Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Texans need to win in free agency to build around Deshaun Watson

HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans finally have a quarterback to build around in Deshaun Watson. Now, they have to put a quality roster around him, and they're in a very good position to do so.

That task starts in free agency. The Texans can't bank on the upcoming draft to make significant improvements to their team, in part because last year they had to trade up in the first round to get their quarterback of the future.

Now is the time for Houston to strike -- and hit -- in free agency. Watson is entering his second NFL season, which means his contract is only going to go up if he can play near the level he did in his rookie season. If everything goes to plan, in four years after Watson's rookie deal expires, his contract will take up a large portion of the Texans' salary cap. With nearly $68 million in cap space right now, Houston has a window to invest heavily across the field and not worry about paying a quarterback a monstrous deal. That is a massive luxury in the NFL.

Heading into free agency, Watson accounts for just 2.5 percent of the Texans’ total cap. Compare that to veteran quarterbacks around the NFL, and it's evident how helpful that will be for Houston to build a core around the former Clemson standout. Right now -- at least until Kirk Cousins gets a new deal -- Jimmy Garoppolo has the NFL’s highest annual salary, and he is making 24.06 percent of the San Francisco 49ers’ total salary cap. Matthew Stafford, who signed a five-year, $135 million deal in August, accounts for 17.79 percent of the Detroit Lions’ possible spending.

The Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers have been recent examples of how a team can take advantage of a low cap hit by arguably the most important player on the field. In 2013, the Seahawks won the Super Bowl while quarterback Russell Wilson, a third-round pick, counted for less than 1 percent (0.55 percent) of their total cap. The Packers won the Super Bowl during the 2010 season, during which Aaron Rodgers made up just 4.28 percent of their salary cap; Rodgers currently is at 12.76 percent in 2018, and that number could go up if he signs a new deal this offseason.

Since signing their quarterbacks to massive contracts, the Packers and Seahawks haven't returned to the Super Bowl. They have found it tougher to spend big in free agency and have had to rely solely on drafting and developing from within. That's not to say Rodgers and Wilson aren't worth their big paydays, but it does make it tougher to build around them.

The last time Houston was in position to spend in free agency was in 2016. General manager Rick Smith signed a trio of free agents that were supposed to solidify the Texans' offense around wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Houston signed quarterback Brock Osweiler (four years, $72 million), running back Lamar Miller (four years, $26 million) and right guard Jeff Allen (four years, $28 million). Instead, Osweiler was benched in his first season and traded in March, Miller averaged a career-worst 3.7 yards per carry in 2017 and Allen has struggled in his first two years with the team and is not guaranteed a starting spot next season.

General manager Brian Gaine and the staff are already at work talking numbers and possible contracts with agents, as the NFL’s legal tampering period of free agency opened Monday at 11 a.m. CT. At the top of their list will be help on the offensive line and in the secondary. Possibilities on the line include interior linemen Andrew Norwell, Zach Fulton and Ryan Jensen and left tackle Nate Solder to protect Watson's blind side coming off a torn ACL.

The Texans could consider cornerback Malcolm Butler as a welcome addition to help the secondary that finished 24th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. Houston could also use depth at wide receiver and safety.

Regardless of how Gaine and head coach Bill O’Brien choose to approach filling the many holes on the roster, they’ve got to be trying to win now while they have the flexibility to really build -- and spend -- to create a competitive and experienced team around the inexpensive Watson.

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