possesses are at a premium. Let's not forget or disregard the facts that this is a 6'3" 268lb OLB who runs a 4.5 forty & accumulated 11 sacks in 2011. He is capable & 1 down season hardly constitutes him as a complete bust imo. If that was the case then Cushing should've been deemed a bust as well as he suffered a slump in his 2nd season as a starter as well. Barwin has been around for 4yrs, but this was only his 2nd season as a starter & I believe he still has room to grow.

I don't believe he earned a huge contract by any means, but for the right price I would be happy to have him back as opposed to the unknown w/ a raw rookie. The Texans do still need to address the OLB & ILB in draft, IMO, for depth purposes.

I don't remember where I heard this, but it was probably on the radio and they said that most of Barwin's 11 sacks from 2011 were sort of "fluky". Honestly, I don't remember his performance from 2011 and that maybe a clue as well that maybe he was never really that good. He plays a premium position and he's not terrible, so he'll get some offers for sure. I just hope the Texans don't overextend themselves on Barwin.