The Houston Texans were able to take another step forward in 2019 as they advanced to the Divisional Round. Despite their success, the Texans proved that they still are missing a few things before they can become a legitimate contender.
Of course, Houston's future is bright as long as Deshaun Watson is under center throwing passes to DeAndre Hopkins. On the defensive side of the ball, J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus are nightmares for offensive coordinators to gameplan against.
As good as Watt and Mercilus are, the Texans desperately need to address the secondary this offseason. During the 2019 season, the Texans traded for Gareon Conley and claimed Vernon Hargreaves in hopes that they could shore up the defense.
Instead, Houston still struggled against the pass and Hargreaves has already been released this offseason. Fortunately for the Texans, they'll have an ample amount of cap space and someone like Chris Harris is available. In light of that, here is why the Texans and Harris are a perfect match in free agency.
The Texans can give Harris the money he wants
There are a few reasons why Harris is trending toward leaving the Denver Broncos in 2020. One of the biggest reasons is that the Broncos haven't shown any signs of wanting to give Harris the long-term deal that he's interested in getting.
Even though Denver won't give it to him, the Texans are a team that has the finances to sign him long-term. Ahead of free agency, Houston is projected to have $62.9 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.
The veteran cornerback turns 31-years-old in June, but he's still going to command a lucrative contract in the offseason. Considering the recent contracts for corners, Harris is likely going to land a $12-15 million annual salary.
Of the teams that will express interest in Harris, the Texans are among the shortlist of teams that can realistically give him a contract that pays him his worth. Therefore, that makes Houston a perfect landing spot for Harris.
Harris would give Houston a versatile cornerback in the secondary
For the past few years, it has been evident that the Texans are lacking in the secondary. This season, Johnathan Joseph continued to be a dependable corner for Houston. Unfortunately, injuries prevented Bradley Roby from seeing the field as much as he would've liked.
At the same time, the Texans don't have a cornerback that is able to be utilized in different situations. While Harris thrives as a slot corner, he can also play on the outside versus the best receivers in the NFL.
Since 2012, Harris has been one of the most underrated corners in the NFL. In that eight-year span, Harris accumulated 80 deflections, 19 interceptions, six forced fumbles, and four defensive touchdowns. Even though he's entering his 10th season, Harris would instantly become the Texans' most versatile cornerback on the roster.
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