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Looks like Orlovsky is still an option.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6286086.html
Ramsey sucks ass. Not too happy he's Schaub's backup but with Fat Albert out of the AFC South, things should get easier..well at least for two games. Wish we would've considered Orvlasky. Just sayin'....
Looks like Orlovsky is still an option.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6286086.html
Orlovsky is the guy. At least it's not Ramsey.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6288399.html
Texans sign ex-Lion Orlovsky as backup quarterback
By JOHN McCLAIN Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
March 1, 2009, 1:57PM
The Texans have signed former Detroit quarterback Dan Orlovsky to replace Sage Rosenfels, who was traded to the Vikings for a fourth round draft choice.
Orlovsky started seven games for winless Detroit last season.
He was the second free agent quarterback brought in by the Texans. Patrick Ramsey was the first.
I don't really care much for this move. At least he is a young QB with a good arm. Hopefully he won't be in any situations from their own 1 yard line so he doesn't run out of the end zone. I heard it's a three year deal for 9mil with 2mil guaranteed. Seems like a bit much for a backup but at least it's not Patrick Ramsey.
Well, it could've been worse. At least Orlovsky is young and mobile.
Texans are bringing in Cedric Benson for a visit
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6288717.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/6295105.html
The Texans are bringing in Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kevin Burnett for a visit today.
Burnett, 26, is an unrestricted free agent who has been a reserve linebacker in the Cowboys' 3-4 during his four-year career. A second-round pick from the University of Tennessee in 2005, Burnett played outside linebacker his first two years and inside linebacker his last two seasons. He had four starts the last two seasons and posted a career-best two sacks last season.
Anyone know anything about this guy? I've never heard of him.
, this is the guy I thought they might go after. Came in on pretty much every passing down. Had problems staying on the field early in his career because of injury and depth. But he is big (6-2, 240), really fast, still young, and was by-far the Boys best coverage linebacker, and it wasn't even close. If he stays healthy, he will be a great pickup for whoever gets him.
He visited Oakland and San Diego before going to Houston today. I think here is a legit shot of him getting signed. The Texans need depth at LB. I'm just curious about his transition from the 3-4 to the 4-3.
Is he a MLB or OLB?
He played mlb in the 3-4 for the Boys, and was pretty much their main cover guy on passing downs. He would pretty much be the only linebacker they had all year who didn't blow coverages, always seemed to be in the right spot. I wouldn't worry about him making a transition either, as the only time he really played was when the Boys would use 4 man fronts in their passing defense. He can play either outside spot with his size and speed, so imo, if they did get him, he would probably be their starting strong side lb, just because he can cover, get off of blocks, and is fast enough to make plays in the backfield.
Sounds like what the wanted Morlon Greenwood to be. He sounds like a solid guy. It could be good if he comes at a good price.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4008922
The Houston Texans reached a three-year contract agreement with Detroit Lions defensive tackle Shaun Cody that should be finalized Tuesday, according to a source.
To get a three-year deal this late in the free-agency period is a little rare, but Cody fits into the Texans' plans to upgrade the defensive line. He can play the nose tackle position along with being a "three-technique" defensive tackle.
Cody was a second-round pick of Detroit in 2005. Injuries held him back during a portion of his Lions career. A dislocated toe cost him 10 games in the 2006 season. He had 11 starts during his four seasons with the Lions and appeared in 31 games over the past two seasons.
I like that they are adding some depth to the D-line. I doubt they go d-line in the draft now, unless a DE falls to them that they just can't pass up. I see a DB or OLB going first round.
Some people have them taking either brian cushing OLB USC, OR CLAY MATTHEWS LB USC. They might trade down and recieve extra picks.
Or Malcolm Jenkins
Clay Matthews seems likely simply because his uncle is now a coach.
Last edited by Dr. Gonzo; 04-23-2009 at 11:26 AM.
This is from a press conference with Rick Smith yesterday. I found it interesting.
