The SI Take on Green's Departure

Another way you could express that headline is: the Sports Illustrated take on Houston's signing of former Packers running back Ahman Green. Short answer: didn't like it.

Don Banks' online "Inside the NFL" column at the SI website listed the Texans' signing of Green as #1 in the "Ten Moves I Disliked" listing of free agency moves so far. He cites Green's age and number of career carries as the primary reasons. Implied within those comments is that he ain't what he used to be. Yet the Texans -- with the encouragement of former Packers' GM/Coach and current Texans' offensive coordinator Mike Sherman -- are paying him $8 million this year, in the first of a four-year $23 million contract. The Texans passed on taking running back Reggie Bush with the #1 overall draft pick last year, taking D-lineman Mario Williams instead. They are still kicking themselves for that one. (Take it from a team that knows. Remember, the Packers are the team that picked Tony Mandarich at #2 in the 1989 draft while future superstars like Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders were still on the board. Say it with me now, in your best Homer Simpson impression: "D'oh!")

Houston will likely be kicking themselves for this signing, too. As good as Ahman Green once was -- and might still be for a year or two barring injury -- he isn't a Reggie Bush...and you can't turn back the clock. $8 million for the year? At this stage of his career? Yep, that's a Sherman deal if you ever saw one.

You can read Banks' take on this here.