Eric Reid a potential target
Did Tashaun Gipson's release open the door to an Eric Reid signing?
Apr 28, 2020, 7:18 am
The Houston Texans are still in the premature stages of revamping their roster ahead of the 2020 season, but Bill O'Brien saw fit to make another significant move. On Monday, the Texans announced the release of veteran safety Tashaun Gipson after one season in Houston.
Highlighted by Justin Reid, the third-year safety out of Stanford University in 2018, the Texans have a solid group at the position with the offseason acquisition of Eric Murray, Michael Thomas and Jaylen Watkins. Unfortunately, neither of the three may be capable to replace what Gipson brought to the field each week last season. Although it is not an essential need, it may be in Houston's best interest to add a new safety prior to the start of training camp, but the market is extremely thin with the draft now an event of the past.
With little options available, the decision to part ways with Gipson will give the Texans an opportunity to sign free agent safety, Eric Reid as a potential replacement.
While his outspoken antics may have played a factor in his surprise lack of interest around the league, that has not stopped O'Brien from expressing some thoughts into signing the one-time Pro-Bowler. Earlier this month, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported that Reid's brother, Justin, vouched for the idea to sign the veteran free agent, and O'Brien has considered the move.
After two solid seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Reid continues to find himself unemployed since his release in March. As one of the most reliable safeties in the league, he posted a career-best 130 tackles (97 solo hits, 33 assists), six pass deflections, five quarterback hits, and 4.0 sacks across 16 games in 2019. His best outing of the season came during a 34-31 loss against the New Orleans Saints — where Reid recorded a team-high 15 tackles on the day.
If Reid had played on a playoff-caliber team last season instead of the 5-11 Panthers, his on-field production would have been valued similarly to his days with the 49ers. Not only would Houston have the opportunity to add a reliable safety, but one who would be the perfect — and even better — addition to replace what Gipson brought to the Texans' gridiron.
In his lone year in Houston, Gipson recorded 51 tackles (37 solo hits, 14 assists) and three interceptions during the 2019 season. Gipson originally signed a three-year deal with the Texans following his departure from the Jacksonville Jaguars last offseason.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
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