(on if the team’s focus is on defense going into the draft) “I’ve said that what I think we’ve done over the last few months in free agency, I think, gives us an opportunity to let the process and let our board dictate where we go. I think if you look at our football team, the one glaring issue that we felt like we needed to address was some help on the other defensive end, and I think we’ve done that in free agency with Antonio Smith. I like that addition. I think he’s going to help our pass rush and so I think that, coupled with we’ll have (FS) Eugene Wilson. We got him re-signed. We signed (SS) Nick Ferguson for depth at safety. We’re counting on (LB) Zac Diles to come back and be a productive player. Prior to his injury last year, he was playing at a very high level. We’re counting on (LB) Xavier Adibi to take that next step this year, and so we signed (LB) Cato June as a guy who can come in and compete at that position. He’s played in Super Bowls; he’s a guy who has started in this league for years. And so I feel like we’ve done what we needed to do via free agency to give us a chance to go and pick the best player. We still need some help all over our football team. I think, offensively and defensively, there are areas that we can improve on, so that’s the way I try to go into it and I try to trust the process. We have evaluated these players and rated them in value and ranked them, and that’s the way we’re going to hopefully pull them off the board.”
(on if the team still has a “glaring need”) “I don’t think so. I think that we’ve helped ourselves. I think the glaring need that I think we had is that I think we had to help our defense, and I think we’ve done that in free agency. I think we need a complementary back, at some point, would be nice. Everybody’s talking about the fact that we need another back with (RB) Steve (Slaton), a bigger back, a third-down back, and they forget that we’ve got a guy walking around in our building right now that could fill that role, and that’s (RB) Chris Brown. He was hurt, obviously, last year, but he’s still on our team and so there’s a possibility for him to fill that role. So I don’t think that we have a glaring need anywhere. I think that we can improve our team in a lot of different areas, and that’s what we’re going to try to do Saturday and Sunday. But to say that I’m sitting here and that I am in a position where I feel like if we don’t come out of the draft with any one particular position, we’re in trouble, I don’t feel like that.”
It sounds like he is pretty happy with the off season moves they made to help the D. I have a feeling they will be either trading down or going with BPA, which just might be a WR.
interesting I still hope we get Matthews in the 1st.
The conventional media wisdom has Matthews as a lock at #15.
I like Cushing or Matthews, but its disturbing that they are not addressing the offensive line needs that they have needed since, oh, the inaugural season?
The line isn't that bad. According to the stats they are average. They allowed 32 sacks last year which was the average. I have faith in Gibbs.
OLB would be ideal for this pick, although I wouldn't mind seeing Moreno or Wells picked. From what I've heard I like the Matthews kid. If he has any of his uncle's qualities it would be perfect. Bruce Matthews is my all-time favorite Oiler.
Texans had a solid draft.
1 Brian Cushing LB USC
2 Connor Barwin DE Cincinnati
3 Antoine Caldwell G Alabama
4 Glover Quin CB New Mexico
4 Anthony Hill TE NC State
5 James Casey TE Rice
6 Brice McCain CB Utah
7 Troy Nolan S Arizona St.
I loved this pick.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...sey/index.html
No matter how much information teams gather, they still have a hard time figuring out how a college player's skills will translate into the NFL. Every year the first round is loaded with busts, while gems fall to the draft's second day. In 2009 perhaps no prospect is harder to figure out than Rice tight end James Casey.
* Casey finished second in the nation with 111 catches last season and is considered one of the top five tight end prospects in this year's draft. But it's not that simple. Casey doesn't fit well into the traditional mold that some NFL teams like. His résumé raises more questions than answers for his prospective employers:
• He's not a tight end in the traditional sense. He has little blocking experience.
• He would have likely played quarterback if he had returned to Rice for his junior season.
• He played seven positions in one game as a freshman.
• He will turn 25 in September.
• He played four years of minor league baseball.
• Rice didn't recruit him. He recruited them.
* Teams don't seem to agree on which position the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Casey will ultimately play. Some have worked him out as a fullback, while others consider him an H-Back. He also frequently took direct snaps and ran with the ball at Rice, so he could be a Wildcat weapon in the NFL.
