Nnamdi Asomugha: Why the Houston Texans Should Not Sign the Cornerback

It sounds perfect. It sounds like a foolproof plan, even. It makes too much sense. The Texans' biggest issue last season was play in their defensive secondary, so why not bring in the best free-agent option out there?

That player, of course, is Nnamdi Asomugha. Thanks to the Oakland Raiders voiding his contract early in their offseason, the Pro Bowl corner is available to the highest bidder.

As perfect as it sounds, though, it's just not the right move for the Texans.

First off, the price is far from right. The payroll number that signing Asomugha will add will be astronomical.

He will almost assuredly receive the richest contract ever given to a corner, eclipsing his previous deal with the Raiders where he made just over $15 million per season.

On a team with big contracts out there already with Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Mario Williams and Antonio Smith, among others, you run the risk of having too much money tied up in too few players. Ask any Astros fan how that has worked out in the past, and the Astros are a team that is not bound by a league salary cap.

On a team that has several needs on the defensive side of the ball, the money is probably better spent on bringing in a handful of veterans that can contribute right away.

The biggest question you have to ask is will Asomugha fix what ails the defense? Sure, it won't hurt and he'll be a big improvement over the guys the Texans were putting out there last season, but adding him and him alone won't come anywhere near fixing the Texans defensive problems.

Even with Asoumugha patrolling one corner, you'd still have a gaping hole at the other corner and big question marks at both safety spots.

The addition of Asomugha also won't add depth at linebacker or give the Texans a dynamic pass rusher.

I can understand the argument that Asomugha will give the pass rush more time to get to the cornerback, but again, quarterbacks will still have the other corner to pick on and no corner can hold a receiver as long as the Texans pass rush gives opposing quarterbacks.

The problem with signing Asomugha goes beyond on-field issues, however. Signing a big-ticket free agent, regardless of who it is, would go against everything that Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith have preached during their time in Houston.

If keeping Kubiak and Smith in power is going to work, the franchise has to stay the course and give the team the same message they have been giving for the last six years.

Throwing a ton of money at one player rather than building through the draft and signing cost-effective players in free agency would be abandoning the plan this regime put in place when they were hired.

We can argue until the cows come home about whether or not their plan is a good one, but they have to stick with it if there is any hope of making it work with the management and coaches they have in place.

The biggest positive with keeping Kubiak was that he would keep a consistent plan and blueprint. Taking this team in a different direction takes that biggest positive away from the situation.