Fansided

5 reasons the Texans need to clean house

By Gabe Henderson

HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Brian Cushing #56 of the Houston Texans"n takes a water break against the Oakland Raiders in their AFC Wild Card game at NRG Stadium on January 7, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)"
HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Brian Cushing #56 of the Houston Texans"n takes a water break against the Oakland Raiders in their AFC Wild Card game at NRG Stadium on January 7, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)" /
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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 14: Quarterback Brock Osweiler #17 of the Houston Texans prepares to take a snap as New England Patriots fans hold a sign during the Houston Texans Vs New England Patriots Divisional round game during the NFL play-offs on January 14th, 2017 at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 14: Quarterback Brock Osweiler #17 of the Houston Texans prepares to take a snap as New England Patriots fans hold a sign during the Houston Texans Vs New England Patriots Divisional round game during the NFL play-offs on January 14th, 2017 at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /

3. Historically bad offseasons

One does not have to go too far back to find the epitome of a bad Texans off-season. In 2016 and 2017 alone, all of the answers lie.

Let’s begin in 2016. At the time, the Texans’ 2016 off-season seemed to be a great one. However, as the team is left looking for answers in Week 2 of the 2017 season, it’s time to reminisce. Of course, the big move that season was the four-year, $72 million signing of Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler. Ultimately, experiment giraffe failed in Houston. So much so that the Texans were willing to give up a 2018 second-round pick in order to dump his $16 million guaranteed contract.

In addition to the Osweiler signing, the Texans picked up running back Lamar Miller. Although Miller hasn’t been great in Houston, he’s the sole reason that the offense was able to win games last season. In any case, the Texans allowed lineman Ben Jones and Brandon Brooks to walk. Looking back, that was probably a horrible idea as the Texans have now given up 13 sacks in just two games in 2017.

The 2017 off-season was significantly less eventful for the Texans. Who did they sign in free agency? Absolutely no one. Instead they elected to stand idly by as the rest of the NFL maneuvered their way through the off-season. In terms of letting players walk, the Texans could only watch as some of the defense’s best players up and left. Houston was out-bid for two defensive starters and could only watch as they joined division rivals. Linebacker John Simon (IND) and cornerback AJ Bouye (JAX) could have been key playmakers once again for Houston in 2017, especially with the team’s depth and injury issues. However, the Texans refused to pay them. The team did, however, resign and extend the contracts of a few key players, including tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz.

The continuous pattern of bad offseasons needs to stop. Just when fans believe their team has just enough to contend, Rick Smith somehow manages to screw it all up. If we didn’t know any better, it’d almost seem as if Smith’s job is to ruin the team’s Super Bowl chances, not increase them. That sounds like grounds to fire him, just throwing that out there.

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