Value of Things: Evaluating the Houston Texans safety corps

Who is coming back and who is leaving?

We have come to the end of our series. What we have discovered is that there are a ton of free agents on the team and the safety position is no different. On paper, it would appear than Jalen Pitre, Jimmie Ward, and Brandon Hill are the only safeties under contract for next season. Even then, that explanation is more complicated than it otherwise seems. Clearly, the position will need some warm bodies if nothing else before camp breaks in July.

The Houston Texans blitzed less than most other teams., so it really only makes sense to evaluate safeties on run defense and coverage. We will look at PFF grades for run defense and coverage in addition to tackles, tackles for loss, passes defended, and interceptions. Any grade above 60 is average to good. Anything below 60 is shaky.

Jalen Pitre

Snaps: 1032
PFF Run: 61.6
PFF Coverage: 62.4
Tackles: 84
TFL: 6
Passes Defended: 5
Interceptions: 0

The ability to play is important. They say availability is the best ability. Yet, there is a difference between volume and quality. Pitre was effectively average as a safety and that registers as a disappointment given what he did as a rookie. The question will be who will be next to him.

Deandre Houston-Carter

Snaps: 589
PFF Run: 54.98
PFF Coverage: 56.4
Tackles: 40
TFL: 1
Passes Defended: 0
Interceptions: 2

Everyone has value. The question is what role are you most suited for and how much should that cost. He has value as a backup safety. Jimmie Ward’s inability to stay on the field caused him to play more than he should have. He did the best he could and provided at least decent performance, but he was overexposed.

Kareem Jackson

Snaps: 530
PFF Run: 47.7
PFF Coverage: 75.4
Tackles: 53
TFL: 0
Passes Defended: 3
Interceptions: 2

Most of these numbers came from his time with the Denver Broncos. Jackson might be an ideal complement to Pitre. Pitre struggles in coverage and that is Jackson’s strength. Allowing Pitre to stay in the box might allow him to make plays there and allow Jackson to cover tight ends and backs out of the backfield. It all depends on price.

Jimmie Ward

Snaps: 506
PFF Run: 73.9
PFF Coverage: 67.8
Tackles: 50
TFL: 0
Passes Defended: 3
Interceptions: 1

You could argue his interception was the single biggest defensive play of the regular season. It came at the end of a game where victory and defeat hung in the balance. Still, you are graded on the sum of your performance and Ward simply couldn’t stay on the field. The question is whether that was just a 2023 thing or whether that is who Ward is. If it is the latter they have to consider cutting him to get the cap savings.

Adrian Amos

Snaps: 395
PFF Run: 89.7
PFF Coverage: 60.7
Tackles: 5
TFL: 0
Passes Defended: 0
Interceptions: 0

Who? Precisely. Amos is a perfect embodiment of the positives and negatives of the 2023 season. On the positive end, Ryans was able to take a rag tag bunch of guys and make things work on the back end. As we saw with the passing numbers, making it work has to be put in air quotes. On the negative end, I guarantee he was not on the radar when the team broke camp. That’s just a commentary on how the season went and why Ryans got jobbed when the Coach of the Year award was given out.

Eric Murray

Snaps: 176
PFF Run: 50.2
PFF Coverage: 63.6
Tackles: 13
TFL: 0
Passes Defended: 0
Interceptions: 0

Ask anyone if they would take six million dollars to do their job and they wouldn’t turn you down. It’s not his fault Bill O’Brien is an idiot. He did perform decently well for a backup throughout his time in Houston. Still, it is time to do better and hopefully the Texans can turn the page on this stain in franchise history.

MJ Stewart

Snaps: 166
PFF Run: 74.1
PFF Coverage: 56.3
Tackles: 22
TFL: 0
Passes Defended: 0
Interceptions: 0

We haven’t profiled Brandon Hill because he didn’t get defensive snaps, but the question should be whether he could fill one of these backup slots ably. Stewart is okay as a backup, but shouldn’t get Murray money to do the job. If he’s willing to come back for near veteran minimum then he is a guy worthy to keep around.

Overall Thoughts

The question will come down to Jimmie Ward and what you think you get from him going forward. If he can give you 900-1,000 quality snaps moving forward then he is a good running mate for Pitre. If he can’t then it might be time to get the savings and find someone else. Maybe it is Kareem Jackson. Maybe it is someone not on the roster. I have no crystal ball, but history would dictate that might be better off cutting Ward and taking their chances on the open market.