Vince Wilfork signed with the Texans on Monday, instantly bolstering a defensive unit boasting the best player on the planet and some other key components.
The 6-foot-2 inch, 325-pounder brings 11 seasons of experience and five All-Pro selections to town. The big man is known far-and-wide for, well, being wide. But his girth isn't the only trait the Texans will value.
Also important: his mouth.
With the departure of wide receiver Andre Johnson and center Chris Myers, the locker room saw the loss of a combined 22 seasons of NFL experience.
Wilfork brings in more than a decade's worth of time in the League, and there's the expectation that he'll be a vocal leader in addition to leading by example. He was a captain in New England for the past seven years, and anything he'll say will carry a lot of weight, figuratively-speaking.
Being a leader is something he's already on the record as embracing. Further, he recognized how youthful this Texans bunch is, and Wilfork is ready to take on the task of showing, and telling, how
things are done.
"It's a young, exciting team to be around," Wilfork said. "My goal is just to bring leadership, bring a lot of fun, and bring a lot of experience. I'm not a coach by no means, but at the same time, I've been on another level where I've won a lot of games and won Super Bowls. If guys want to know what it takes or how it feels, I'm here for that."
It will be fun to see how much some of the younger defensive linemen grow in 2015 and beyond. How much of that is due to Wilfork's words and deeds remains to be seen, but no matter what, he'll be a key cog in the progress of the Texans.
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Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork's NFL career is chronicled.
