It is still hard to believe that the Houston Texans landed Vince Wilfork as their starting nose tackle. The Texans received a big boost, landing the veteran presence in the middle.

Drafted in 2004 in the first round (21st overall,) Wilfork has been a staple for the New England Patriots, anchoring their defense for 11 seasons. His only real injury issue came in 2013 when he tore his Achilles in week 4 limiting him to only four games played, but he made a big impact in 2014 as he won a Super Bowl with the Patriots.

Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick said the following on Wilfork, “There may have never been anyone at his position with as much strength, toughness, intelligence, instinctiveness and athleticism. He is the best defensive linemen I ever coached…”

That is heavy praise coming from Belichick. Now the Texans get to see what the big man adds to their own defense in 2015.

Wilfork’s Stats table.tableizer-table { border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #ccc; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } YearTeamGPCOMBTOTALASTSACKFFFRFR YDSINTIR YDSAVG IRLNG IRTDPD 2004NE164227152.0020000003 2005NE165440140.5010000001 2006NE135040101.0010000001 2007NE164836122.0010000002 2008NE166645212.0000000001 2009NE134331120.0100000002 2010NE165746112.0010000002 2011NE165229233.5120247242805 2012NE164829193.0242000006 2013NE49450.0000000000 2014NE164724230.0000111102 TotalTotal14251635116516.041223482529025

The Rundown

What He Brings

Romeo Crennel values the nose tackle position and with Wilfork, he is adding a guy who is more than a run-only player. Wilfork can contribute in base personnel, as well as nickel and dime packages, as needed. His footwork is above average for his age and he is tough to move off his spot in the run game. Add in some pass rush skill for his 325 plus frame, Wilfork will make life much better for linebackers playing behind him.

Not to mention, his presence will bring more leadership to a franchise that is trying to use parts of the Patriots model to create their own identity in Houston. Wilfork is a big splash for the Texans in free agency but also in team morale landing a player that is still one of the top interior defenders in the NFL.

Versatility

Wilfork has a good enough skill set to line up at any of the interior positions on the defensive line. He played the zero (shaded to either side of the center), 1, 2i, 2, 3i, 4i and 5 technique. He is best suited as a nose tackle, controlling the A gaps (gaps to either side of the center) and he plays here at a high level.

Despite critics feeling Wilfork can not be a two gap defender, he can still do that efficiently. He holds up well against the double team and offenses try to get Wilfork on the move as a defender but he is a hard body to move and get off his spot. Wilfork has shown he can be easy to zone block in some cases and getting him to move laterally makes him an easy target to get on the ground.

Run Game

Vince Wilfork is a tough man to move when teams try the power game against him. He has shown that he can take on double teams and give little ground. Single blocking him is not the best option for offenses, and there are plenty of free running defenders behind him making plays while he draws the attention of the offense.

When Wilfork get tired, he has trouble staying low and can be moved with ease. This is common for someone his size and the Texans will have to find ways to keep him fresh on the field.

Pass Rush

Wilfork, surprisingly, has the skill to push the pocket with his size as a defender and his footwork helps the cause. He has room to improve his hand game some more, but he is able to stay on the field in passing situations. This helps because he assists in defending the run in pass heavy formations.

Final Thoughts

Wilfork is not the player he once was but he has enough in the tank to help make a difference with the defense. The Texans need someone to come in and start day one at nose tackle, someone they can depend on, and that is Wilfork. He also gives the defense another big body who is more than just a run stuffing player. Crennel places a lot of value in the nose tackle position, and Wilfork is a player who can do a little bit of it all on the interior of the defense.

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