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Aggressive and smart beats passive and slow in virtually every sport known to man. On the fields, courts and in front offices.
The Texans were aggressive and smart last offseason.
What will their approach be this offseason following the franchises first division championship, first postseason appearance and first playoff victory?
They need to be aggressive and smart. Again.
The Texans should attack free agency just like they did last year. Intent on signing a difference-maker. That player just happens to have been on the roster for the past six years.
NFL free agency begins Tuesday. The Texans are fooling themselves if they believe they can lose linebacker/defensive end Mario Williams to the highest bidder and have a better team next season.
How real was their claim that signing Williams this offseason is a priority?
Andrew Brandt, who spent 10 years as vice president of the Green Bay Packers managing the salary cap and handling contract negotiations, says the free-agency period likely will be hectic for a couple of days.
I think the market will be like it always is, Brandt said. In the first hours or days, well see a pot of gold for the chosen few.
Williams is among the chosen ones. He could fetch a contract to make him the highest-paid defender in the league.
When the NFL finally got around to free agency last summer, the Texans were desperate. They had a new defense to equip, a secondary to rebuild and a head coach facing a win or else mantra from the owner.
Bob McNair handed general manager Rick Smith the checkbook with authorization to spend money to get help.
Smith proved how aggressive and smart he can be by first going after Nnamdi Asomugha, the best cornerback available.
When a deal couldnt be worked out, the GM quickly redirected his efforts and nabbed Johnathan Joseph, the second-best free agent at the position, and then snatched up Danieal Manning, one of the top safeties on the market and a perfect addition to the secondary.
Yes, it took Smiths smarts, but dont underestimate McNairs loosening of the purse strings.
Williams is worth it
Because teams have a stranglehold on salary-cap discussions, fans and media often confuse budget constraints with salary-cap restraints.
If McNair is willing to write the check, Williams will re-sign with the Texans. Before you ask about Williams giving the Texans a hometown discount, ask yourself why professional owners never seem to offer a hometown bonus.
Signing Williams could be done without the Texans having to cut valuable players or lose other free agents. (The Texans cant allow center Chris Myers, whose value has been understated, get away either.)
To get it done, McNair likely would have to go over his budget this season, something he hasnt been willing to do in years past, and offer Williams more guaranteed money later in the deal.
Not that going over budget is always the smartest thing.
I think the best-managed teams seem to have cap room every year, said Brandt, a writer for the National Football Post and NFL business analyst for ESPN. They pay as you go and dont have a lot of unamortized signing bonuses.
Spending to the cap and not above it is indeed prudent thinking, but is that the best thing for the Texans in their situation?
This is a team that is primed to win now. The Texans wouldnt be trying to buy a championship a la the Dallas Cowboys in the last decade or the Washington Redskins throughout Daniel Snyders tenure as owner.
The Texans wouldnt be loading up on high-priced free agents hoping they might mesh into a winner. This simply would be holding on to one of their best players.
Can you put a price tag on short-term pain for long-term gain, as Brandt described it? Do the Texans want to go to a Super Bowl or save money?
Last year was nice, but if a team isnt getting better, it is getting worse. The AFC South should be easy, but the Texans should be thinking bigger.
The significant jump in salary cap in a couple of years is even more reason the Texans shouldnt be so cautious with the owners money. They already have displayed some faintheartedness in not boldly going after Peyton Manning.
No guarantees
Dont tell me that Brooks Reed, the rookie outside linebacker who solidly subbed for an injured Williams last season, will be much improved next year. Remember how much better Brian Cushing was supposed to be in his second season? Remember how much better Connor Barwin was supposed to be in his second season?
And dont assume the Texans will be stingier defensively in their second year under Wade Phillips. In Phillips last five stops as defensive coordinator, his first team made the playoffs after not making it the season before. None of the teams fared as well the next season, with only one even making the playoffs.
There simply are no guarantees.
If the Texans plan on being better next season, re-signing Williams would be a good start.
