Keep Texans Talk Google Ad Free!
Venmo Tip Jar | Paypal Tip Jar
Thanks for your support! 🍺😎👍
Udfa
- Thread starter Heath Shuler
- Start date
bah007
Hall of Fame
Never been in trouble as far as I can tell.
Signed with Florida out of high school. When Urban Meyer left, the scheme on defense changed and Trail didn't really fit in.
Transferred to Norfolk St on the advice of his high school coach so that he wouldn't have to sit out a year.
I think a lot of teams liked him but passed on him because they aren't really sure where they can use him. He likely isn't a true fit in any base defense.
He's probably best off as a WDE in your nickel defense. He played OLB in college but I really doubt he plays standing up in the NFL.
He needs a full yr with the S&C coach to add strength/weight and become a 5 tech. If Trail does this he could become dominant. He's got that type of ability.
damn, still stuck with ZERO good kick returners.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
Chris Polk is an upgrade at the position.
bah007
Hall of Fame
Thank you for the info. That answers some questions. I hadn't found anything like that when I checked up on him previously.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
bah007
Hall of Fame
Story on Trail from Peter King:
http://mmqb.si.com/2015/02/25/lynden-trail-nfl-draft/
Nothing in there about his legal issues but I've been checking into that further.
It looks like the marijuana arrest belongs to Josh Shaw, who was a DB on the same Florida team who was dismissed. Trail has apparently been lumped in with that because they left the team at the same time and it was assumed that both were kicked off by Muschamp.
But all I can find is that Trail didn't fit in Dan Quinn's (Muschamp's DC at the time, now Falcons coach) scheme and wasn't happy with his playing time. He willingly left the program on those terms, didn't burn any bridges, and nobody associated with Florida has any bad feelings toward him.
The assault case happened at Norfolk. He apparently got into a fight with a former player in the dorm. Trail says it was because the guy was talking about his wife. I can't back that up with anything. That's just what he says. The guy he hit didn't want to press charges and it looks like everything was dropped.
The only other thing I can find is that he also posted a picture online in the 8th grade where he was holding up a gang sign. He says he didn't know it was a gang sign. He thought he was just representing his neighborhood in a picture. He did go to Booker T Washington HS, which is in a notoriously terrible area with a long of gang activity.
http://mmqb.si.com/2015/02/25/lynden-trail-nfl-draft/
Nothing in there about his legal issues but I've been checking into that further.
It looks like the marijuana arrest belongs to Josh Shaw, who was a DB on the same Florida team who was dismissed. Trail has apparently been lumped in with that because they left the team at the same time and it was assumed that both were kicked off by Muschamp.
But all I can find is that Trail didn't fit in Dan Quinn's (Muschamp's DC at the time, now Falcons coach) scheme and wasn't happy with his playing time. He willingly left the program on those terms, didn't burn any bridges, and nobody associated with Florida has any bad feelings toward him.
The assault case happened at Norfolk. He apparently got into a fight with a former player in the dorm. Trail says it was because the guy was talking about his wife. I can't back that up with anything. That's just what he says. The guy he hit didn't want to press charges and it looks like everything was dropped.
The only other thing I can find is that he also posted a picture online in the 8th grade where he was holding up a gang sign. He says he didn't know it was a gang sign. He thought he was just representing his neighborhood in a picture. He did go to Booker T Washington HS, which is in a notoriously terrible area with a long of gang activity.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
Curious about your definition of a "good team". Teams that get to the Super Bowl? If so, what SB teams as a rule - not the exception - take the risk on players with off-field issues identified in the draft or before they are signed via FA? Honest question.
Every team takes a risk on a knucklehead or two over time. Even the Texans. And players after they are on a team can become knuckleheads. But what SB-caliber teams take risks on players with known legal issues as part of their overall strategy to get the best talent no matter what?
I just like everybody else on this MB want a team that is a SB contender every yr and win one occasionally. Teams like the Seahawks/Ravens/Pats etc....
sandman
Brexit Advisor
Fair enough. So let's take the Seahawks, Ravens and Patriots and have a discussion about the following:
1. Players they drafted with known legal/off field issues and how those players translated into their SB success
2. Players they picked up in free agency with known legal/off field issues and how those players translated into their SB success
You contend that these teams have a win at all cost mentality when it comes to personnel decisions. I would like to talk about specific players that support your contention.
