Johnathan Joseph is coming back to the Houston Texans secondary.
The team is re-signing the veteran corner to a two-year deal according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. In addition to this move, Houston upgraded their secondary with the news that they will sign Aaron Colvin from the Jacksonville Jaguars on a four-year deal. Joseph has spent the previous seven seasons with the Texans.
One of the locker room leaders and all around good dude heads back to Houston. https://t.co/aRP6pPUyiQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2018
Report: Houston Texans Re-Signing Johnathan Joseph to Two-Year Contract
Joseph was drafted in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and started nine games in his rookie season. He had started only one year in college at South Carolina, but Joseph’s 4.32 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine made him one of the most desirable prospects at cornerback.
Joseph made it into the starting lineup as a rookie, and when Cincinnati drafted Leon Hall in 2007, the two quickly became a formidable duo in the Bengals defensive backfield. In his five seasons with the Bengals, Joseph broke up 76 passes and compiled 14 interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns.
The Bengals attempted to re-sign Joseph after the 2010 season, but he opted to sign a five-year, $48.75 million dollar contract with the Houston Texans. Joseph’s presence in the secondary helped Houston improve their league-worst pass defense in 2010 to the third-best in 2011. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2011 and 2012 as Houston boasted a top ten defense in both scoring and yards allowed in both seasons.
The strong play of Joseph and the defense helped the Texans earn their first-ever playoff berth in 2011, and they returned to the postseason three more times from 2012-2016. In 2015, Joseph and the Texans agreed to a two-year extension worth $13.5 million.
Joseph broke up 96 passes and added 15 interceptions (three returned for touchdowns) to his career totals in seven seasons with the Texans. Pro Football Focus rated Joseph as the NFL’s 65th best cornerback in 2017.
Prior to free agency, the 33-year old Joseph was adamant in his desire to return to Houston, while Texans general manager Brian Gaine stated that re-signing Joseph was “under consideration.”
