CBS: Texans To Release Cushing

[HPF Bob]

https://247sports.com/nfl/texans/Bol...hing-115287645

Not surprising. Misses too much playing time for various reasons and would be a big cap saving.

[barrett]

I'm glad they are letting him go but he was a heck of a player before the leg injury (break?) a few years back, and he had a mini-resurgence 2 years ago.

Is he the best ever Texans LB?

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by barrett

Is he the best ever Texans LB?

Depends on whether you define edge rushers as linebackers. If so, Whitney Mercilus is probably the best but Clowney could be better with another year or two of production.

If not, what is Cushing's competition? Jay Foreman? Kailee Wong? That is like being the prettiest girl in Rhode Island.

In addition, the Texans already have two ILBs in McKinney and Chamberlain so he won't be missed.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Depends on whether you define edge rushers as linebackers. If so, Whitney Mercilus is probably the best but Clowney could be better with another year or two of production.

If not, what is Cushing's competition? Jay Foreman? Kailee Wong? That is like being the prettiest girl in Rhode Island.

In addition, the Texans already have two ILBs in McKinney and Chamberlain so he won't be missed.

At this point I'd take Cushing over Mercilous. Cushing had a 2 year or so stretch as maybe the best MLB in football, and definitely the most violent. He cleaned off piles and friendly fired teammates in a frightening way. When he was at his peak he was a terror who the other 21 guys on the field had to keep their eyes peeled for. Mercilous could pass him, but probably not before he is himself passed by Clowney.

[HPF Bob]

Before he was cheap-shotted by the Jets, he was playing like a first-round LB. I don't think he was up there with Ray Lewis or Clay Matthews but he was a presence.

Once the knee was blown, he was done. Of course, now that Cushing and Duane Brown are gone, the only huge Texans contract one could dump for cap space is J.J. Watt and I'm guessing that won't happen for at least two years - regardless how healthy he is.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Before he was cheap-shotted by the Jets, he was playing like a first-round LB. I don't think he was up there with Ray Lewis or Clay Matthews but he was a presence.

Once the knee was blown, he was done. Of course, now that Cushing and Duane Brown are gone, the only huge Texans contract one could dump for cap space is J.J. Watt and I'm guessing that won't happen for at least two years - regardless how healthy he is.

Ray Lewis' deer antler spray might have been more effective than Cushing's female fertility drugs.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by barrett

I'm glad they are letting him go but he was a heck of a player before the leg injury (break?) a few years back, and he had a mini-resurgence 2 years ago.

Is he the best ever Texans LB?

No way because that's DeMeco.
Clowney is a different kind of player than Ryans & Cushing because he's an edge guy as both a 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB.
But for best pure 4-3 backer it's DeMeco.

[barrett]

I take Cushing over Ryans all day. Demeco was a tackling machine, but rarely made impact plays. He could usually be found tackling a ball carrier a few yards downfield. Cushing had way more impact plays and averaged more sacks, INTs, and TFLs during his time, and far more during the respective peaks. Additionally, Cushing was a key part to far better teams and defenses.

Overall Demeco was healthier, a better tackler, and was better at play recognition. But he couldn't take on blocks, was far worse in coverage, made far fewer impact plays, and was way less physical. Even though Demeco's peak was in Houston, he actually set career highs for INTs and Sacks in Philly. In Houston he was a low impact volume tackler. Jamie Sharper actually compares favorably to Demeco and played on better defenses.

If Clowney keeps it up he surpasses them all.

[nunusguy]

If you take a look you will see their stats are pretty close (for example same for sacks), while DeMeco is way ahead in tackling but then you said he was a tackling machine which is about the highest comp one can pay a linebacker.
Cushing had more "impact plays" so unlike stats that's very subjective whatever that means ?
JD Clowney is an entirely different football player and different category of player than DeMeco & Cushing.
Would we compare the careers of Cushing & DeMeco to Mario Williams ? No because we know that's apple an oranges. Now Clowney and Williams are comparable, comparable categories.

[barrett]

Cushing's pre-injury 3 season peak in Houston is 2009-2011. He plays 44 out of 48 games and has 9.5 sacks and 6 INTs. That's a sack every 5 games and an INT every 7.

Demeco's peak in Houston is 2006-2009. He plays 64 of 64 games and has 7.5 sacks and 2 INTs. That's a sack every 9 games and an INT every 32.

That's what I mean by more impact plays.

Demeco was healthier and a better tackler, but they were low impact tackles. He was a guy who made tackles a few yards downfield. If the DL didn't keep the OL off of him he was awful at shedding blocks because he was undersized and not very physical. He was a smart and instinctive player who played above his physical talents and was a ton of fun to root for, but he wasn't a high impact player in Houston. He had a bigger impact in Philly so maybe it had something to do with how he was used in Houston.