I will get back to this post later, I'm going to be out of the office today. Look forward to this discussion.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
No worries. I am in London and 6 hours ahead of Houston anyways.
Look forward to it as well. I don't agree with your contention, but I would like to work through the data/details with an open mind.
Marshall
Not pretty, but ALIVE!
I'm loving this as a member of the peanut gallery. It's sort of like watching moot court.
ps - A suggestion that you sort penitent players from the defiant ones in this process.
Playoffs
Hall of Fame
Beyond the Pads with Lynden Trail, the draft’s most interesting man
Lynden Trail
Lynden Trail
http://nfldraftlab.com/site/beyond-the-pads-with-lynden-trail-the-drafts-most-interesting-man/Ht: 6’7″ 269 lbs
Vert: 32.7″
Broad Jump: 117″
40 Yard Dash: 4.77
Strengths: Has the ideal NFL frame to play the lengthy DE in a 4-3, but athletic enough to play 3-4 OLB. Played mostly as an OLB in college, but showed he is comfortable to play with his hand in the dirt. Very fluid for his size and plays well when asked to drop into zone coverage. Good chase down speed to make tackles from behind the play, knows his radius well. Good first step, and has greatly improved over his time at Norfolk State with technique. Uses his size well to gain leverage on the edge and gets his hands up when he doesn’t get to the QB to get in the passing lanes. Very versatile player that can play three positions (TE, OLB, & DE) and has huge upside with the proper situation and coaching.
Weaknesses: Needs to continue to work on his hips and ability to drop into coverage. Tip toes around plays at times and doesn’t provide as many splash plays as you would like for his size and doesn’t go for the “kill shot,” but still a solid tackler. Stays engaged in blocks too long and is still very raw with his moves as a DE. Doesn’t have a extreme motor, so will need the right coach to get it out of him. Instincts and diagnoses could be better, can get lost in no mans land.
Final Thoughts: This is one of the drafts biggest wild cards that will likely end up as a big steal for someone in the later rounds. I think with the proper coaching Lynden can really be an effective starter in the NFL and have a long career, athletes just come in his size often. I have come to know Lynden fairly well and I really feel like his heart is in football and he wants to be great. He is never going to be the guy that looks sculpted but that doesn’t really have anything to do with playing football. I see a team taking a gamble on him in the 4th round range. I think teams that he would be a great fit for as a hybrid SLB/DE are Miami, Minnesota, Cincinnati, New England, Chicago, and Tampa Bay. He has played Offense and defense and has shown to be a quick learner, which is very important to his NFL career. He showed that he can play with top level talent at the senior bowl, but teams are still going to be drafting him a lot on his potential not on the tape they have from him.
Interview:
You started off at Florida and then transferred out after your first year, I know that decision was probably tough for you I saw some things that you consult with your family and then made that decision. I guess what I’d want to ask about is what did you learn most from that decision or situation and how did it affect you going forward?
Well, the first thing I learned from that situation was not everything is going to go the way that I wanted it like an have to understand that I can’t doubt myself I have to believe in myself, which my confidence level is basically through the roof at this point and time. I had understand that God does everything for a reason because during my transfer process I kind of lost side of football because I started to doubt myself and question if I was good enough to play at the next level, but eventually I landed at Norfolk State they gave me opportunity to showcase my abilities and it’s just a blessing that I was able to able to show that
You’ve played it a couple different positions you’ve played at a couple of different positions, kind it with your hand in the dirt a little bit also as a linebacker in a 3-4 system on the outside. Judging by the size that you came into the combine your kind of more fitting as a defensive lineman with that size, where do you think you fit the best, (I know you can play all the positions) by where you most comfortable and what are some traits you have at each position that would be something you would like to showcase on the next level?
