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2019 Texans Training Camp / Preseason

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by J.R., Jul 21, 2019.

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Texanstradamus Member

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So Matt Khalil is the leader to be the left tackle... I guess if he can be average that’s something

#61 Texanstradamus, Jul 30, 2019

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J.R. Member

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#62 J.R., Jul 30, 2019
gucci888 Contributing Member

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Texanstradamus said: ↑

So Matt Khalil is the leader to be the left tackle... I guess if he can be average that’s something
Click to expand...

Apparently Howard is now getting some reps at LT so think it's a combination of bringing him along slowly as well as seeing what Khalil can do.

#63 gucci888, Jul 30, 2019

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zeeshan2 Member

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#64 zeeshan2, Jul 30, 2019

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Texanstradamus said: ↑

So Matt Khalil is the leader to be the left tackle... I guess if he can be average that’s something
Click to expand...

If he's avg that will be a huge upgrade and the OL will be avg or better next yr.

#65 raining threes, Jul 30, 2019

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conquistador#11 Member

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Where do I sign? I'll take an average o-line right now.

#66 conquistador#11, Jul 30, 2019

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zeeshan2 Member

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1. The Texans’ overhauled secondary sounds like a unit that knows it has its share of doubters as Houston prepares to face perhaps the NFL’s toughest slate of opposing quarterbacks. Following a rough first season in Houston, slot corner Aaron Colvin said he’s ready to "serve, anyway I can." As for how, he said: "I’d really rather show you on Sunday." And new cornerback Bradley Roby, perhaps the biggest X-factor in whether the secondary improves from last year, is embracing the idea of playing on a one-year, prove-it deal: "I’ve had pressure all my life," he said. "Pressure makes diamonds. It all depends on how you look at it." It’s hard to know whether any of it will ultimately mean much. Absences Houston has dealt with at the start of camp have prevented us from getting a look at the entire secondary working together. After being part of a car accident just before camp, second-year defensive back Justin Reid didn’t come off the non-football injury list until Monday. So Houston’s new set of starting safeties, Reid and Tashaun Gipson, have only had one training camp practice together, and it wasn’t even in pads. Then there’s second-round pick Lonnie Johnson, who missed much of the offseason program with an undisclosed injury and was sidelined for Monday’s practice. Coach Bill O’Brien said he expects the rookie to be back "very soon." In the reps we have seen so far, Johnson, who has matched up one-on-one against DeAndre Hopkins, has shown the physicality he plays with as Houston’s biggest corner. But he also appears prone to mental mistakes, letting his eyes wander and his man sneak away. Colvin hasn’t stood out, but even if he had, a few practices wouldn’t wipe his reputation in Houston completely clean. And Roby clearly has the speed the Texans wanted to add to their secondary, but Houston might still need to add more of it. Nearing his ninth season in Houston at age 35, Johnathan Joseph has become a go-to resource for the new members of the secondary, Roby said. But Joseph is also one of the team’s primary corners, and at this stage of his career, his ability to keep up with speedier receivers has to be a concern. Romeo Crennel will protect Joseph from ever matching up against a wideout as fast as Will Fuller in an actual game, but Houston might still reasonably explore adding another corner via trade or the free agent market. The team has the cap space.

2. The competition for the backup outside receiver job appears to be a tight one between Vyncint Smith and undrafted rookie Tyron Johnson. If both continue to play well enough, the roster might expand to six receivers, instead of the expected five. O’Brien indicated that was a possibility on Monday, when he said that, of the receivers, "number four, five, six and even number three to a certain degree have to be able to contribute on special teams." Smith, who made the 53-man roster last year out of Division II Limestone College, said he hopes his improved knowledge of the offense in his second professional season will allow him to process what’s happening during plays without overanalyzing, which sometimes slowed him down and caused him to fret over mistakes last season. "We’ll see how he does in the games, but he’s become a better route runner," O’Brien said of Smith. "He knows our system better, and it’s all about just being consistent with Vyncint, coming out here every single day and trying to get better from where he was the previous day. As for the rookie: Former Texans star and current special adviser to the head coach Andre Johnson has pulled Tyron Johnson aside at practices to offer advice. The former All-Pro has helped the young receiver better understand the nuances of routes against various coverages. "You can run a route, but you run it a hundred different ways," said Tyron Johnson, who played at Oklahoma State after transferring from LSU. "(Andre Johnson) just teaches me how to run my route, who to run my route off of against different coverages. It’s just understanding defense, getting ready for gametime."

3. Punt and kick returns in preseason games might make a difference in the competition at receiver. Smith and Johnson have practiced as both gunners and returners. The team’s current top return man, DeAndre Carter, hasn’t participated in camp yet, but no one has differentiated himself in his absence. Maybe that’ll change starting with the preseason game against the Packers. Keke Coutee, former practice squad member Steven Mitchell, recent waiver pickup Chad Hansen and undrafted rookie Johnnie Dixon are the other receivers who have practiced as return men. If Houston parted with Carter, the team would need a new backup to Coutee in the slot. Of the candidates, Mitchell and Dixon best fit that role.

