Houston Texans sign Greg Jones

The Houston Texans have flipped a fullback from the AFC South, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Texans have signed former Jacksonville Jaguars FB Greg Jones on a one-year pact today. This is a good move for the Texans, because they have stolen away one of the top lead-blockers in the game from the Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew‘s loss is now Arian Foster‘s gain, and the other backs in Houston will surely be appreciative of the signing of yet another quality blocking fullback by the Texans.

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Greg Jones took a free agent visit to the Texans yesterday, and he will replace H-Back James Casey (signed with the Philadelphia Eagles) as the primary lead-blocker for the Texans. Former Houston Texans star fullback Vonta Leach has long set the standard for what it means to be a lead-blocking fullback in the league today, but Jones played so well last year that he has also placed himself among the elite three lead-bockers in the league today.

The Jaguars will surely be a bit bummed out by Jones’s decision to sign with Houston, because they were also vying to keep the 31-year-old Florida State product. In fact, Jones was expected to re-sign with the Jaguars earlier this month by a report from the Florida Times Union, because the new Jaguars regime (led by head coach Gus Bradley) likely appreciated Greg Jones’s contributions to the team last season and saw the viability in keeping a top fullback.

So while the Jaguars had interested in keeping Jones, it wasn’t enough, and it is to the loss of the Jaguars running game and to the gain of a rival’s rushing attack.

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