Myers re-signs with HOU

[HoustonFrog]

Originally Posted by Lucky

But there's a salary cap. When you're up against it, decisions have to be made. In Butler and Caldwell, the Texans felt they had something to fall back on. They'll need to step up. But, they're not replacing Pro Bowlers. And both been on the team for 3 (or more) seasons. I'm giving the Texans the benefit of the doubt on this one.

Originally Posted by beerlover

relax, they can both be upgraded as players. far as people I like Eric & Mike much as the next Texan fan but remember its a buisness. Myers was key other than Brown best Rick kept him. Quicker we can move on the better

I'm not saying its deadly I just think 5 guys working together in a scheme like the ZBS is alot more of a cohesive effort than having a guy ready behind them. There is a reason why the guys were second stringers to start.

[kiwitexansfan]

Originally Posted by rmartin65

Solid contract for the Texans if these are the numbers.

That seems very reasonable.

Well done team.

[redwhiteANDblue]

Last season when butler was a free agent some of you were saying he was probably able to start for some teams. It was a surprise for some of you when he actually resigned. Maybe the Texans planned ahead hoping he would take over for winston? I'm not worried about our RT as much as RG

[fiasco west]

Originally Posted by redwhiteANDblue

Last season when butler was a free agent some of you were saying he was probably able to start for some teams. It was a surprise for some of you when he actually resigned. Maybe the Texans planned ahead hoping he would take over for winston? I'm not worried about our RT as much as RG

With the Texans draft history I'll be very confident if they just sign a vet WR and say draft a interior linemen.

Can Konz play RG? I would be very happy with that pick and signing a vet WR maybe a guy like Braylon Edwards if we have the cap.

[Carr Bombed]

Originally Posted by HoustonFrog

So losing 2 people on a O line that finally gelled after years of abuse us cool and just easy to plug in people in? I agree with Mario but the Oline was the bread and butter after years if abuse.

Our line has been very good for years now... it didn't just gell last season. They were blocking well for Slaton (pre neck injury) and when they finally got a elite zone back who could time his blocks and hit the holes at the right time (as well as read the back door cutting lanes) things went to a whole other level... but the line has been solid for years now. (and this is even when we had castoffs like Ephraim Salaam and square pegs like Chester Pitts playing)

I think we need to stop looking at the "sum of the parts" and start looking at the guy who's coaching the big uglies up front. Chris Myers was a 6th round pick who's developed into one of the best centers in the game.. Brisiel was undrafted and developed into a player who demanded (overpaid or not) a 20 million dollar contract.. and Winston was a 3rd rounder who many people (outside of Houston) view as a top RT in this league. Coincedence... I think not. This isn't about players, it's about coaching.

John Benton's name is starting to spread around the league and if we can plug guys in and don't skip a beat, you'll see interest in him blow up. He is the guy who's irreplaceable as far as the Oline goes (not players like Brisiel and Winston) and he's the real asset to this team. I'd put him on par with Phillips as to what he brings as a assistant/coordinator. I hope he can become our Alex Gibbs (who he learned under) and can be a career expert position coach for us.

We had to get Myers back, because that's much harder to replace regardless of how good the Oline coach is... that's the QB of your line. However I have no doubt Benton is going to be able to replace Brisiel and Winston and I think the transition is going to go even better than people hope. Benton is one of the best line coaches in the league.. he just doesn't get all the pub yet.. he will this year though.

[GP]

Originally Posted by ItsMyFault

Finally. Now we can go get Brisiel.

Signed,

John McClain

[Rey]

Originally Posted by HoustonFrog

I'm not saying its deadly I just think 5 guys working together in a scheme like the ZBS is alot more of a cohesive effort than having a guy ready behind them. There is a reason why the guys were second stringers to start.

Guys have to step in and get acclimated to new teammates/situations all the time. It's the NFL. Plus they have played some as starters and have been with and practiced with each other for a few years.

I'm not worried at all about cohesion. That part will come. I'm worried about whether or not the new indivisuals are talented enough. That is the main concern IMO.

[Carr Bombed]

Originally Posted by Rey

Guys have to step in and get acclimated to new teammates/situations all the time. It's the NFL. Plus they have played some as starters and have been with and practiced with each other for a few years.

I'm not worried at all about cohesion. That part will come. I'm worried about whether or not the new individuals are talented enough. That is the main concern IMO.

When the Broncos were a top 5 rushing team for the better part of a decade do people really think they had the same Oline for the duration of that time or their players weren't raided as well? This is where scheme/system is greater than the "sum of the parts"... and we have that scheme/system

When you have great success, other teams will raid and poach your players... if you're still able to overcome that, they'll stop poaching the players and will go after your coaches (this is what we'll have to deal with next as far as our Oline coach goes)

The thing about the Broncos though... about the only constant on that line and the only player who they felt was indispensable was Tom Nalen.... the center. Go figure. Tom Nalen was also able to stay a highly productive player WELL into his mid 30's (the only reason why the Broncos were willing to give Myers away for practically nothing), which is what I think the Texans envision Myers being with this contract extension.

