HOUSTON — Pending free agent Blake Cashman’s breakout season got here at a priceless time for him and the Houston Texans.
The linebacker led the crew in tackles (106 in 14 video games) and helped flip round a struggling protection that made it to the playoffs and gained the AFC South for the primary time since 2019.
The Texans went from one of many league’s worst in factors allowed (twenty seventh) to eleventh, and Cashman’s season included incomes AFC Defensive Participant of the Week honors in Week 6 and a league-high of 19 tackles in Week 11.
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Cashman, 27, discovered methods to ease his thoughts — like studying — to assist him develop on and off the sphere into the participant and individual he’s right now, and with the brand new league 12 months and free company formally beginning, he says he hopes his play will converse for itself.
He would like to return to Houston, but when that is not within the playing cards, there shall be loads of suitors.
“I am excited to listen to what completely different groups must say, and hopefully the Texans come again and have a very good dialog with me,” Cashman informed ESPN. “There’s loads to stay up for — whether or not that be in Houston or one other crew. I am excited for my best alternative I’ve had in my total soccer profession. I hope to stroll in and be checked out and valued as a man who shall be a beginning linebacker.”
The Texans have the cap area ($67 million) to doubtlessly retain Cashman, however in addition they have a league-high 30 free brokers.
Texans basic supervisor Nick Caserio traded a 2023 sixth-round decide to the New York Jets for Cashman in 2022, and he performed 16 video games however began just one below former coach Lovie Smith.
“I feel [Cashman]’s function has sort of grown type of incrementally annually,” Caserio mentioned. “Traded for him with the concept [he] would have an effect within the kicking recreation, which he has. When he is had the chance to play on protection, he is been impactful.”
First-year coach DeMeco Ryans took over final offseason and employed a scheme Cashman was acquainted with from his time below Jets coach Robert Saleh, who runs the identical protection as Ryans (the 2 coaches labored collectively in San Francisco).
“Blake has completed an incredible job with the entire issues we have requested him to do,” Ryans mentioned. “He is completed a very good job of speaking, completed a very good job of having the ability to play a number of spots — simply create worth for himself. Being versatile helps loads.
“He is completed an incredible job for us on particular groups, being one in every of our leaders in that regard. … He is completed a very good job all 12 months.”
Earlier than arriving in Houston, accidents plagued Cashman’s profession in New York. He performed in 11 video games in his first two seasons earlier than going into his last 12 months with the Jets. He longed to lastly be wholesome and put a very good product on tape as a result of he understood the “enterprise” of 12 months 3 — which he says “carries plenty of weight for a future deal.”
Sadly for Cashman issues did not go his means. He was sidelined with a hamstring harm in Week 1 in opposition to the Carolina Panthers that held him out for 3 video games earlier than returning in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons. Within the subsequent recreation in opposition to the New England Patriots, Cashman would endure a groin harm and be positioned on season-ending injured reserve.
He would end the 2021 season with simply three tackles.
“I felt like I wasn’t being myself as a result of I used to be so indignant about my scenario,” Cashman mentioned. “I simply discovered myself every single day going into the constructing, doing my rehab and having this crabby perspective. I used to be simply snappy if I did not agree with one thing in my rehab schedule.
“Each time I felt I used to be getting the chance I used to be working towards, I used to be getting set again with an harm. I used to be asking God ‘Why?'”
Bryce Bevill, one of many Jets’ participant growth workers members, observed Cashman’s perspective and urged him to go to the crew’s therapist, Dr. Derek Suite.
“The primary session was very constructive,” Cashman mentioned. “I began expressing how I used to be feeling, and I informed [Suite] I did not like being upset every single day and the toughest half was understanding it is out of my management, however I used to be nonetheless permitting that to have an effect on me. He simply was very encouraging. And once we received completed with that first assembly, it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.”
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These classes altered Cashman’s mindset, and he began studying books concerning the thoughts. He started with “The Untethered Soul: The Journey past Your self” by Michael Alan Singer.
By means of the studying, he realized to discard damaging ideas by telling himself to “let it go.” He carried that to Houston, and he continued to learn to assuage his soul and have by far the very best season of his profession in 2023.
In Week 3 in opposition to the reigning division champion Jacksonville Jaguars, Cashman secured his first profession interception. The formation regarded acquainted from recreation planning and he knew what to anticipate.
Ryans known as a “fireplace zone,” the place the Texans blitzed and performed zone in protection. Cashman dropped into his zone and adopted vast receiver Jamal Agnew. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw the ball below stress to Agnew, however Cashman was capable of make the play.
“We really labored these ideas loads all through the week, so hats off to our coaches for understanding and understanding what you already know Jacksonville was going to throw at us,” Cashman mentioned. “I knew with the stress the ball needed to come out quickly. So I took two peeks again on the quarterback, and I noticed Agnew break in on a dig. I simply planted off my proper foot and was capable of make a very good play on the ball.”
It was his lone interception, however Cashman’s move protection was a power for the Texans. He allowed the fourth-lowest passer ranking amongst linebackers with a minimum of 200 protection snaps when focused (74.7) and had a decent window protection share of 13.3% (tenth).
Cashman was lastly capable of shake the harm bug as nicely, enjoying 30 regular-season video games in Houston and ending with 14 tackles, 3 for a loss, and a sack in two playoff video games.
“Money has completed plenty of nice issues for us,” Caserio mentioned. “We’ll work by means of the method. If we have now the chance to convey him again, I feel he’ll have a very good function on the crew.”
