HOUSTON – Ok, let’s get the obvious out of the way first. It hasn’t been the best two weeks in Texans franchise history. That being said, Houston doesn’t have any problems. Yes, I just dropped the overused "Apollo 13" reference and I’m not ashamed. Fans across the city are going crazy about the following players leaving town… -DE Mario Williams (free agent, signed with Buffalo Bills) -MLB DeMeco Ryans (traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4th rd pick) -RT Eric Winston (cut, signed with Kansas City Chiefs) -TE Joel Dreesseen (free agent, signed with Denver Broncos) -RG Mike Brisiel (free agent, signed with Oakland Raiders) -CB Jason Allen (free agent, signed with Cincinnati Bengals) -FB Lawrence Vickers (cut, signed with Dallas Cowboys) Wow… that list took longer to write than I thought it would. Well, now that I have added more fuel to the already "panic-ridden" city, let me try to calm everyone down by saying who the Texans are bringing back. -RB Arian Foster -Center Chris Myers -LS Jon Weeks I know what you’re thinking. The re-signing Jon Weeks was the top priority. They got it done. Listen, I realize that so much change after a division championship isn’t the way fans envisioned things would turn out in this new league year. But, the players they lost can ALL be replaced. It seems like they’re losing more because the names are so familiar. But trust me, all the players that have moved on can be replaced and the Texans won’t miss a beat. I can be optimistic right? The Texans put all their eggs in the 2011 basket, hoping to go all the way to the Super Bowl. They came up short, but they won more games than ever before so the season was a success. However that mindset of being "all-in" usually comes with a price. The Texans were maxed out completely. Zero money. No room to operate under the salary cap. When that happens, tough decisions need to be made. There is no question that if you asked Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith, they would say they would have liked to keep everyone intact. But if you’re going to lose some players, these guys were the ones. It makes no sense to pay Mario Williams $100 million ($50 guaranteed). He’s a good player, but not for that kind of cash. Dreessen, while solid (10 touchdowns the last two years), can be swapped for a guy like Garrett Graham. The team already has two viable options at right guard and tackle to replace Winston and Brisiel (Rashad Butler and Andre Caldwell). As for Allen and Vickers, well I think you know the answer that one too. Plenty of solid corners out there and James Casey can play full back. The one that left me to scratch my head was trading DeMeco. Unlike any of the other players they lost, he might have meant more off the field than on. He was a true leader, which means more than most know in an NFL locker room. However, when it came down to it, DeMeco just didn’t fit in the 3-4. He is a prototypical 4-3 middle linebacker. Add the money he was going to make and anyone could see why he got traded. Darryl Sharpton will do fine. I'm sure Al is happy for him somewhere. The Texans brought back who they couldn’t afford to lose. Foster and Myers in my book are as close to irreplaceable as you can get. The Texans have no one who can step in and fill those rolls. They still have plenty of time to bring in serviceable players to add depth and the 2012 Draft will be a big part of their success this season. Change is always tough. But just because you know the player, doesn’t mean they are always the right fit. The Texans will be just fine. Tom Hanks was.