So since that was really the only mainstay under Gibbs and the Broncos, that pretty much tells me that the Center position has to be the most important position in the zone blocking scheme and when you have the perfect zone center you better hang on to him... and we did that today. Kudos. Guard and RT is not that hard to replace, people need to calm down and breath a sigh of relief.. we just dodged the big bullet here by re-signing Myers... The next bullet (or should I say cannon ball) will be Duane Brown. If you can lock up your pro bowl C and LT for years to come, your OL will be in great shape for years to come. Gs and a RT aren't that hard to replace.. especially if you have a C who can get everybody in the right blocking assignments, which Myers can do.

I've been posting on this board since day 1 and I remember the early days where we were overreaching for players like Robaire Smith and Todd Wade during the same time where every single player we released would either find their way out of the league or sign for league min and just for team depth. I remember when people would say "I can't wait for the day when we are able to release players who other teams snatch up as starters or move on from players who other teams covet"...

Well we're here Texan fans, this is what you asked for and this is what big boy teams do... we have to cut ties with very good players, simply because we can no longer afford them because we have other very good players to sign as well. This is what you've wished for early on and now we're here and that's a good thing. We've become that team that other teams poach, that just means we're on the right path, are making the right decisions in the draft/player personnel, and have developed depth.

[TimeKiller]

I can't believe it took less than a week for Rick Smith to sign up the best RB on the planet and a pro bowl C, AMATUER!


St. Jeebus, if this doesn't hold the sky up around here it might just be time to duck out until next season...

[Goldensilence]

Great news! Solid contract.

Brisiel with the Raiders...20 Million... LMFAO! Same old Raiders.

[TexCanada]

This really is great news. I think I can relax a little about the state of our Oline now.

[Rey]

This is good news...

I was convinced that either Briesel or Meyers would be brought back because well....We pretty much had to..

Meyers (and most centers) are the brains of the O-line...a lot of time the calls start with them and everyone else feeds off of what they see/say...

Blocking skills aside, having Chris back from a mental stability standpoint is huge.

[Iceman16]

Originally Posted by Pantherstang84

LT Brown
LG Smith
C Meyers
RG ????
RT Butler


I'm good with this.

Lol? Who do you think is starting across from Andre? We can't have All-Pros at every position, the team's biggest hole is still WR2.

[TheMatrix31]

Caldwell is garbage. Not comfortable with him starting.

Must get someone in the draft.

[GP]

What I expect to happen is a tradition is being built.

As long as you maintain most of your o-line, you can let teams poach off a guy or two every 2-3 years and you have been stockpiling the Shelley Smiths and other similar guys who might not see much action the first year, or even two.

After sitting out that first year, they mature and they had watched and they practice and learn and get to play the last 2 or 3 years of their rookie 4-year deal. Meanwhile, you have another rookie watching, learning, practicing and waiting behind Shelley Smith. You're churning them over, growing them in your own o-line garden. A team poaches Shelley Smith and we keep moving forward. Next man up.

That's how teams like the Steelers and the Pats and the perennial winners do it. "Gee, how the hell can the Pats and Steelers pick last in the first round and always hit on their picks??? How they hell do they DO that/" Because they rarely get stoopid with their players. Oh, Asante Samuel wants HOW much? LMAO! Yeah, ummm...OK, whatever. Thanks for the memories, pal, but we can't do that. Then they go out to their garden and pick a fresh CB off the vine they've been growing the past year or two. FARMING.

When you built a tradition, the incoming guys are (a) probably suited to the style you're running, and (b) they have a level of expectation plopped onto their shoulders from day 1 of making the team--They know they better perform or a guy next year will take their spot.

Before now, there was no standard of excellence except maybe Kubiak's expectations of his WR and TE and QB crew. The RB position was always in flux, but he was always trying to get it better. The o-line was gradually getting better, signaled by the entry of Gibbs...but then he left and inexplicably we got better. Defense tanked, enter Wade Phillips and we got better and established an identity immediately. Now we have an established running game with a great o-line and great RB, the TE situation is capable and deep, WR is decent enough, QB is now in flux, but the defense is solid across the board (when it has NEVER been like that before). A tradition of winning has been created and new recruits better fall in line--They HAVE TO, or else.

THIS is the time to be excited as a fan, because we have momentum and we're expecting players to come into our program and fall into line immediately. This is probably the moment a guy like Kubiak has been waiting for: The day when his expectations are realized, and he can push them more than he ever has. JJ Watt, and I keep saying it over and over, that JJ Watt fellow is a GEM. He's a franchise guy in the sense that Andre Johnson is. He's worth his weight in gold because he's clean cut, hard worker, genuinely natural in front of the microphone and he's a phenom on the field--A guy like that is someone I think the Texans will retain at all costs and lock up way before he hits free agency. There's something crazy stoopid unique about that guy, a HOF'er in my opinion.

