Bill O'Brien is optimistic about Brian Cushing in 2015.
"I think that the guy feels better this offseason than he did last offseason," the head coach said last week at the NFL Annual Meetings. "We're looking forward to him having a really good year."
For the first offseason since 2012, the inside linebacker isn't rehabbing a major knee injury. Five games into the Texans' 12-win campaign, Cushing's season was wrecked when a Jets' offensive lineman dove into his left knee.
He came back from that, started the first seven games of 2013, only to have the same knee injured in a contest at Kansas City. The winter, spring and summer of 2014 saw Cushing have to rehab when his teammates were on the field learning a new defensive scheme.
"Early in our year, it took him awhile to come back from the lower extremity injuries that he had," O'Briein said. "As the year went on, he got a couple treatments. Things that made him feel better. And he really took off at the end of the year."
In late February at a community event, Cushing answered questions about his health and echoed the optimism of O'Brien's.
"I'm just focused on getting back," Cushing said. "You know, this is the healthiest offseason I had in a long time so I'm pretty glad about that."
When it comes to Cushing's impact both on and off the field, O'Brien agreed his precense was vital to the organization. "He's one of the leaders of our team," O'Briein said. "I'm always remiss if I don't mention him as one of the leaders of our team."
Adding a Cushing who plays closer to the 2011 and 2009 versions of himself would bolster a unit that already boasts J.J. Watt, Vince Wilfork and perhaps Jadeveon Clowney.
The Houston Texans roster in photos. (Updated 4/16/2021)
TE, Jordan Akins, #88
TE, Antony Auclair
DL, Auzoyah Alufohai, #98
DB, Cornell Armstrong, #30
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
OL, Justin Britt
DB, Terrence Brooks
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
OL, Cohl Cabral, #72
OL, Marcus Cannon
WR, Randall Cobb, #18
DL, Maliek Collins
WR, Chris Conley
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Isaiah Coulter, #82
WR, Keke Coutee, #16
DB, Keion Crossen, #35
LB, Zach Cunningham, #41
LB, Tae Davis
DL, Brandon Dunn, #92
LB, Duke Ejiofor, #53
WR, Alex Erickson
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
QB, Ryan Finley
OL, Hjalte Froholdt, #77
LB, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill
LB, Nate Hall, #48
DB, Vernon Hargreaves III, #26
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
RB, Dontrell Hilliard, #27
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
RB, Buddy Howell, #38
RB, Mark Ingram
TE, Ryan Izzo
LB, Jordan Jenkins
RB, David Johnson, #31
DL, Jaleel Johnson
DB, Lonnie Johnson Jr., #32
P, Cameron Johnston
DB, Desmond King
LB, Christian Kirksey
DL, Shaq Lawson
RB, Phillip Lindsay
LB, Jacob Martin, #54
OL, Justin McCray
LB, Whitney Mercilus, #59
DB, Terrance Mitchell
WR, Donte Moncrief
DB, A.J. Moore Jr., #33
WR, Chris Moore
DB, Eric Murray, #23
LB, Hardy Nickerson
DL, Charles Omenihu, #94
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis
RB, Scottie Phillips, #40
TE, Paul Quessenberry
DB, John Reid, #34
DB, Justin Reid, #20
DL, Derek Rivers
WR, Andre Roberts
DB, Bradley Roby, #21
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith
OL, Jordan Steckler
OL, Lane Taylor
QB, Tyrod Taylor
DL, Vincent Taylor
LB, Joe Thomas
DB, Tavierre Thomas
OL, Cole Toner
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
DL, MeMarcus Walker
TE, Kahale Warring, #81
QB, Deshaun Watson, #4
LS, Jon Weeks #46