Let’s start with the linebacker position, I think it’s rare to see a 6’7″ linebacker if anybody can point out another linebacker to me a 6’7″ I will lay down for them, but at the linebacker position the biggest thing is I’m a bigger linebacker similar as a SAM backer and probably say with Cincinnati scheme I would probably be a SAM backer or something of that sort. A bigger, stronger guy that plays with the (1 tech/run threat) to his side, so there’s always nine times out of ten a collision between me in the guard if there’s ever a run my way or anything of that sort. Then I transfer over to defensive end the best thing about me playing that position my upside to that position is my pass rushing ability and just using my length and the more I train the more start I understand my body and how to use it to my advantage. Last but not least, tight end: I feel like there is a lot of mismatches there, I’m too fast for most linebackers, I’m too big for most corners or safeties, so there are advantages at almost every position that I play. There is not one position that I feel more comfortable with, at the end of the day I just feel like I’m a football player, so wherever you put me is where I’m going to focus in and try to master that position.
I would assume that since you’ve bounced around and played multiple positions you would consider yourself pretty much a quick learner, is that something that’s fair to say?
Yes, and I say that and I agree with that because at the combine a lot of people had me draw up charts and due to the fact that I played in a 40 scheme, which is kind of like a multiple defense, where we can go from a 3-4 at any given time to a 4-3 it kind of gave me an advantage to know a lot of schemes, or whatever they threw at me I was easily able to just write it up on the board and turnaround on the offensive side and the terminology they were using over there they were kind of surprised that I knew what arc release was, a spot route, or a hitch and go and things of that sort, flag, post corner, and all of that just to throw that in there as well.
You played some wide receiver in high school, if I’m correct, the things you learned from playing receiver/tight end how does that help you on the defensive side?
Yes, and well, there came times as a linebacker where I had to guard a lot of tight ends man-to-man and/or try to take them out of the game as a whole if they were threat. Just being able to play on the other side of the ball I knew what to expect and I basically knew how to walk people into their routes as opposed to guessing what they are going to do because being on the other side of the ball as a tight end you can look for keys and things of that sort to take advantage of. When I linebacker I look for little things that they do like leaning and hinting and knowing that I apply that pressure nine times out of ten there can push-off go the opposite way.
Results from the combine in my opinion for you were very good and well received, and I just wanted to see what it you think about your combine the experience in general, I’ve heard it’s mixed for people for a lot of people it’s eye-opening for other people the kind of expect with a got. As far as your results, or those right about where you are training did you do a little bit better or little bit worse?
I was pretty happy with my results on everything except my 40 yard dash. In which, I recently just that my Pro day I went back and I knew I was quicker than 4.91, so I decided to rerun my 40 time everything else I opted out of because I thought it was great. I mean, I had 25 rep on the bench press was beautiful in my mind, considering the fact I had the second longest arms for all defensive lineman at the combine. On top of that, at my Pro day I ran a 4.77 on my 40 yard dash. In which, I would like to add, felt like a lot of people put a lot of emphasis on my 40 yard dash, but whether people know it or not game speed and 40 yard dash speed are two different things and that’s all that matters.
Yep and I would completely agree, you beat me to my next question, I was get a say from your combine to your Pro day where was the area that you improve the most with knowing what you got on your 40 yard dash but you beat me to it and I appreciate that.
I went back to Dallas I was training down MJT and I pre-much continuously worked on my start. I mean, it was a more so because I have top and skied once I get up and going I’m on with that am running. I mean, it’s just hard to get to 70 role in downhill, so considering the fact that I’m 6’7″, it’s whatever. If I was probably 6’3″ or 6’2″ it would probably be a lot easier, it’s probably less steps for me to take because our really long stride, so that cycle is like forever almost to get my step back over.
Your three cone was really good which a lot of people use as a change of direction metric. When I study guys I look at film, but I also look at three cone in 20 yard shuttle and yours were both very good in my opinion, one of the things that some people say when referencing you is just wrongness and needing to work on a few things as a defensive end since you haven’t played that a lot. Your change of direction should be pretty good, how do you feel like you fit as far as your been and turning of the corner is that something that you worked on in the off-season, it seems like your change of direction is much better than people maybe anticipated.