Hot DAMN! I'm excited. When does football start?!?!?!?

[GP]

Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

Caldwell is garbage. Not comfortable with him starting.

Must get someone in the draft.

I agree with you.

It's odd to see so many people who pencil him in as a solution for the exit of Briesel. There's no freaking way. NONE. He's out of position at RG. Guard is not gelling for him. Period.

I don't know what he can do at Center, but it seems that's not a problem anymore. He's depth, at best, IMO. And when he has to come in, you better damn well have a plan to mask his inability to be a solid contributor on that line.

Can't remember what home game it was toward the end of the year, but he was at RG (IIRC) in place of Briesel who was out for 2-3 weeks...every run play to the right side of the line, he was beaten immediately by his opponent and rag-dolled ruthlessly...like, tossed aside and shoved down and he's flailing his arms in the air. I was like, "What. The. Hell....." It was bad.

[HJam72]

Yeah, not a fan of Caldwell starting.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by Carr Bombed

I think we need to stop looking at the "sum of the parts" and start looking at the guy who's coaching the big uglies up front. Chris Myers was a 6th round pick who's developed into one of the best centers in the game.. Brisiel was undrafted and developed into a player who demanded (overpaid or not) a 20 million dollar contract.. and Winston was a 3rd rounder who many people (outside of Houston) view as a top RT in this league. Coincedence... I think not. This isn't about players, it's about coaching.

John Benton's name is starting to spread around the league and if we can plug guys in and don't skip a beat, you'll see interest in him blow up. He is the guy who's irreplaceable as far as the Oline goes (not players like Brisiel and Winston) and he's the real asset to this team. I'd put him on par with Phillips as to what he brings as a assistant/coordinator. I hope he can become our Alex Gibbs (who he learned under) and can be a career expert position coach for us.

We had to get Myers back, because that's much harder to replace regardless of how good the Oline coach is... that's the QB of your line. However I have no doubt Benton is going to be able to replace Brisiel and Winston and I think the transition is going to go even better than people hope. Benton is one of the best line coaches in the league.. he just doesn't get all the pub yet.. he will this year though.

Rep your way!! Couldn't have said it better myself.

It was his coaching that made an UDFA like Brisiel suddenly worth $4 mil/year. It was his coaching that made a castoff like Myers blossom into one of the best centers around. I'm going to trust him to continue to make more silk purses out of sow's ears.

Let's all hope someone doesn't decide to dangle a coordinator's job in front of him.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by GP

I agree with you.

It's odd to see so many people who pencil him in as a solution for the exit of Briesel. There's no freaking way. NONE. He's out of position at RG. Guard is not gelling for him. Period.

I don't know what he can do at Center, but it seems that's not a problem anymore. He's depth, at best, IMO. And when he has to come in, you better damn well have a plan to mask his inability to be a solid contributor on that line.

Can't remember what home game it was toward the end of the year, but he was at RG (IIRC) in place of Briesel who was out for 2-3 weeks...every run play to the right side of the line, he was beaten immediately by his opponent and rag-dolled ruthlessly...like, tossed aside and shoved down and he's flailing his arms in the air. I was like, "What. The. Hell....." It was bad.

The good news is that now he has 2-3 years to learn the center position behind Myers...

...or get cut.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Iceman16

Lol? Who do you think is starting across from Andre? We can't have All-Pros at every position, the team's biggest hole is still WR2.

eh...... most teams don't have two all-pro WRs either. We've got plenty of receiving options, all three of which are dangerous. Andre, OD, & Arian.

We "need" a WR who can cover for Andre when he's not in the game, but for the money we're paying him, Andre needs to find a way to be in the game more often. Just being honest.

Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

Caldwell is garbage. Not comfortable with him starting.

Must get someone in the draft.

The further we get from giving starting jobs to newly drafted players, the better we are as a football team. The theory is that the best player starts.

How good is Caldwell? I'm not a fan, so yes it is possible we could draft someone who could start over him. But remember Charles Spencer, a third rounder who started from day 1. Eric Winston picked behind Spencer & started after week 5 of his rookie season.

However at the time, our line was known as arguably one of the worst in the league. Big difference now.

We also have Shelly Smith & Thomas Austin on the roster. Hopefully they've been sitting in the background, learning how to be pros & are ready to step up & contribute.

Denver had a very good system of developing RBs, but it was because (imo) their even better system of developing OL. Remember, Myers was a 6th round pick by Denver... we traded a 6th round pick to get him to Houston. Biscuit was an UDFA, earned a starting spot.