Every-Thing Sports

How signing Earl Thomas could help turn the Texans around

How signing Earl Thomas could help turn the Texans around
The Texans are likely to roll the dice on Earl Thomas. Composite image by Brandon Strange.

With the Texans off to an 0-3 start, people are wondering can they turn it around? Will they be able to turn it around enough to make the playoffs? Or will they continue to falter? Will they fail hard enough to get Bill O'Brien fired? Well, help may be on the way.

Sarah Barshop of ESPN broke news that the Texans are bringing in safety Earl Thomas for a workout and are a likely destination for him to sign. With AJ Moore going on injury reserve with a designation to return in three weeks and free agent signing Eric Murray looking like yet another bad move, Thomas would be a welcomed addition to the defensive backfield. Not only would he provide much needed depth, but he's a grizzled vet who'd help the younger guys learn the game. He may not be the athlete he once was, but he'd be a playmaker for a team who severely lacks one in the defensive backfield.

This team is in a serious hole. At 0-3, they're most likely not going to make the playoffs. If they do make the playoffs, it'll only be because the league added an extra team in each conference. Currently, they're eight places back of the final playoff spot in the AFC. It's early in the season. There are 13 games left and anything can happen. Can it turn around? Could Thomas be the impetus for change?

When you're at the bottom of the barrel, there's no way to look but up. They've gone through the toughest part of their schedule. Their first two games were the toughest to start a season since 1968. This doesn't excuse what O'Brien has done as a general manager. He's been a bad general manager so far and it's painfully obvious.

The Texans have given up almost 600 yards rushing and almost the same amount passing. Adding Thomas would help plug your piss poor defense immediately. Adding someone like Thomas can work wonders for your defense and help fill a void you're sorely lacking. Adding a playmaker to your defense means less time spent on the field, if it works out, which means more time for your offense. This dynamic could help spur on a boost in offensive production. The less time the defense spends on the field and more time the offense spends on it, the better they should be right?

If Thomas has his head on right, this should also help the younger guys. Mentoring younger players, especially guys at your position, is something I believe older vets should do. Having Thomas work with the Texans' younger defensive backs is a plus in this signing. What if he could get the most out of this group? Wouldn't you want to see if he could get them to play up to their capabilities?

The less time the defense spends on the field, the more the offense should spend on it. If Watson had an extra possession a game to work with, maybe the offense would average more than 20 points a game. This offense is set up to make Watson thrive by spreading the ball around. O'Brien and Tim Kelly have to do a better job of coaching Watson out of holding onto the ball so long by making quicker reads. Making quicker reads means getting rid of it quicker and not taking unnecessary risks. This is something Watson needs to limit that'll help this team on both sides of the ball.

Would Thomas help? Of course he would. Will he fit under the cap? There's plenty of cap space this season. Would he be a model citizen given his offseason? I believe so since this could be his last stop. Besides, where is this team really going? They aren't a threat to make the playoffs right now and don't own their high draft picks to help build this team's future. Swing for the fences O'Brien. You never know when you'll hit a homerun.

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The Texans will open the NFL preseason against the Bears. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

The 2024 season will kick off with the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears facing off in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The Texans and Bears both have players being inducted into this year's Hall of Fame class, which is often the case when teams are selected for this matchup.

Kickoff is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. The induction ceremony takes place on Saturday, August 3.

Andre Johnson will be the first player inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Houston Texan. Former Chicago Bears Devin Hester, Steve McMichael and Julius Peppers will join Johnson in the 2024 HOF class.

Randy Gradishar, Dwight Freeney and Patrick Willis complete the HOF class of 2024.


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