Yes, Kevin Smith who was the quarterback who played on the opposite side is Dion back the 90s. He is pretty much my footwork I that’s who I go to work with every Tuesday and Thursday and we do some really intense drills that he’s taught me how to drop my hips open up my hips and he’s taught me more so body control as well.
That probably helps you with dropping in the coverage control your hips and footwork I’m assuming that’s what he’s working with you as well?
Considering the fact that sometimes a lot of people want me to play zone, well my coaches want to be to play a lot of zone in college, so some but I really focused on was my footwork and just dropping because in my mind I was like have to be able to get where I need to go and that the more false steps I eliminate the more fluid it will look in the better it will be.
Are you kind of the jokester, or how is the Linden that people don’t get to meet. Everyone can see you, but tell us about you.
I’m a pretty laid back guy, it’s kind of boring (laughter) I’m not going to lie, but I do love to laugh a lot. I spend the majority of my time either watch in film, playing call of duty, or spending time with my family.
The Senior bowl was probably good experience for you in getting back to show the level of competition you can compete with is at a really high level, compared with maybe a little lesser level there at Norfolk State. How did you feel about your senior bowl and what’s the biggest experience that you got out of that, was at the other players, the coaches, just run me through that?
My overall experience I felt great about it. I felt like I went out there proved what I had to prove. The whole week was just preaching versatility, which I want to be will to see that, hey yes he does play three positions, and yes he is good at all three positions. I try to make it public for any GM or owner that was considering drafting me, as to which position they would actually want to draft me at. I was trying to prove to people that there is no such thing as a small school guy. The whole week I kept hearing from the NFL network “oh small school guy Lyndon Trail does this, or does that” but my thing is we play football. At the end of the day football is football. Just how everyone at a major D1 puts on their pads and their helmets and goes up has to play football, I do the same thing. The biggest difference is money, in my mind, they just have the financial needs taking care of and, I mean, we just have to rush and hustle for ours. It kind of felt like practice, I mean like I tell most people at linebacker to stand up in 707 for the part of the introduction, go down and pass rush against the tackles, and then turn around go through the red zone with the tide ends. Of which I cut a touchdown, as well as tide end. All I did is what I did at practice at Norfolk State.
I think part of it is that ESPN and the “talking heads” there like to hype up a small school guy just so they can make that a story, but nowadays the level of competition at those schools compared to the bigger schools is much smaller than it used to be. Obviously, coming out of high school being a highly touted recruit to University of Florida, the intangibles that you showed in high school were there and no question my mind that you could have competed on the Division I level had you stayed there and intended to, but I think sometimes I think it’s good to just have that and the Senior bowl is probably great for you do like you said showcase your versatility and let teams know there really is no difference and football’s football.
At your Pro day there is a lot of teams rumored to be talking to you, if you had a gauge interest in certain teams are there any teams that tipped you off a little bit more than others that they might be interested in reaching out to your further?
At this point in time I probably like to leave that disclosed I wouldn’t want to say anything to push the money away, or rub anybody the wrong way. It’s just a blessing that people showed up at my Pro day so that I could showcase my versatility.
Did any teams try to work you out inside linebacker and at your Pro day did any teams try to work you out it tight end?
Yes, not inside linebacker, but I did run routes as a tight end. Teams seem to think that I look pretty smooth and a lot of people didn’t actually know that I played that in, which is where but it is what it is.
Would you say the majority of the teams were looking at you at linebacker or defensive end, was it 50-50. What would you say about that?
A lot of people were looking at me as a linebacker.
Is there anywhere you’re going to be training now are you going to be training at Norfolk State?
Yeah, I’m pretty much back home. I am up at 5 o’clock in the morning they have a 6 AM group, but they leave a rack open for me, so I pretty much go ahead keep up with my Dallas training there. We have a maintain lists, so I pretty much as keep up that in the time usually get hit the stadium stairs for the running portion...
Playoffs
Hall of Fame
Last edited:
Number19
Hall of Fame
What struck me was the interview. He really seems to be football smart and into improving himself as a player. We may have struck Arian gold.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Would not even think of playing him at right guard, after so many right shoulder injuries/surgeries.
