The Z Report
Lance Zierlein: Texans effective use of free agency means patching up wounded roster
Lance Zierlein
Mar 14, 2018, 10:39 am
Most every NFL team would agree that the construction of winning team must begin from the ground up. That obviously means that drafting and developing your own talents is essential, not just for longer-term windows of success, but for financial feasibility. Teams need to hit on their early round draft picks since those players typically are the most high impact players, but success in the middle and late round picks is essential because they are less expensive and create needed financial freedom for tweaking the team through free agency.
To be clear, free agency absolutely has value, but it should never be used to build the core of a team. Organizations who try to buy their way into blue chip talents ultimately pay a premium price for a player who can have a long-term, negative financial impact on a roster if he busts. If you bust on a first round pick, it doesn’t prevent the team from continuing to make necessary moves to the roster. Bust on a tier one free agent and you pay the iron price (well maybe not the “iron price” if you’ve seen Game of Thrones).
The Houston Texans roster is like a wound that is bleeding all over the kitchen. They haven’t hit an artery, but their offensive line and secondary is definitely getting figurative blood all over the kitchen floor. Texans general manager Brian Gaine is going to utilize free agency for what it should be used for… band-aids and peroxide. Band-aids will stop the bleeding, but the peroxide can help get you better.
Aaron Colvin, CB, Jacksonville (Peroxide): Colvin is solid but hardly spectacular at cornerback. He’s got good size and might be able to play outside in taking over Johnathan Joseph’s spot. There is also a chance that he could play in the slot which would hasten Kareem Jackson’s move to safety (or departure from roster). Colvin will get a four year deal and will be a starter, but the Texans will still need to target a cornerback in the draft.
Seantrel Henderson, OT, Buffalo (Band-Aid): Henderson is a big, powerful tackle with long arms and a lack of starts over the last couple of years. Henderson has missed time due to Crohn’s disease and a 10-game game suspension for a second violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Henderson is no lock to become a starter this year, but he has a decent shot at it. With a one-year deal, Henderson is definitely a stop-gap.
Zach Fulton, OG/OC, Kansas City (Peroxide): Fulton has experience as a guard and center but might be coming to the Texans as a starting center which would likely mean Nick Martin would be forced to move to the guard spot. While Fulton and Martin both have experience at guard and center (Martin played some guard at Notre Dame), the Texans may find that the optimal combination is with Fulton at guard and Martin at center. Fulton isn’t going to set the world on fire but he should become a core member of a re-tooled offensive line.
Jalen Green tied his career high with 42 points, capped by a layup that gave Houston the lead late, and the Rockets rallied for a 120-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.
The Grizzlies were down by four before Jaylen Wells made a 3-pointer followed by a steal and layup from Brandon Clarke that put them up 115-114 with just under a minute left.
Green’s layup put the Rockets on top 116-115 before a turnover by Ja Morant gave Houston the ball back. Amen Thompson was fouled and made two free throws with 8.1 seconds left to make it 118-115.
Morant missed two free throws after that and Fred VanVleet added two free throws for Houston with 2.1 seconds left to make it 120-115 and secure the victory.
It was Houston’s fourth straight win overall and second in a row over Memphis after beating the Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night.
Morant swished a 38-footer to put the Grizzlies up by 12 with about eight minutes to go.
The Rockets went on a 16-2 run after that to take a 107-105 lead with 4 1/2 minutes remaining. Green and VanVleet had 3-pointers during that stretch and Thompson added six points to help Houston erase the deficit.
Morant had 29 points for the Grizzlies, and Desmond Bane scored 25.
Grizzlies: They need to do a better job of finishing after leading by 12 in the fourth quarter.
Rockets: Green delivered the kind of dominant performance the Rockets need from him on occasion as they look to remain among the top teams in the Western Conference.
Houston’s 16-2 run that erased the double-digit deficit.
Houston had 15 offensive rebounds to just eight by Memphis.
Houston visits Denver on Wednesday night, and the Grizzlies play the first of consecutive games at San Antonio that night.