USA Today Team Report - HOUSTON TEXANS

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Inside Slant
Dave Ragone once went through an entire 7-on-7 drill without completing a pass, which takes some trying.
There had been little progress in Ragone, a left-handed throwing quarterback from Louisville selected in the third round of the 2003 draft, that there were whispers the team might dump him.

So he went to Europe this offseason out to prove his critics wrong. In the process, Ragone's stock is on the rise after capturing NFL Europe's Offensive Most Valuable Player for guiding the Berlin Thunder to the World Bowl.

Ragone finished the regular season as the league's highest-rated passer in the NFL's developmental league with a rating of 97.1, 15 points higher than the closest competitor. He also leads the league in passing yards (1,698), touchdown passes (13) and completion percentage (62.9).

Ragone has thrown just two interceptions in a league-high 178 pass attempts and has a streak of 131 passes without a pick.

Ragone needs to extend his streak by 25 passes to tie Ron Powlus' five-year-old league record.

"Coming over here, I knew I wasn't playing the highest NFL-caliber (competition), but that wasn't a big concern for me," Ragone said. "It was more about being able to prove to myself that I could lead a team to win.

"It's not the Super Bowl, but any time you're playing for a championship, I don't care if it's pool, golf or tennis, it can only help you down the road."

The Texans decided against sending Ragone overseas after his rookie season, choosing to let him get experience in the team's system during offseason workouts in Houston. A year later, Texans coach Dom Capers and offensive coordinator Chris Palmer huddled and decided the only way for Ragone to make significant progress was to get some extended playing time.

Other than a brief two-game cameo appearance as a rookie due to injuries, Ragone has been the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart behind David Carr and Tony Banks. His performance likely gives him the upper-hand in the expected training camp competition with B.J. Symons for the No. 3 job. Ragone also has improved his positioning to take over the backup job in the future with Banks signing on a year-to-year basis.

"It's hard to tell if you're progressing," Ragone said. "You sit the whole time, and you just wonder."

Ragone still wants a shot to be the No. 1 quarterback for an NFL team. His performance in NFL Europe could open the door for a trade. Or teams could just wait. Ragone will be a restricted free agent after this season and an unrestricted free agent after 2006.

"Naturally, you think about that stuff, but to be honest I told myself, that's the last thing I was going to be concerned about," Ragone said. "We talked about coming over here and getting better."

NOTES, QUOTES

—The Texans signed free agent wide receivers Kevin Kasper and LaTarence Dunbar.

Kasper has 24 career catches for 297 yards and three touchdowns. He has played for four teams in four seasons, most recently the Patriots.

Dunbar was released by the Browns in training camp last season after playing in five games for the Falcons in 2003.

—"It was like the first day of training camp my rookie year. We didn't know anything." — Texans quarterback David Carr on taking classes this offseason to learn more about Type 1 diabetes, which his oldest son, Austin, was diagnosed with in February.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "There are a couple things in life I'm good at. This isn't one of them. I think I swing the golf club better." — Offensive lineman Chester Pitts after taking practice prior to a Houston Astros game on June 10. Quarterback David Carr won the competition with seven home runs.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: LB Marcus Bell; C/LS Dennis O'Sullivan (not tendered as RFA).

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED: LB D.D. Acholonu; RB Jason Anderson; QB Tony Banks; FB Jarrod Baxter; CB Jason Bell; WR Corey Bradford; OG Milford Brown; NT Jerry DeLoach; OG Brandon Evans; LB Troy Evans; DT Junior Ioane; OT Garrick Jones; TE Matt Murphy; FB Moran Norris; LB Shantee Orr; NT Seth Payne; LS Bryan Pittman; LB DaShon Polk; DE Corey Sears; DB Jason Simmons; RB Jonathan Wells.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED: CB Phillip Buchanon; LB Frank Chamberlin; LB Morlon Greenwood; WR Kevin Kasper; LB Zeke Moreno; OT Victor Riley; TE Marcellus Rivers; CB Lewis Sanders; DT Daleroy Stewart; WR Reggie Swinton.

PLAYERS LOST: S Eric Brown; LB Jay Foreman; CB Aaron Glenn; DB Marlon McCree; WR/KR J.J. Moses; LB Jamie Sharper; OT Marcus Spears; CB Kenny Wright.