Wednesday, July 10, 2002

ProFootballWeekly.com asks personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the hottest topics in football. 

Texans sign LB Mitchell

Houston has reached an agreement on a one-year contract with ex-Saints LB Keith Mitchell for more than the $525,000 veteran minimum salary. Mitchell, a five-year veteran is a former All-Pro who is known for his ability to rush the passer. He should be a perfect fit for the Texans’ 3-4 defensive scheme as a pass-rushing outside linebacker.

Buchsbaum: This should be a good signing, at least on paper. In the Texans’ defense, they use pass-rush outside linebackers. Mitchell’s strength is rushing off the edge. He played a similar defense in college at Texas A&M and had very good success doing it until his senior year when he had an off year. In New Orleans, when they featured him in a similar role two years ago, he made the Pro Bowl. Last year, however, they used him in a different way — more as a pass and run defender and less as a rusher — and he was much less effective. He’s signing a one-year contract for more than the minimum, but not a great deal more. Thus, it will be a one-year trial and error period, and the Texans should have a very hungry football player on their hands.

Falcons shopping for veteran wideout

Atlanta is still searching for a veteran wide receiver to strengthen its passing offense. One possibility is free-agent WR Willie Jackson, who visited with the Falcons Tuesday. Jackson, 30, is coming off a strong season in which he caught a career-high 81 passes for 1,046 yards and five touchdowns for New Orleans.

Buchsbaum: The Falcons are looking for a better wide receiver that can help QB Michael Vick. A lot depends on the price, but the players they might consider are former Saints WR Willie Jackson, who’s coming off a big year but lacks speed, Yancey Thigpen, the former Steelers and Titans wide receiver who sat out last year with various injuries, and Darnay Scott, just recently released by the Bengals.

Scott is an example of so many veterans who refuse to take major pay cuts and who instead probably end up signing for the veteran minimum or just a little bit above. Scott’s current contract would pay him in the $3 million range and he just isn’t worth that type of money at this stage in his career and he should’ve been smart enough to realize that.

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2001 - 2002 Season