Improve special teams.
Get help in the secondary.
Add more high-character players.
The addition of Johnson Bademosi checked all three of those boxes for the Houston Texans this offseason. Head coach Bill O’Brien described the seven-year pro as a “fabric guy”, someone who helps improve the depth of the roster in a variety of ways.
He’s part of a secondary that added veteran free agents in corner Aaron Colvin and safety Tyrann Mathieu. The Texans also spent draft picks on safety Justin Reid and cornerback Jermaine Kelly. Add in a handful of rookie free agents, and defensive backs coach Anthony Midget has a lot of new faces in his meeting room. A cornerback and special teams standout since he entered the League in 2012 out of Stanford, Bademosi has enjoyed his time so far in Houston.
“It’s definitely been hot but it’s been exciting,” Bademosi said. “Getting the opportunity to play with these guys and be coached by Bill and Midget and some of the other coaches, I’m excited about everything.”
Last year with New England, Bademosi started three games for the AFC champs. A Texans defense with pass-rushers like J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus was an attractive selling point for Bademosi.
“Our edge rushers and our defensive line is very talented,” Bademosi said. “It all starts from there. When the pass rush is as good as it is here, then you’re going to have opportunities in the secondary. I think it’s going to be good.”
In five of his six NFL seasons, Bademosi’s recorded 10 or more special teams tackles, and he’s second in the NFL in that category since 2012.
“He was very, very productive on special teams,” O’Brien said. “We really liked that, so when he was out there, we felt like if we had a shot at him, he would be a guy that we would go after.”
In addition to praising Bademosi’s versatility, smarts, competitiveness, and approach to the game, O’Brien was also high on his speed, tackling ability and size.
Bademosi and the Texans start their veteran minicamp today at the Houston Methodist Training Center.
The Roster
The Houston Texans updated roster, in photos. (Updated 8/13/2018)
TE, Jordan Akins, 88
TE, Stephen Anderson, 89
DB, Johnson Bademosi, 20
DE, Angelo Blackson, 97
RB, Alfred Blue, 28
WR, Quan Bray, 11
S, Ibraheim Campbell, 39
CB, Andre Chachere, 37
OLB, Jadeveon Clowney, 90
WR, Sammie Coates, 18
ILB, Dylan Cole, 51
RB, Lavon Coleman, 40
CB, Aaron Colvin, 22
WR, Keke Coutee, 16
DE, Christian Covington, 95
OL, Anthony Coyle, 78
ILB, Zach Cunningham, 41
P, Trevor Daniel, 8
OL, Julién Davenport, 70
DB, Treston Decoud, 31
S, Kurtis Drummond, 23
DE, Brandon Dunn, 92
DE, Duke Ejiofor, 53
WR, Bruce Ellington, 12
RB, Tyler Ervin, 21 (pictured as 34)
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, 7
RB, D'Onta Foreman, 27
OL, Kyle Fuller, 61
WR, Will Fuller V, 15
OL, Zach Fulton, 73
OL, Mason Gentry, 79
ILB, Kennan Gilchrist, 47
TE, Ryan Griffin, 84
CB, Andre Hal, 29
NT, Marcus Hardison, 67
DE, Joel Heath, 93
LB, Ben Heeney, 50
OL, Seantrel Henderson, 76
WR, DeAndre Hopkins, 10
CB, Kareem Jackson, 25
CB, Kevin Johnson, 30
OL, Roderick Johnson, 63
OL, Jaryd Jones-Smith, 72
CB, Johnathan Joseph, 24
OLB, Peter Kalambayi, 58
DE, Ufomba Kamalu, 94
OL, Senio Kelemete, 64
CB, Jermaine Kelly, 35
LB, Josh Keyes, 49
NT, Darius Kilgo, 96
OT, Kendall Lamm, 63
P, Shane Lechler, 9
TE, Matt Lengel, 82
LB, LaTroy Lewis, 54
OL, Greg Mancz, 65
C, Nick Martin, 66
S, Tyrann Mathieu, 32
LB, Benardrick McKinney, 55
OLB, Whitney Mercilus, 59
WR, Braxton Miller, 13
RB, Lamar Miller, 26
S, Corey Moore, 43
QB, Stephen Morris, 6
NT, Kingsley Opara, 60
LB, Brian Peters, 52
RB, Troymaine Pope, 33
FB, Jay Prosch, 45
TE, MyCole Pruitt, 85
OL, David Quessenberry, 77
OL, Martinas Rankin, 75
NT/DE, D.J. Reader, 98
S, Justin Reid, 38
TE, Jevoni Robinson, 81
OLB, Brennan Scarlett, 57
OL, Chad Slade, 62
WR, Vyncint Smith, 17
RB, Terry Swanson, 42
TE, Jordan Thomas, 83
WR, Chris Thompson, 14
CB, Josh Thornton, 36
DE, Nick Thurman, 68
CB, Dee Virgin, 34
DL, Carlos Watkins, 91
QB, Deshaun Watson, 4
DE, J.J. Watt, 99
WR, Jester Weah, 86
QB, Joe Webb, III, 5
QB, Brandon Weeden, 5
LS, Jon Weeks, 46
