Has Mario played His Last Down as a Texan? He was placed on IR.

[painekiller]

Mario Williams will have surgery tomorrow on a torn pectoral muscle. Has he played his last down as a Texan I ask. Why would I think that, well Mario is a free agent at the end of the season.

He was on pace to have a huge year, the best of his career, but we still do not know if Mario is happy in the 3-4. And there are teams that will be willing to throw crazy money to Mario to play DE for them. Heck Carolina could use him, and that team is a team of hope for the future.

Salary cap is now smaller than the prior cap, and Mario is a big chunk. Could the Texans decide that they would rather spread the $17MM on players like Arian Foster.

One thing is certain the Raiders changed there blocking scheme when Mario left and we got very little pressure on them once he left. Reed is good but he is not Mario.

What do you guys think?

[popanot]

It's a tough break, but I think he'll be back. They know he can play DE in a 4-3, and I think he showed enough as a 3-4 OLB for the Texans to feel comfortable re-signing him. I think Mario will end up getting a contract that suits his needs as well as the Texans needs.

[Nconroe]

I'm hoping the surgery is a success and Mario will be back as a Texan next year, full strength. Strange that two guys had a similar injury on the same day.

[nunusguy]

My concern now that we know we won't have him this year is how adversly will this season-ending injury effect his market value in the upcoming 2011-12
free-agency if we want to move him ? Isn't the stradegy for the Texans is put a franchise tag on him and then find another team that wants him and make a trade for Draft picks if we decide to go that route instead of ? Seems there will be so much uncertainty about what he'll be worth after this injury ?

[nunusguy]

Strange that two guys had a similar injury on the same day.

No kidding, especially since it's a fairly unusual injury.

[barrett]

My concern now that we know we won't have him this year is how adversly will this season-ending injury effect his market value in the upcoming 2011-12
free-agency if we want to move him ? Isn't the stradegy for the Texans is put a franchise tag on him and then find another team that wants him and make a trade for Draft picks if we decide to go that route instead of ? Seems there will be so much uncertainty about what he'll be worth after this injury ?

The same thing works in our favor to keep him. And I doubt after his play the first five games we want to do anything else. Any talk of moving him was tied to the idea he may not fit the 34. He does and I bet he is back in the same spot next year.

[NBT]

First of all I'm sorry Mario got hurt when we most needed him. I hope he will be coming back from the injury, and I also think he was happy as an OLB in the 3-4. Therefore I think he will want to stay a Texan.

[HPF Bob]

I think this whole thing only improves our chances of re-signing him because he played well enough through 4+ games to convince the Texans (and Mario) that he can be effective in a 3-4 but the injury might drive down his price on the open market.

And, fwiw, we had a surplus in rush end/OLBs so losing Mario isn't as critical a loss as some other folks on our defense. It just means more playing time for Barwin and Reid, two guys I'd like to see more of.

[Arky]

I think this whole thing only improves our chances of re-signing him because he played well enough through 4+ games to convince the Texans (and Mario) that he can be effective in a 3-4 but the injury might drive down his price on the open market.

And, fwiw, we had a surplus in rush end/OLBs so losing Mario isn't as critical a loss as some other folks on our defense. It just means more playing time for Barwin and Reid, two guys I'd like to see more of.

Yep, will be good experience for Reed. He's no Mario of course, but I expect him to improve during the year and end up being a decent replacement. Braman also moves up the depth chart ......

Jesse Nading might get a callup from the practice squad....

[chuck]

The difference between Mario and Reed is similar to the difference between Foster and Tate. This is a serious loss.

[nunusguy]

I think Mario's future here is just like all the others players future here - it's tied into whether or not Kubiak does well enogh this season to get a new contract and stay on atleast a few more years ?
If Kubiak fails to make the playoffs and ends up < .500 he's pretty much gone and then the new HC would surely insist upon having final say on personnel and it would then be anybodys guess about which players are retained and which ones are shopped around ?