Cushing didn't have the tackling numbers. Instead of diagnosing plays he flew to the ball which worked well in Wade's defense. He was super physical and owned the point of attack. He was very good in coverage his first 3 years which is rare for a big, point of attack MLB. He couldn't stay healthy and because of that had a career that is more about peak than longevity.

And like I said, Sharper is right there with both guys statistically and was a part of some solid defenses.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by barrett

Is he the best ever Texans LB?

Interesting question.

I'd remove the pass rushers from this... Clowney, Mercilus, etc. Clowney would end the conversation immediately, but he isn't a typical LB.

This then breaks down into one of those baseball Hall of Fame type discussions. Do you favor the player with the highest peak or the one with the best longevity? And if it's the highest peak, how long must that player have been at that peak? (Nevermind the HoF convos about honoring steroid users, also appropriate here.)

Cushing was fierce his first three seasons before his first major injury, more than living up to his mid-1st round selection. A DROY and one-time Pro Bowler, he's had an admirable career regardless, but it is hard to imagine what could've been had he not suffered the injuries since he flashed such potential.

DeMeco Ryans, a 2nd rounder in the Mario Williams draft, was more than just solid for six seasons in Houston, notching two Pro Bowls, one All Pro season, and a DROY. He never had the sort of impact plays Cushing was capable of making, but he was reliable, a leader, and loved as team captain. Don't sell him short. Oh, and he wasn't on roids since he was a teenager. The Texans neutered Ryans when they switched to the 3-4 under Wade Phillips. Ryans just never fit right in anything but a 4-3.

Here's what Cushing said about DeMeco at the time of the trade:
Brian Cushing (@briancushing56): "I wouldn't be half the player or person I am today without @DRyans59 this one hurts. Philly got a unbelievable player and leader today. #59″

So yeah Cushing would get my vote as best Texans LB, but he's not running away with it.

Honorable mention for me to Jamie Sharper who spent the back third of his career in Houston as an expansion player. While he didn't haul in a ton of awards, he was a solid contributor on those early and surprisingly adequate expansion-year defenses. He could make far more impact plays than Ryans, but I don't think Ryans was really asked to make those kinds of contributions in the scheme.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

Interesting question.

I'd remove the pass rushers from this... Clowney, Mercilus, etc. Clowney would end the conversation immediately, but he isn't a typical LB.

This then breaks down into one of those baseball Hall of Fame type discussions. Do you favor the player with the highest peak or the one with the best longevity? And if it's the highest peak, how long must that player have been at that peak? (Nevermind the HoF convos about honoring steroid users, also appropriate here.)

Cushing was fierce his first three seasons before his first major injury, more than living up to his mid-1st round selection. A DROY and one-time Pro Bowler, he's had an admirable career regardless, but it is hard to imagine what could've been had he not suffered the injuries since he flashed such potential.

DeMeco Ryans, a 2nd rounder in the Mario Williams draft, was more than just solid for six seasons in Houston, notching two Pro Bowls, one All Pro season, and a DROY. He never had the sort of impact plays Cushing was capable of making, but he was reliable, a leader, and loved as team captain. Don't sell him short. Oh, and he wasn't on roids since he was a teenager. The Texans neutered Ryans when they switched to the 3-4 under Wade Phillips. Ryans just never fit right in anything but a 4-3.

Here's what Cushing said about DeMeco at the time of the trade:
Brian Cushing (@briancushing56): "I wouldn't be half the player or person I am today without @DRyans59 this one hurts. Philly got a unbelievable player and leader today. #59″

So yeah Cushing would get my vote as best Texans LB, but he's not running away with it.

Honorable mention for me to Jamie Sharper who spent the back third of his career in Houston as an expansion player. While he didn't haul in a ton of awards, he was a solid contributor on those early and surprisingly adequate expansion-year defenses. He could make far more impact plays than Ryans, but I don't think Ryans was really asked to make those kinds of contributions in the scheme.

I agree the 34 ruined Ryans because it asked him to deal with OL. I also think his time in Philly showed he could have done more than be a 2 down tackler like he was in Houston. He also clearly had the leadership intangibles.

As for Cushing's steroid use, I assume every NFL player uses PEDs. The sport is made for using 6 months a year and cycling off before testing starts back up in training camp. We're playing make believe if we think all of those guys aren't on something.

[barrett]

And I don't mean this post to knock Demeco, but rather to show that high tackle numbers are not very meaningful.

NFL 2017 Tackle Leaders
1. Preston Brown
1. Joe Schobert
3. Blake Martinez
4. Christian Kirksey
4. Deion Jones

None of those guys are big time NFL players and none come from top defenses. The only one who made the top 7 LBs in pro football focus grades was Jones who was the 4th LB (I say top 7 because that's all I could find listed). 2 of the top 5 tacklers were on the same bad Browns defense and compiled volume tackles while being on the field a ton.

So yes Demeco was very, very good. No getting lots of tackles does not mean a guy is a great MLB.