Houston Texans: 5 Ways to Rationalize Johnathan Joseph Extension

Nov 30, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph (24) runs with the ball after making an interception during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday, the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain reported that the Houston Texans signed veteran cornerback Johnathan Joseph to a contract extension, and we later learned from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that it’s a two-year extension that amounts to a three-year deal worth $22 million with $11.5 million in guaranteed money.

That’s an awful lot of cash, particularly in guarantees, for a 31-year-old corner on an expiring contract, and I immediately viewed the deal as a head-scratcher. Not only did the Texans give big money to star cornerback Kareem Jackson this offseason, but they also spent a first-round pick on arguably the best CB in this year’s draft class in Wake Forest product Kevin Johnson.

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Extending Joseph didn’t seem like a priority, and giving him $11.5 million in guaranteed money just didn’t seem to make much sense in my eyes, even factoring in the idea that rewarding key veterans is a nice thing to do.

That said, there are always reasons why teams make deals, even if they seem like illogical moves to the rest of us. Let’s try and rationalize why the Texans would do this type of a deal with Joseph by taking a look at five key details about this move that might make things seem a little less strange.

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