For an old-school offensive coach, Casey's oddities might be a deal-breaker. For a more open-minded staff, they may be his greatest strength. A closer look at Casey reveals a thoroughly unique prospect that could be hitting the NFL at exactly the right time.
The rise of spread tight ends
No team throws the ball more than Rice, which helps explain Casey's 111 receptions for 1,329 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2008. Casey was too busy catching the ball to block in the Owls' spread offense. Turns out he's not alone. Most of the top tight end prospects in this year's draft class didn't block out of a three-point stance and won't necessarily have to do so at the next level.
"The spread offense in college makes it harder for the NFL to define what a kid may be at the next level," NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock says. "Tight end has been impacted as much or more than any other position. Outside of Oklahoma State's Brandon Petigrew, who's the No. 1 tight end in the country, none of the top prospects have shown they can block."
Casey falls into a group of catch-first tight ends that includes South Carolina's Jared Cook, Southern Miss' Shawn Nelson, Florida's Cornelius Ingram, Missouri's Chase Coffman and Wisconsin's Travis Beckham. They all project as "move" tight ends or H-backs, who can line up in various places in the offense to create mismatches. None of them came close to matching Casey's numbers at Rice.
"Casey might have the best ball skills of anyone at his position," Mayock says. "Some people catch the ball naturally. Other people fight it. He catches the ball very naturally. The real value of this kid is getting him lined up with linebackers and safeties in the pass game."
Casey was originally recruited to play linebacker, and then was moved to defensive end, quarterback and eventually tight end/H-back. Rice's coaching staff was surprised by his pass-catching ability, and revamped their offense to feature Casey in 2008.
"He's got the greatest hands I've ever seen," Rice coach David Bailiff says. "I can't tell you how many catches I've seen him make that he shouldn't have."
Casey ran a 4.74 40 at the combine and doesn't have the speed to be a downfield threat like the Colts' Dallas Clark, but he can make the necessary plays in a ball-control passing offense. Rice frequently lined Casey up in the slot and ran bubble screens and other short and intermediate plays to get the ball in his hands. With his sure hands he should help an offense move the chains even if he's not going to break off many long touchdowns.
"Running down the middle of the field into a cover two, catching the ball, having a safety hit you and still hold on to the ball," Casey says. "That may be what I do best."
Posted: Thursday April 23, 2009 3:25PM; Updated: Friday April 24, 2009 7:23AM
The Bonus The Bonus >
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James Casey (cont.)
The measure of a man
The hardest thing to judge in any draft is character. It doesn't show up on game tape, it can't be measured with a stopwatch and it's not always easy to assess in an interview, especially when a player has been coached on what to say.
No one who meets Casey has any doubt about his character. His difficult past has drawn a lot of media attention after he burst on to the scene with an impressive workout at the NFL combine in February. Casey's mother died in a house fire when he was 16, leaving him with nothing but the clothes he was wearing and his backpack. He turned to athletics to get him out of a tough spot growing up outside of Fort Worth, Texas.
"Everything bad that has happened to me has led to another opportunity that has been incredible," Casey says. "When my mother died, I almost gave up on everything. But then I thought of her and I knew she wouldn't want to see me moping around. Since then, I've thrown myself into everything I do."
Casey was a two-sport star at Azle High. His football career was cut short by a knee injury, so he ended up focusing on baseball his senior year. He developed a 95-mph fastball and was a seventh-round draft pick by the White Sox in 2003. With no money, he had to sign a baseball contract and abandon any dreams of playing college football.
His career with the White Sox started off promising. Then the coaching staff started tinkering with his mechanics and he lost his control. "When it left my hand, I didn't know where it was going to go," Casey says. "It didn't get to the point where it would go over the backstop every time, but it got close to that."
Once again, adversity provided a new route to success for Casey. He had always carried a football around with him in the minors and wanted to continue his education. He contacted several programs in Texas, and received mostly walk-on offers after showing them a grainy tape from high school and some photos. Rice saw something other schools did not and offered him a scholarship.
