The Houston Texans have a bevy of roster decisions to make as the new regime attempts to recovery from a disappointing, franchise-altering 4-12 finish from a year ago.
One of those decisions will be what to do with cornerback Gareon Conley, who spent the entire 2020 campaign rehabilitating from an ankle surgery in the offseason.
According to Pro Football Focus, Conley, who is ranked at No. 90 among their top 101 free agents, ought to get another shot with the Texans, preferably with a one-year contract worth $2.5 with a cool million guaranteed.
A former first-round pick, Conley has had his ups and downs, grading out at 64.5 and 64.0 in his two full seasons. He missed all of the 2020 season. Conley is better in man coverage, as he’s graded in the 69th percentile in single coverage compared to just the 37th percentile in zone since entering the league. He’s also forced incompletions on 22.2% of his targets, the second-best rate in the NFL since 2017. Conley is worth a look in a man-heavy system.
If Conley isn’t a fit for Lovie Smith’s new defensive scheme, the Tampa-2, then he won’t get another shot in Houston. The Texans may have to use free agency and the draft to upgrade the position and find the players that work best in the new defensive system.
