Texans re-sign Ferguson

Safety Nick Ferguson is a nine-year NFL veteran from Georgia Tech.

The Texans bolstered their secondary on Thursday by re-signing safety Nick Ferguson, a nine-year veteran who can play both safety positions. He started nine games for the Texans in 2008.

Ferguson (5-10, 201) was expected to be a role player when he joined the Texans as a free agent last year. He wound up finishing fifth on the team in tackles with 52 in 14 games.

"He's a very tough, very aggressive kid," defensive coordinator Frank Bush said. "He throws his body around. He plays with reckless abandon. He's not concerned about a guy being bigger than him or whatnot. He just kind of plays his game, and his game is to go in and knock people around."

Texans coaches are excited about the progress that sixth-round draft pick Dominique Barber made at the end of last season, but Bush said that Ferguson will "absolutely" have a chance to compete for starting duties at strong safety. Bush and his staff like Ferguson's smarts, grasp of the defense and communication skills – especially with younger players.

Barber and free safety Brandon Harrison both have only one season of pro experience. Free safety Eugene Wilson has six, which made him the oldest safety on the roster before Ferguson's signing. The Texans parted ways with veteran safeties Will Demps and C.C. Brown (New York Giants) earlier in free agency.

Ferguson has played in 122 games in his career. Wilson (74), Harrison (15) and Barber (12) have combined for 101.

{QUOTE}"When you look at the way we're kind of built on the back end, we've got two young kids in Brandon Harrison and Dominique Barber," Bush said. "Those kids are going to be good football players, but it's always good to have a veteran leader in there to help those guys along the way. Nick kind of showed them some things that he knew from the past last year, and it creates good competition to have him here.

"Nick just has a lot of experience, and it's really good to get him back there and kind of help settle things as we move forward from last year."

Ferguson, 34, spent five seasons with the Denver Broncos before joining the Texans in 2008. He played with the New York Jets from 2000-02. He entered the league in 1996 as an undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech but spent the next four years in the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe.

In his nine-year NFL career, Ferguson has 54 starts, 265 tackles and seven interceptions.

Ferguson is the sixth free agent re-signed by the Texans this offseason. Houston has also placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on cornerback Dunta Robinson.