"James Casey does not have bad days," Bailiff says. "He realizes what a blessing life is. What opportunities he's been given academically and athletically. As he gets out of bed, he's highly motivated to live his life to his fullest."
Casey quickly developed a reputation as a hard worker on and off the field. The coaching staff was always surprised by how early he arrived at the weight room and how late he left. Professors were surprised by seeing him showing up regularly a half hour before class to make sure he didn't miss anything.
Casey is an academic All-America who is already approaching the number of credits required to graduate. "Most people arrive at Rice and have trouble adjusting academically," says Rice safety Andrew Sendejo, who roomed with Casey for a semester. "He comes in here and takes a really heavy course load and gets a 4.0 his first semester."
Casey has few interests outside of football and his studies. He doesn't like to watch movies, because he feels like he should be doing something productive instead of just sitting there. He spends most of his free time with his wife, Kylie, and rarely socializes with teammates.
Sendejo described some of Casey's rituals at Rice: "Every night I'd come home and smell Folgers. It meant James was going to stay up late studying or finishing a paper. He would also work out at night. I'd be in the other room and hear heavy breathing and wonder to myself what was going on. James was in there doing pushups. And that's after we just did a huge bench press workout at the gym."
Casey hates being late and promises he'll be the first to show up at meetings in the NFL. A Tom Coughlin-like disciplinarian will have no luck collecting fines from Casey.
"For the most part the teams that have done well have been high character teams over the last six, seven eight years," Mayock says. "I've seen much more of an impact placed on character than I did before that. Casey should benefit from that."
The age old question
One of the potential knocks on Casey is that he's 24. By the time he reaches his all-important second contract he could be 29. In a league that covets youth, that's scary for a potential first-day pick.
Casey didn't even think he'd reach the draft this quickly. He's technically a true sop re, and could rewrite the record book as a receiver or quarterback at Rice. He wasn't on the NFL's radar entering the season and his success came as a surprise to many.
"Nobody knew anything about him," Bailiff says. "We thought he was going to come back so we didn't get his name out there. He was only 29 [course] hours away from graduating. Then it just hit a point with the number of receptions and his age."
Casey's age is also seen a plus by his supporters. He's likely to be the most mature rookie on any team he joins, and will likely avoid the pitfalls that distract other first-year players.
"Everything James does is for his family," Kylie says. "He didn't grow up with a lot and he's really dedicated to making things better for himself and those around him."
Casey's first pro payday with the White Sox gave him a bonus worth about $120,000. He'll likely earn a considerable amount more as a mid-round NFL pick, but he won't break the bank like a first-round pick, so teams can afford to overlook his age.
The legend grows
Casey's unusual background made him a celebrity at Rice and has turned him into a bit of a mythic figure in some NFL circles. He surprised a lot of scouts at his pro day when he finished off his workout by rocketing spirals all over the field in an unexpected passing drill.
"They call him the Natural because he can do anything," Green Bay Packers scout and former NFL running back Alonzo Highsmith says. "He can throw. He can catch. Anything he tries he can do. He could probably pick up cricket and be a star."
But just like Roy Hobbs, a lot of NFL teams still have doubts about his unusual path to the pros. One NFC scout says that Casey was too small for a tight end and wasn't sure what position he would play. Another scout says that he could definitely contribute, but he may be too slow to be a star.
Those close to Casey say any potential negatives won't stop him because he always finds a way to succeed.
"I have no doubt Casey will have a successful NFL career and then go on to be CEO of a major corporation," Bailiff says. "He's that kind of guy. He's going to out-work everybody and find a way to get it done."
The real mystery of Casey's draft status will unravel this weekend. If he goes in the fourth round or below, that means teams likely focused on his lack of blocking experience, age and timed speed. If he goes in the second round, they probably looked more at his receiving ability and character.
Either way, Casey is eager to start his NFL career. "It took me a long time to get here," he says. "I don't plan to let this opportunity slip away."
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