Texans are Fools
The Houston Texans have finally found another weapon to complement wide receiver Andre Johnson. However, the Texans were fools to not lock him up to a long term contract.
That player would be tight end Owen Daniels who caught 63 passes for 768 yards receiving with three touchdowns in 2007. Then in 2008 he did even better as he caught 70 passes for 862 yards with two touchdowns.
Daniels was selected in the fourth round of the 2006 draft and signed a three year contract. That means with only three years accumulated Daniels was a restricted free agent.
The Texans did tender him to the highest level possible, which would be a first and third round draft picks if the Texans choose not to match anyone teams offer to him.
Fortunately for the Texans no team extended an offer sheet to Daniels.
The fact of the matter is that the Texans were stupid not to lockup Daniels to a long term deal. For tight end that can stretch the field and are that good are hard to find.
The problem for the Texans is that if the National Football League and NFLPA reach a deal by start of the free agency for 2010 then Daniels will be a unrestricted free agent.
Even if the Texans tag Daniels, which is $4.371 million for 2009, it is not going to be close to the top deal in Kellen Winslow contract, which smallest per a year number is $5.17 million.
If a deal cannot be reached by that time then Daniels will be a restricted free agent, but if he has not received a new long term deal by that time Daniels will most likely request to be traded. The Texans would have to do it, because he would not be under contract, and the Texans have no leverage to bring him in.
If the Texans do not wise up soon then they are going to be without a big weapon.