The NFL free agency period is here and live updates are coming via Twitter and some quick deals include the Cowboys releasing DeMarcus Ware, the Chicago Bears signing Lamarr Houston, while Branden Albert is now on the Miami Dolphins, while Jared Veldheer left the Raiders for the Cardinals and both Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner are now with the Browns.
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The Houston Texans had a terrible season in 2013 and with the first overall pick in their pocket, the team has the chance to add some top talent and the free agent market could also be helpful, as veteran names like Sidney Rice, Rashad Jennings, Donald Brown, James Jones and Emmanuel Sanders could be potential targets.
Jennings led the Raiders in rushing last season while stepping up for an injured Darren McFadden and he could be a potential replacement for Ben Tate if he leaves as a free agent, while Brown could also be a cheaper option on the market. According to ESPN.com, the Texans have a tight financial situation to deal with this offseason salary cap wise and that means they likely will be "thrifty" in free agency and that could mean veterans are a more likely target than higher names players, including names like Rice and Jones.
ESPN.com reported that Rice was released by the Seattle Seahawks tlast week and now he will be on the free agent market after three years with the team. The risk reward for signing Rice is low and high for the Texans, as he will cheap as a veteran coming off of an injury and if he remains healthy, that's all gravy for Houston. Rice is coming off of an injury that knocked him out for the second part of the season and the Super Bowl run in the playoffs and he leaves the Seahawks after missing 15 games over the last three seasons. Rice had 15 catches for 231 yards and three touchdowns last season and his best year with the Seahawks was in 2012 when he had 50 catches for 748 yards and that was his healthiest season with the team as well.
Rice showed his potential with 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns in 2009 for his career best stats and his size would make him a weapon in the red zone alongside Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins showed a ton of promise as a rookie and he had 52 catches for 802 yards from Case Keenum and Matt Schaub and next year he likely will have a new name throwing him passes after the year Schaub had with the team. Johnson had another dominating year with over 100 catches and 1,400 yards again and adding someone like Rice could take some pressure off him as well in the red zone, opening him up to even more opportunities.
ESPN reports that the Texans will have about $11 million in cap space this offseason and that puts them in a bind with all the questions they have, making Rice the perfect target. Rice has seven years on him, but he's only 27 and Johnson can't stay this good forever, as he is set to be 34 when the season starts and despite catching over 100 balls last season, he is bound to decline at some point.