“Houston is Back at Home!” Despite free agency, Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn wants to stay.
Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn of the Houston Texans is a pending free agent who may be involved in the team’s roster turnover as it prepares to compete in 2024. What does he think about the future?
The Houston Texans will have to make a number of free-agent selections that may make or break their prospects of competing in 2024. Using the window that quarterback C.J. Stroud’s rookie deal offers, maximising cap space can assist in surrounding the all-star quarterback with enough skill to contend with the NFL’s top clubs.
Spending big on the offensive line, receivers, or secondary, however, may require making roster cuts elsewhere. Even though kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn’s absence caused havoc in Houston, general manager Nick Caserio may decide to stick with special teams, though there’s no guarantee he will.
It would be quite feasible to become younger and less expensive at kicker, which would terminate one of the Houston Texans’ longest-running chapters.
After the Texans’ season ended in a 34-10 loss to the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, Fairbairn responded to his impending free agency.
“For me, Houston has been home,” Fairbairn remarked. We seem to have a bright future, therefore I’d really like to remain. Keep up the good work and let’s see how far we can take this. However, only time will tell.
While backup running back Dare Ogunbowale’s field goal after the starting quarterback went down with an injury may have been the high point of Houston’s special teams in 2023, Fairbairn had a fantastic season. All told, he made 27 out of 28 field goals, five of which were from 50 yards or more, while just one of his 22 extra-point tries was unsuccessful.
The seven-year veteran struggled in 2021, shooting less than 80% on field goals, but after two years in a row of conversation rates above 93 percent, he gained the coaching staff’s trust.
In the AFC Divisional Round, Fairbairn would miss one of his tries, but it would not matter in the end. He is embracing whatever comes next for the time being and taking some time to think back on his time in H-Town.
There is no room for complacency; it’s the quintessential bittersweet moment. Fairbairn remarked, “I genuinely treasure every year I have.” Things could differ, but that is a given in the commercial world. I’m appreciative of my time here and wish to stay. If not, it was not intended to be.
Atlanta Falcons interview Bobby Slowik, the Texans assistant coach, for a second time.
ATLANTA (AP) — In another indication that the Atlanta Falcons are considering options other than six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick, they spoke with Bobby Slowik, the offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans, twice on Thursday.
Slowik’s in-person visit follows his virtual meeting with the Falcons the previous weekend. The 36-year-old is regarded as one of the best coaching prospects in the game after guiding the Texans’ postseason run and helping rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud grow.
After Belichick, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris of the Los Angeles Rams, and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero of the Carolina Panthers, Slowik is the fourth candidate to have a second interview with Atlanta.
The Falcons appeared to be taking steps towards hiring Belichick a week ago. Belichick left the New England Patriots after more than 20 years of service, which had become more difficult in the absence of quarterback Tom Brady.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers sprints on Thursday, January 25, 2024, during an NFL football practice in Santa Clara, California. In the NFC championship game on Sunday, the 49ers will take on the Detroit Lions. (Photo by Jeff Chiu/AP)
Entering conference title games, sportsbooks continue to rank the 49ers as the top team.
On Saturday, January 13, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri, head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) react to referees during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Miami Dolphins. (Image courtesy of Ed Zurga/AP)
The Chiefs are playing in their sixth consecutive AFC championship game, and this is the Ravens’ first home game.
On Sunday, January 21, 2024, in Orchard Park, New York, quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs (15) reacts as his team defeats the Buffalo Bills in an NFL AFC division playoff football game. (Adrian Kraus/AP Photo)
In the playoffs, Mahomes and Jackson will face off for the first time. Plus, a Super Bowl place is up for grabs.
Belichick, 71, is the coach with the most Super Bowl championships (more than any other), and with 333 wins overall (including playoffs), he is only 14 wins short of Don Shula’s record.
But even though other positions have been filled, the Falcons are still looking far and wide for Arthur Smith’s replacement. After three seasons with a 7-10 record in each, he was let go as the Falcons’ coach.
The Falcons had interviewed fourteen candidates in all, but two of them, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan of the Cincinnati Bengals and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, had taken head coaching positions elsewhere.
After guiding the Michigan Wolverines to a national championship, Harbaugh was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers and made his NFL comeback, while Callahan signed a deal with the Tennessee Titans.
Callahan took over for Mike Vrabel, who had his contract cut by the Titans and had his first interview with the Falcons on Wednesday.
The only teams without a head coach are Atlanta, Washington, and Seattle. Five further vacancies have been filled.
If the Falcons choose to interview Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, or Ravens defensive coordinator
Texans
again, their search may continue into the next week.
All of them have virtually met with the CEO Rich McKay and owner Arthur Blank of Atlanta’s search committee, but they are now off bounds until Sunday following the conference finals.
Leave a Reply