The Houston Texans were totally focused on the rebuilding project this offseason. They went out and signed a bunch of guys who had a good year or two and then fell off, or who were drafted high on the roster and never had success. They did that with a guy like Cam Akers, who is actually on the team and is going to be one of the best guys on offense going forward.
It didn’t work out for CJ Henderson, he played poorly every year of his career until the 2024 preseason and continued to underperform. His release was expected and not surprising. However, we’re not talking about the guys who have been released now, but the ones who potentially should have been released. Namely Jeff Okudah.
Okudah, like Henderson, was a bust as a cornerback. He’s already on his third team after being traded from the Detroit Lions to the Atlanta Falcons, and has now signed with the Texans. Wherever he’s been, he hasn’t impressed for one reason or another. Yes, injuries have robbed him of some of his skills, but he was just a bad defender. After all, cornerbacks who aren’t exactly fast still have a place in the NFL if they’re good at disrupting offenses and mastering their timing.
If they’re good enough at tackling, maybe they could switch to safety. But Okudah has shown us since being drafted that he’s none of those things. He has trouble playing on the field, let alone getting on the field at all.
He’s played exactly zero snaps on defense this preseason, and considering he was a fringe player at best to start the season, it doesn’t make sense for him to make the team. Especially considering they had to release Desmond King to keep Okudah.
While King was a good cornerback, he had reached his ceiling in the NFL. Okudah had not. Or so we hope. There is a chance, albeit a small one, that DeMeco Ryans and the Texans can get the most out of Okudah. There is also a much greater chance that Okudah will not make it through the season before his contract is terminated.
When that happens, someone will have to defend the decision to keep such a reviled player with the dreaded label of “potential” rather than a player who is consistent and reliable.
