The NFL offseason has officially begun and there’s still a lot of work to be done, but I like the decisions the Texans have made thus far. Here are five reasons why.
First-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly doesn’t have experience as an OC, but few people have more experience than Carl Smith, who has nearly three decades of experience as an offensive coach at the NFL level including 14 years as an offensive coordinator.
Former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert joined the show earlier this week to discuss Smith, who was his offensive coordinator and QB coach in New Orleans for seven years. Here’s what he had to say about how Smith will make Deshaun Watson a better QB.
Smith had a ton of success with Russell Wilson in Seattle and should serve as a great resource for Kelly in his first-year as an OC. Sprinkle in the experience and wisdom of T.J. Yates and these coaching moves will help Watson significantly.
Wilson has spent his entire career with Smith as his QB coach and speaks very highly of him. This is what Wilson had to say about Smith in an interview with the Seattle Times in 2016:
Wilson and Watson have similar skill-sets and the fact that Smith has worked with a quarterback who is at the level Watson wants to get to will benefit Watson in his third season.
Say what you want about Brian Cushing and his past history with PED’s, but his passion for the game of football has always been praised and well-documented.
If he can develop the passion he had for playing into coaching, which could be hard for him, then he could be a hell of a coach in the future.
Bringing Cushing in to begin his coaching career is a low-risk, high-reward decision by O’Brien.
Kelly was a tight end coach last season so he should have a strong grasp of what second-year tight ends Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas can do. Both showed flashes as rookies in 2018 and there were many talking heads, including myself, who wanted to see them more involved in the offense.
It wouldn’t shock me at all to see the Two Jordans emerge as significant play-makers next season and the promotion of Kelly is a major reason why.
Having reliable tight end options will give Watson more short-intermediate passing options, which allows him to get rid of the ball quickly and take less punishment.
A complete overhaul of the Texans offense wasn’t necessary, but a few tweaks and new voices in O’Brien’s ear could go a long way.
In 2018 the Texans ranked 15th in total offense and 11th in points-per-game. That’s not bad, but it’s not great.
There were many reasons the Texans offense struggled at times including: Injuries to wide receivers Will Fuller and Keke Coutee, a lack of depth at running back, Watson holding onto the ball too long and poor blocking up front.
GM Brian Gaine will make a strong effort to improve the personnel issues, but the added pieces to O’Brien’s staff should help him be better at calling plays and developing a game plan.
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