The Houston Texans needed to improve at safety following the departure of Tyrann Mathieu to the Kansas City Chiefs, and early indications are they may have succeeded.
According to MMQB’s Albert Breer, the Texans’ free agent safeties in Tashaun Gipson and Jahleel Addae proved to be more than adequate and were one of his favorable observations from Texans camp.
2. Even with Tyrann Mathieu gone, safety looks to remain a strength. Free-agent additions Tashaun Gipson and Jahleel Addae have fit in well, and should give defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel some flexibility.
For an overt comparison, Gipson was to replace Mathieu and Addae was to replace the retired Andre Hal. However, if the Texans did manage to get two safeties who are each capable of “replacing” Mathieu, then it is certainly a welcomed upgrade to a back end that struggled to contain the NFL’s hottest tight ends in December.
Gipson has some skins on the wall. In 2014 with the Cleveland Browns, the former 2012 undrafted Wyoming Cowboy earned a Pro Bowl selection. Similarly, Addae, while not yet a Pro Bowler, did manage to start all 16 games for the Los Angeles Chargers the past two seasons. That type of depth is the upgrade the Texans were looking for in the offseason.