Goldensilence
hipster elite
Kinda odd to feel like the best chance the team has to adding depth to the OL this year will only likely come from the udfa this year.
Of course that is barring something unexpected this summer with free agents and June/training camp cuts.
Of course that is barring something unexpected this summer with free agents and June/training camp cuts.
badboy
Hall of Fame
or the coaches like what they have more than some fans do?
Goldensilence
hipster elite
We all can only hope.
beerlover
Hall of Fame
Let Myers walk, without any other player/center getting reps. Suppose Ben Jones will be fine & Xavier replaces Ben Jones as starting LG but fail to see upgrade...... Newton/Brown/Brooks seem good to go but all must stay healthy16 games. Zero quality depth with NFL experience backing them up. So here we are, talking about hope. Trust. Belief in coaching change. Hope that Foster stays healthy. Hope that a QB comes through. Hope Texans can finish above .500 & make playoffs or UDFA saves the day.
Goldensilence
hipster elite
I'm not going to look through all of the arrest records of these teams and don't want a team full of these guys but do believe if players are bad people they should be given a chance to turn their lives around. These guys all played on these playoff teams last yr.
Seahawks- Lynch/J.R.Sweazy/Harvin/Bruce Irvin
Patriots- Brandon Browner/Alphonso Dennard/ and the mother of all even though he didn't play, Hernandez
Ravens- Jimmy/Steve Smith/ Oldies but goodies the Lewis' Ray/Jamal.
Cowboys- Bryant/McClain/Josh Brent and adding to the list Randy Gregory.
Packers- Johnny Jolly
I just did this exercise off the top of my head. I'm sure there are more on each team that I've missed. These are players that played key roles in these teams playoff runs last yr and are players the Texans org would never consider adding to the team. It puts the Texans at a competitive disadvantage. IMHO
sandman
Brexit Advisor
First, since the Texans became a franchise, the Cowboys have one less playoff win than the Texans. Totally not a legitimate example of a consistent winner.
Second, you named one player on the Packers. I have already stated that every team, including the Texans, have taken the occasional flier.
Seahawks -
Lynch had misdemeanor handgun charge. Not saying it's nothing, but there have been no repeat offenses. And his SB antics were no different than Foster and his "just being the best teammate I can be" shtick.
Harvin OK because boy is just a headcase. But he played in ONE game and had ONE catch in the regular season. His kickoff return for a TD is literally the only thing he ever did in a Seahawks uniform that year. And they promptly shipped his backside out the next year.
Irvin violated the NFL substance abuse policy and was suspended four games once he was already a Seahawk. That had nothing to do with any bad boy baggage that came with him in the draft.
Sweazy, you will need to remind of what his legal/off field issues were coming out of college that would have impacted his draft status.
Ravens-
Jimmy Smith OK
Steve Smith had two fights with teammates in 2002 and 2008 that led to the Panthers (not the NFL) suspending him for games. Not sure how two fights with teammates in a 13-year career in Carolina equates to the Ravens signing a "bad boy" six years after the last fight.
Ray Lewis was drafted by the Ravens and played his entire career there. His legal issues have no play in his draft status or being signed as a FA.
Patriots-
Hernandez? Really? Again, having your starting TE get life in prison for a murder he committed after being drafted has nothing to do with the your draft/FA strategy.
Browner, who is now with the Saints, his fourth team in the league. After playing in the CFL. While dealing with a substance abuse policy suspension, I have to challenge how much this bad boy was critical to the success of the Patriot's SB run when he only played in 9 games and had one interception. Not to mention the Pats not picking up the option and letting him walk.
Dennard was waived by the Pats following the SB after only two lackluster seasons.
If the context was "bad boy" players with known legal/off field issues either before they were drafted or signed as free agents, that also significantly contributed to SB runs, what do we have here? I'm counting 3, maybe 4.
I understand that this his off of the top of your head, but in all honesty you beat this drum with such confidence that I didn't think it would be hard to come up with more than 3-4 examples in the whole league.
Harvin played a key role in the Seahawk SB win., Lynch has DWI convictions. Sweazy an assault charge.
The Cowboys are on an upswing because of their ability to take on players like these. Jerrah got away from this philosophy after he fired Jimmy Johnson.
