Prior to this month's draft, 1SBD's Mark Hogan takes an in-depth look into each team's current projected starters and identifies strengths and lingering team needs after the first waves of free agency.
Player stats collected from Pro Football Reference. Salary information per Over The Cap.
TAKEAWAYS
PROS
- Houston may have taken the biggest steps backwards of all 2018's playoff teams. But the Texans have invested plenty in the offensive skill groups and defensive front seven to be competitive again in 2019 -- even with plenty of holes to address in the draft. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and defensive end JJ Watt were just named first-team All Pro while the team also saw its quarterback, running back, #2 receiver and two linebackers reach the Pro Bowl.
- Houston has needs on its offensive line but it's important to note that guard Matt Khalil is not yet projected to start after missing all of last year - for the Panthers - with a knee injury. He and Julie'n Davenport should battle it out for the left guard spot with the team ultimately getting some depth at the position. But more on the O-Line below.
CONS
- "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Texans fans have heard it all off-season, after Houston's offensive line allowed quarterback Deshaun Watson be treated like the team's former supposed-star quarterback, David Carr. The former first overall pick never fulfilled his potential after being sacked 249 times in his five years as Texans starter. His 50 sacks a year average looks like nothing compared to the 62 sacks Watson took last season. If Houston doesn't find some high-impact players to protect Watson, another career could be wasted.
- It's hard to project the team's starting tight end because the group has been so unproductive. Clearly no one at the position is a difference-maker in the blocking game - see point above - but no one has factored in the passing-game either. Ryan Griffin had more yards and an extra start over Jordan Thomas in 2018, but Thomas caught four touchdowns. Either way, the team needs to make sure some one else is ahead of them on the depth chart when September comes around. It should help that this is considered a deep draft class at the position.
- Houston's secondary was depleted in free agency, losing starting cornerback Kareem Jackson, starting safety Tyrann Mathieu and former starting safety Andre Hal. They brought in a couple of one-year guys and must plan on replenishing its defensive backs in the draft. Aging cornerback Johnathan Joseph is in the final year of his deal too.
Projected Starters
NOTE:
NAME, Draft Round.Overall Pick (TEAM, year). Starts/Games Played. Age. Cap Hit 2019
QB has an additional 'total yards, number of attempts (yards per attempt)' figure.
RB, WR and TE have an additional ‘total yards / number of touches (yards per touch)’ statistic
Age as of Sunday September 8, 2019 (Week 1)
QUARTERBACK
DESHAUN WATSON, 1.12 (HOU, 2017). 22/23. 5,864 yards/ 709 attempts. (8.3 y/a). 24-years-old. $3,778,495
RUNNING BACK
LAMAR MILLER, 4.97 (MIA, 2012). 89/105. 7,429 yards/ 1,563 touches (4.8). 28-years-old. $7,203,125
WIDE RECEIVER
DEANDRE HOPKINS, 1.27 (HOU, 2013). 95/95. 7,430 yards/ 529 touches (14.0). 27-years-old. $14,000,000
WILL FULLER, 1.21 (HOU, 2016). 30/31. 1,567 yards/ 110 touches (14.2). 25-years-old. $3,234,099
KEKE COUTEE, 4.103 (HOU, 2018). 2/6. 287 yards/ 31 touches (9.3). 22-years-old. $752,257
Average: 50th overall pick. 100 starts/ 132 games played (75.8%). 9,284 yards/ 670 touches (13.9). 24.7-years-old. Total cap hit: $18.0M
TIGHT END
JORDAN THOMAS, 6.211 (HOU, 2018). 10/16. 215 yards/ 20 touches (10.8). 23-years-old. $599,602
OFFENSIVE LINE
JULIE'N DAVENPORT, 4.130 (HOU, 2017). 19/27. 24-years-old. $791,605
SENIO KELEMETE, 5.151 (AZ, 2012). 36/73. 29-years-old. $4,000,000
NICK MARTIN, 2.50 (HOU, 2016). 30/30. 26-years-old. $1,519,309
ZACH FULTON, 6.193 (KC, 2014). 59/76. 27-years-old. $6,906,250
SEANTREL HENDERSON, 7.237 (BUF, 2014). 28/35. 27-years-old. $1,975,000
Average: 152nd overall pick. 172 starts/ 241 games played (71.4%). 26.6-years-old. Total cap hit: $15.2M
DEFENSIVE LINE
DJ READER, 5.166 (HOU, 2016). 37/46. 25-years-old. $2,078,845
BRANDON DUNN, undrafted (CHI, 2014). 18/47. 27-years-old. $2,025,000
JJ WATT, 1.11 (HOU, 2011). 104/104. 30-years-old. $14,628,750
Average: 144th overall pick. 159 starts/ 197 games played (80.7%). 27.3-years-old. Total cap hit: $18.7M
LINEBACKERS
WHITNEY MERCILUS, 1.26 (HOU, 2016). 73/99. 29-years-old. $7,300,000
ZACH CUNNINGHAM, 2.57 (HOU, 2017). 27/30. 24-years-old. $1,219,565
BENARDRICK MCKINNEY, 2.43 (HOU, 2015). 59/62. 26-years-old. $7,500,000
JADEVEON CLOWNEY, 1.01 (HOU, 2014). 55/62. 26-years-old. $15,967,200
Average: 32nd overall pick. 214 starts/ 253 games played (84.6%). 26.3-years-old. Total cap hit: $32.0M
CORNERBACK
JOHNATHAN JOSEPH, 1.24 (CIN, 2006). 175/186. 35-years-old. $4,300,000
BRADLEY ROBY, 1.31 (DEN, 2014). 29/79. 27-years-old. $9,968,750
Average: 28th overall pick. 204 starts/ 265 games played (77.0%). 31-years-old. Total cap hit: $14.3M
SAFETY
TASHAUN GIPSON, undrafted (CLE, 2012). 90/98. 29-years-old. $7,500,000
JUSTIN REID, 3.68 (HOU, 2018). 12/16. 22-years-old. $924,893
Average: 162nd overall pick. 102 starts/ 114 games played (89.5%). 25.5-years-old. Total cap hit: $8.4M
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