The Texans continued a busy offseason Friday by hosting free agent linebacker D.D. Lewis. Lewis has spent the last five seasons in Seattle with his best season coming during Seattle's run to Super Bowl XV in 2005.
Lewis notched 62 tackles for the Seahawks that season while starting all 12 games he played in.
An Aldine native, Lewis would relish a chance to play for the Texans.
"It's a wonderful feeling," Lewis said of the possibility of suiting up for the Texans next season. "I always come down to visit. I know about the Houston Texans. It's just a wonderful opportunity just to think about the possibility of coming back and playing in your hometown in front of your friends and family.
"I grew up here. It's a good organization that is on the rise and coming up. I'm really excited about the possibility."
If signed, Lewis would join Danny Clark and Shawn Barber as new faces in the Texans' linebacker corps.
He could also be another player with playoff experience to be added to the Houston roster this offseason. Each player Houston has inked to free-agent pacts this year has played in the NFL's second season.
"For me, being able to go to the Super Bowl even though we didn't win, I was there to see the whole city come around as far as coming to a winning organization and I can see that with this city," Lewis said. "For me, I'm a born leader, a natural leader, and the obstacles that I've been through, I know I can bring a lot to this team."
Lewis has studied the Texans and likes what he sees from a young, passionate defense with a young player Lewis wouldn't mind playing next to.
"You see it in a guy like DeMeco Ryans," Lewis said of the passion of the Houston defense. "He stepped up and played big. I was really happy for him…Just to step in and play big for the city and for the team. I see a lot of things like that. I talked to the coaches and they gave me a lot of their objectives for the defense.
"It was just one of those things where I was sitting back and listening and taking in everything. I believe this defense can do a lot of things."
Thanks to Ryans, Lewis likely wouldn't see much action in the middle if signed by Houston, but his versatility is something that is attractive to Houston as well as his other NFL suitors.
"I play all three (linebacker positions)," Lewis said. "I played in nickel and dime situations. Basically try to do it all, I've got the head for it."
Lewis is coming off a season in which he played in just five games for Seattle. He also missed the entire 2004 season, so is this a case of buyer beware or is Lewis finally healthy?
"Most definitely," he said. "I'm running, cutting and everything."
Friday, it sounded as if Lewis was ready to move home. He said his meetings with the Houston front office over the past two days were informative.
"I took a lot out of it," Lewis said. "We all know that this is a business deal, but my passion for the city, I'm a Houston native and I love the city with all my heart. It's a great chance to be able to play here and it would be great for me."
Lewis said he had other visits lined up, but seemed anxious to get a deal signed with the Texans. Nothing is for certain and in the end he has to look out for the people that matter to him most.
"Yes, we'll see," Lewis said of possibly of inking a deal before leaving town. "Like I said it's always a business. I have a family and a beautiful wife and kids, so as always you have to take care of your family."