Baltimore- Steve Smith is a former gang member who assaulted (Sucker punched a teammate in a meeting room and another on the practice field. He had multiple arrests in his childhood. Jamal Lewis got caught running a drug operation spent yr in jail. Ray Lewis should've done time for at the very least being an accomplice to murder.
New England- Knew Hernandez/Dennard/Browner's past arrest records and drafted/signed them in FA anyways. PS you do realize Browner has played on the last 2 SB champions? He also has an arrest record.
The Cowboys are on an upswing because of their ability to take on players like these. Jerrah got away from this philosophy after he fired Jimmy Johnson.
Baltimore- Steve Smith is a former gang member who assaulted (Sucker punched a teammate in a meeting room and another on the practice field. He had multiple arrests in his childhood. Jamal Lewis got caught running a drug operation spent yr in jail. Ray Lewis should've done time for at the very least being an accomplice to murder.
New England- Knew Hernandez/Dennard/Browner's past arrest records and drafted/signed them in FA anyways. PS you do realize Browner has played on the last 2 SB champions? He also has an arrest record.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
So you've got nothing.
Name the ones with problems BEFORE they were signed. Your list goes to basically nothing. That's supposedly your point - the Texans not drafting/signing problem children.
Marshall
Not pretty, but ALIVE!
In religious jargon, the penitent should be forgiven while the defiant cannot receive forgiveness but are just tolerated (minor - you're influencing them) or distanced (wicked - they're influencing you).
look at the arrest records of the players I posted for yourself.
It just doesn't fit your agenda.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Again since you missed it BEFORE being signed.
Agenda would be you ignoring when Texans have issues. Like Coleman running into a tree after knocking back tequila shots with Jamie Sharper.
Look into these BEFORE they signed. Dennard/Smith's etc... you will see what I'm talking about.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
It's Mack Brown from Florida not Malcolm Brown from Texas.
He was actually the leading rusher for Florida in 2013 but fell down the depth chart his final year.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Wait, are you holding up the Cowboys as a good team?
J.R. Sweezy - 1 arrest a couple years before the draft taken in the 7th round. TJ was arrested for sexual battery and false imprisonment - taken by the Texans in the 1st.
Percy Harvin did jack **** for Seattle and they dumped him. Hardly an example of good teams taking bad players to win. And what does he have, one positive pot test?
Irvin - AFTER.
Ray Lewis - AFTER
Jamal Lewis - AFTER
Johnny Jolly - AFTER
Brandon Browner - AFTER
Josh Brent - AFTER
Steve Smith - you can't be serious.
Gregory - OK, Okoye taken in the 1st.
Jimmy Smith - drugs which never resulted in an arrest or punishment.
Alphonso Dennard - 7th and dumped.
You went through 5 teams and can't come up with a list as long or as highly drafted as the Texans' Cushing, Okoye, TJ, Mathis with priors. Then there are the Texans arrested and not cut - Leach, Pitts, Coleman, Jacoby, Mathis, Weary, etc.
And how about that Raven you didn't mention - Ray Rice?
You've got nothing but an incessant rant that all things Texan are wrong, even ones you imagine.
badboy
Hall of Fame
Ok great I did not catch that. Thanks for info. I thought they had size wrong.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Part of this (signing of Mack Brown and Corey Moore) has already been posted by Playoffs.
James Rouse was waived injured.
Jake Cotton G was waived.
Joseph Treadwell T from Louisiana Monroe was signed.
James Rouse was waived injured.
Jake Cotton G was waived.
Joseph Treadwell T from Louisiana Monroe was signed.
Last edited:
All of these guys were in trouble with their college teams/suspended/LEO.
They were off the Texans draft board, hence the Texans are at a competitive dis advantage., sat what you want but the facts are the teams like the Seahawks/49ers/Ravens etc... were where the Texans were in 2008 and they are where they are now. Where are the Texans?
Sunday School is open, I cant wait to see Garappolo in action.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
You have absolutely zero knowledge of who is off their draft board.
your premise that you know the facts is like saying big bird knows the facts of wall street
Ignore the Texans draft history all y'all want.
