Smith believes Clowney ‘hungry’ for more
It was an epic breakthrough season for Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney last year, one that ended with him being selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time.
Clowney transformed his reputation from an injuryprone disappointing former top overall pick into a disruptive run-stopper and pass rusher.
And the Texans signaled their confidence in Clowney when they exercised a $13.846 million fifth-year club option to have him under contract through the 2018 season.
They expect even more from Clowney with that kind of investment.
“I was proud of JD last year,” Texans general manager Rick Smith said. “I think that everyone has always recognized his talent and the explosiveness, his football instincts, all those things that make him the great player that he is. He just had not had the opportunity to have extended play because of unfortunate injuries.
“I think last year what we saw is a glimpse of what he could be because he was available. I think he’s hungry. I think he had a taste of what it looks like and what it feels like. I think it’s important to him. I’m expecting big things from him.”
Clowney, 24, remained healthy for the majority of the season, missing two games with wrist and elbow injuries and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after the season and withdrew from the Pro Bowl.
The Texans are upbeat about the outlook for Clowney, a 6-5, 270-pounder who became more comfortable and displayed his fun-loving personality on and off the field.
Clowney recorded a careerhigh six sacks and 16 tackles for losses last season. His play was more impactful than his statistics showed as offenses struggled to find ways to block Clowney, who thrived despite defensive end J.J. Watt being sidelined by a back injury for the final 13 games of the season.
Clowney displayed his defensive versatility, lining up everywhere from end, outside linebacker, inside linebacker and tackle.
GM considers Wilfork retired
Vince Wilfork has straddled the line on whether he’ll officially retire for months, acknowledging he has likely played his final NFL game while not completely slamming the door shut on potentially playing again.
Texans general manager Rick Smith doesn’t anticipate that the 35-year-old veteran nose tackle will play again.
“I haven’t spoken to Vince Wilfork since last season,” Smith said Friday at NRG Stadium. “My expectation is that Vince is not playing any more.”
A five-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time Super Bowl champion, Wilfork’s two-year, $9 million contract expired after last season and he’s an unrestricted free agent.
“I’m not really paying attention to the decision right now,” Wilfork said in March. “When it’s time to make a decision, I’ll make a decision. I don’t know when that will be. I’m in no rush whatsoever.”
Prior to the Super Bowl, Wilfork reflected on his successful career. If this does mark the end of his career, Wilfork said he thoroughly enjoyed his two seasons in Houston after spending the first 11 years of his career in New England.
“I left my soul on the field,” Wilfork said. “I played with a passion. I had a lot of fun. I loved my teammates. I gave football my all. I never played football half-speed. Everything I had, they got.”
Osweiler’s trade in retrospect
General manager Rick Smith reflected on the blockbuster trade that unloaded disappointing quarterback Brock Osweiler and the remainder of his $72 million contract on the Cleveland Browns.
The Texans dumped Osweiler’s $16 million guaranteed salary for 2017 in exchange for their 2018 second-round draft pick and a sixth-round pick, picking up the Browns’ fourthround pick.
Smith negotiated the “Moneyball” style trade with Browns executive Sashi Brown.
“There’s been a lot of conversation about whose idea it was and who wants to take ownership of that,” Smith said. “I think they’re just ideas that are floating around and if you’re open to them I think they just kind of land in the right spots. Sashi and I are obviously friends and have had conversations, just theoretical conversations about building football teams.
“So, when you start with a relationship that way, you can have some conversation and you can explore ideas that may not be popular or may not have ever been done before in the case of this one. It was something that we talked about and had a lot of conversation about and decided that we would get together in Indy at the combine. We had breakfast, we had dinner and just kept talking and it worked out. That’s basically how it happened.”