Texans Sign Tyrone Poole

[TexanAddict]

After trying out three free agent defensive backs after Tuesday's morning practice, the Texans have decided to sign Tyrone Poole.

Poole, 35, is older than Shaun Williams and Raymond Walls, but he had the best workout, according to general manager Rick Smith. Derrick Gibson was scheduled to work out with the others, but he was a no-show.

Poole, 5-8, 190, enters his 13th season. He was a first-round pick by Carolina in 1995, the Panthers' expansion season. He played three years with the Colts, one with the Broncos, three with the Patriots and last season with the Raiders.

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[Matt]

I'm not a fan of this. He's an older version of Von Hutchins (i.e. a converted CB).

[Errant Hothy]

I'd bet money that the deal is for the vet min., and given Smith's and Kubiak's track record with "street" free agents last year I think they deserve a little lee-way with the signing. As for his age, it's a meh to me. If Aaron Glenn is still playing then why not Poole. I'd be surprised if Poole was the opening day starter, at any position.

The thing that is most surprising is that Gibson was a no show.

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by Matt

I'm not a fan of this. He's an older version of Von Hutchins (i.e. a converted CB).

When you're scraping the bottom of the barrel, you might not want to be too picky. At this point of training camp, you're not going to find much else.

Besides, Rick Smith hasn't done too bad of a job finding quality street free agents lately, so cut the man a little slack.

We can't afford to have too many old back-ups...

If the young guys are getting all the tick during regular downs, are these old guys going to play special teams ?

We gotta find a balance...

[TexanAddict]

I hadn't seen this before, but this was reported yesterday by Adam Schefter on nfl.com:

While the Chiefs wait on Johnson and Holmes, they continue fielding inquiries for veteran playmaking safety Greg Wesley. The latest came Monday from the Houston Texans, who lost starter Glenn Earl to a season-ending foot injury.

Wesley, a former third-round pick who started 14 games last season, would be an ideal replacement for the Texans. But Houston is looking in other areas as well. Former Giants and Panthers safety Shaun Williams is scheduled to work out for the Texans this week.

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I wonder if they might still try to make a deal, even with the signing of Poole. My guess is that the Chiefs asked for more than we were willing to give.

[Twitch-Houston]

Wasn't he pretty good with the Patriots?

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Twitch-Houston

Wasn't he pretty good with the Patriots?

Yeah, about 4 years ago. Not so good since then. To my knowledge, he's never played safety, only cornerback. Not sure what Smith & Kubiak are thinking here.

[Goldensilence]

Pretty suprised about the Gibson no show too. I think Gibson would've been a good stop gap solution for us.

I'm alright with the Poole Signing. At least it gives us a veteran presence back there and it's possible he could start for a nice price.I agree with Tru on beingable to finda good balance between getting some of the younger players some experience but at the same time I'm not so sure about some of the younger guys. I at least want options and that's what it looks like Rick Smith is giving Kubiak.

[Dallas_Texan]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Yeah, about 4 years ago. Not so good since then. To my knowledge, he's never played safety, only cornerback. Not sure what Smith & Kubiak are thinking here.

Are we talking about Wesley or Poole here?

Originally Posted by Lucky

Yeah, about 4 years ago. Not so good since then. To my knowledge, he's never played safety, only cornerback. Not sure what Smith & Kubiak are thinking here.

Maybe they picked up an extra veteran corner with experience so they can move D-Rob to safety...

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Dallas_Texan

Are we talking about Wesley or Poole here?

Poole. Poole played with the Pats a few years ago. Wesley currently is with the Chiefs.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by xtruroyaltyx

We can't afford to have too many old back-ups...

If the young guys are getting all the tick during regular downs, are these old guys going to play special teams ?

We gotta find a balance...

Exactly. I realize that Smithak have had a pretty good track record with the guy off the street, but this is just pointless. This guy is an older, less mobile version of Von Hutchins. We have young safeties in Mitchell/Harrison that could get some burn at FS with Simmons if need be.

[Errant Hothy]

Originally Posted by Matt

Exactly. I realize that Smithak have had a pretty good track record with the guy off the street, but this is just pointless. This guy is an older, less mobile version of Von Hutchins. We have young safeties in Mitchell/Harrison that could get some burn at FS with Simmons if need be.

If Mitchell and Harrison are good enough to see the feild as starters during the regular season, then they shold have no problems beating out an old geezer like Poole. Untill then I'll assume a late round pick and an UDFA are jsut not ready yet.

[Yankee_In_TX]

Originally Posted by Hoth-Boy

If Mitchell and Harrison are good enough to see the feild as starters during the regular season, then they shold have no problems beating out an old geezer like Poole. Untill then I'll assume a late round pick and an UDFA are jsut not ready yet.

It pains my Scarlett and grey blood, but I doubt Mitchell makes the team.

[DBCooper]

Originally Posted by xtruroyaltyx

Maybe they picked up an extra veteran corner with experience so they can move D-Rob to safety...

Don't give them any ideas.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Hoth-Boy

If Mitchell and Harrison are good enough to see the feild as starters during the regular season, then they shold have no problems beating out an old geezer like Poole. Untill then I'll assume a late round pick and an UDFA are jsut not ready yet.

Harrison was a fourth round pick. That's not exactly "late" round.

Besides, the problem teams fall into when they sign guys like Poole is the circular reasoning of "we need an established player, let's sign this guy because he's played before, because he's played before he must be better than this rookie, no need to give the rookie a real shot because we have an established veteran at the position."

[Errant Hothy]

Originally Posted by Matt

Besides, the problem teams fall into when they sign guys like Poole is the circular reasoning of "we need an established player, let's sign this guy because he's played before, because he's played before he must be better than this rookie, no need to give the rookie a real shot because we have an established veteran at the position."

I agree that this type of thinking goes in the NFL, but not always. There is also the train of thought that "putting a rookie out there, just becasue he's a rookie and we need to know what he can do, even though we know that what he's hown is in camp and practice is that he is not ready to start, but he should play anyways cause he's a rookie and we need to know what he's got" is just as faulty.

You play rookies when there play inpractice shows you that they are ready, not before and I don't think ever because they are just a rookie.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by Matt

Harrison was a fourth round pick. That's not exactly "late" round.

Besides, the problem teams fall into when they sign guys like Poole is the circular reasoning of "we need an established player, let's sign this guy because he's played before, because he's played before he must be better than this rookie, no need to give the rookie a real shot because we have an established veteran at the position."

I'd say Kubiak's thinking is this: We need an established player who has proven he can do the job. If these rookies or F/As want to break thru and win a starter job, they see they have to step it up and beat out a guy who's shown he knows how to play.

You wouldn't want them to bring in some guy that is obvious "camp fodder" would you? Its all about keeping the competition level elevated.

And the pickings at FS and CB at this late date are really pretty slim.

[CloakNNNdagger]

All I can say about Poole is that his stats for last year are pretty funky:

In 12 games, he had 15 total tackles (14 solo, 1 assist) with 1 interception, sack, and 3 pass defenses.

Glenn and Brown had similar interception, sack and pass defense numbers. But both had about 5 times the number of tackles that Poole managed.