2013/2014 wasn't that long ago. Alzhiemers?
2013/2014 wasn't that long ago. Alzhiemers?
The league-wide craptastic class of 2013 is nothing new, you know this. We could have still done more sure, but DHop is near the cream of the crop there.
And ...
Trolls are susceptible to Alzheimer's, yes?
Eh, just forget about that ...
sandman
Brexit Advisor
There have obviously been replies to some of the above, but let me go ahead and get mine in because we agreed to have this conversation.
Background: I grew up in San Antonio. Moved to Houston in my 30's and raised my kids there before taking this expat assignment. Houston is home, but SA is my hometown and will always be a Spurs fan. Mainly because they do it right. The team is never sacrificed for the individual. Everyone buys into the plan. Bad boys are never sought out. And they have 5 rings to prove it works. All that to say that you and I will always come from the opposite side of this particular topic.
I would never want my team - in this case the Texans - to purposefully seek out a problem individual simply because he is a great footballer player. I also see a very broad line behind an individual who has broken league policy, learned from his mistakes and moved on versus the perpetual offender, the me-first guy, the locker room cancer.
So with all that, let me reply...
Harvin had a return TD in the Super Bowl that the Seahawks won by 35 points. Other than that, he had one catch for 7 yards. He played in one regular season game in November. He was not even active for the NFC Championship Game against the Niners. Was he on the Seahawks team that won a SB? Yes. Did he play in the SB? Yes. Did he significantly contribute in their SB run and win? No.
In 2014 Lynch pleaded guilty to reckless driving, not DWI. Unless there is another DWI conviction I'm not aware of.
Cowboys on the upswing. So the Cowboys go 4 straight years without a winning record and playoff appearances, but have one 12-4 year where they win a WC game and are "up and comers". Yet the Texans did the same thing two years in a row and they can't get their head out of their ass? I am simply not going to entertain using the Cowboys' one season or Jerry Jones as benchmarks in this conversation.
Steve Smith had a JV record. Got himself straightened out and went to college. No record of any legal issues while at Utah. He had two fights with teammates over a 14-year career. He and his wife have set up scholarships at Utah. He goes to Africa for Jesus talks. He is a competitor that plays with a lot of passion and takes everything personally, but I would hardly call him a "bad boy".
The system deemed Ray Lewis not guilty. Regardless of what we may or may not think about the situation, the law spoke. And there was nothing after that incident to ever show that it was a pattern. Not to mention that as I pointed out before, this all happened after he was already on the team.
Jamaal Lewis? Same thing. The context was who was a "bad boy" pre-draft or pre-FE/Trade and the teams pulled the trigger anyways. Lewis got in trouble with the law after he was already on the team.
Browner. You do realize that he is on his third team in three years? Neither the Seahawks or Patriots wanted him after their SB wins. He had 2 INT's and 44 total tackles his last two seasons. He either didn't play, or have a single tackle, in the 2013 Seattle SB run because he has no playoff stats that year. Sounds like a JAG.
Dennard actually did not play in the post-season for the Patriots this last year and only played in 6 games all season. He was waived earlier this month. So this particular "bad boy" did nothing to help the Patriots SB run and they promptly dumped him.
That is three guys on this list that were dropped by their teams because they simply were not producing. Even if you can make the argument that it was the strategy of these teams to seek out the best talent available regardless of character issues, it miserably failed in the case of Harvin, Browner and Dennard.
That is three guys on the list that had troubles after they got in to the league with Lynch, Ray Lewis and Jamaal Lewis.
Steve Smith had a Juvie record, for Christ's sake.
Again, I come back to my premise that there are teams that DO take fliers on bad boys. But there is no team that you can point to that employs a talent over character strategy and show that strategy on a scale of greater than 1 or 2 to work in building significant contributors to a Super Bowl team.
In other words, you are proving that it is the exception and not the rule.
So should the Texans have traded for Harvin? Signed Browner or Dennard when NE cut them? Traded for Lynch when he was benched in Buffalo? Gone after an old Steve Smith last year? You point to these examples, but I would like to honestly know if you would have wanted the Texans to go after these specific players.