4. Second-year pro Martinas Rankin hasn’t played center during camp. Even with starter Nick Martin currently injured, those snaps have gone to Greg Mancz and Zach Fulton. Why does this matter? O’Brien and his staff have clearly determined Rankin, who started a few games at left tackle last season, is now exclusively a guard. And that relative lack of versatility must be considered when analyzing the roster crunch that should incur along the interior offensive line. The team likely will keep just eight or nine blockers on the 53-man roster, and as of now Matt Kalil, Julién Davenport, Tytus Howard, Seantrel Henderson, Max Scharping, Martin and Fulton appear in good standing. That leaves Mancz, Rankin and last year’s starting left guard, Senio Kelemete, competing for the final two spots. The team is unlikely to let go of Rankin so early into his career, but if he can’t play center, the Texans will probably want to keep Mancz on their bench. Kelemete looks like the odd man out. The final two years of Kelemete’s contract carry a total of $2.25 million in dead money.

5. Young tight ends Jordan Thomas and Kahale Warring are both out with undisclosed injuries, and in their absences, two players with limited odds to make the 53-man roster have impressed. Jerrell Adams, a member of last year’s practice squad, has made some of the best contested catches of camp. And 33-year-old Darren Fells has received plenty of opportunities with typical first-stringers to show what he adds as a blocking tight end, the sort of player Houston’s offense missed last season. "Those guys have made that a very competitive position," O’Brien said. We’ll have to wait and see if they’ve done enough to stick around for the regular season. Ever since Houston drafted Warring in the third round and fullback Cullen Gillaspia in the seventh round, Fells’ chances of serving as the team’s fourth tight end seemed slim. But the start of camp has turned out to be the best-case scenario for him to make his case.

6. About nine months removed from tearing an ACL against the Dolphins in Week 8, Will Fuller has looked as good as the Texans could have hoped. O’Brien had previously expressed optimism that Fuller would be ready to play by Week 1, and after about a week of camp, there’s no reason to doubt that will happen. Fuller appears to have no restrictions on him during practices, and the speed that made him a first-round pick is still there. Talent has never been the question for Fuller, who, before the ACL tear, was having the best season of his professional career. He just needs to stay healthy. When he met with reporters last week, he expressed hope that injury concerns won’t linger into the rest of a lengthy career. "I’m only in year four, so I want to play a long time," he said. "I’m just trying to get back to my normal self."

7. Who will be the team’s fifth inside linebacker? Houston has its starters in Zach Cunningham and Benardrick McKinney, and it has a pair of backups/special team contributors in Dylan Cole and Peter Kalambayi. But there’s space for one more man. The competition appears to be between Tyrell Adams, who spent part of last season on Houston’s practice squad, and Xavier Woodson-Luster, who joined the team after impressing during a tryout at rookie camp. Woodson-Luster has stood in pass coverage. Defending third-down back Josh Ferguson, he batted down a pass and intercepted another in the same practice. Whichever of the two doesn’t make the 53-man roster will have practice squad eligibility and could stick around that way.

8. The Texans are looking to replace outside linebacker Duke Ejiofor, who will miss all season with a ruptured Achilles. So far, no strong candidate has emerged. Davin Bellamy, a member of last year’s practice squad, has received reps with some of the typical first-teamers, but he hasn’t done enough to stand out. This could be a position Houston looks to add to when the entire league trims rosters.

9. Scharping, a second-round pick, is competing with Zach Fulton for the starting right guard job. So far, Scharping, a collegiate tackle, has shown he possesses the strength to play inside but sometimes struggles with the speed of the game on the interior. J.J. Watt has burst by him, but Watt has blown by plenty of veterans, too. "I think it’s a hard jump when you come from Northern Illinois to the Houston Texans," O’Brien said of Scharping. "Believe me, I have all due respect for Northern Illinois, but you’re lining up across from D.J. Reader and J.J. Watt and guys like that. It’s a big jump. But Max approaches every day in a very mature way. He’s a very mature guy who works very hard. We’re moving him around. He’s played center, he’s played guard, he’s played tackle. Smart guy, works extremely hard. We see a guy that has a good future."
Click to expand...

#67 zeeshan2, Jul 30, 2019

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Continued:

10. Sixth-round pick Xavier Crawford, a cornerback out of Central Michigan, has not stood out on defense. He’ll have to excel on special teams during the preseason to secure a roster spot.

11. Houston’s seventh-round pick, fullback Cullen Gillaspia, should make the team because of his special teams ability, but O’Brien envisions a small role for him on offense, too. Gillaspia has received reps with Deshaun Watson and other typical offensive starters. He appears to be the team’s best blocking back, as he should be, and he has proven to have decent hands, too. He’s made some contested catches, including one that caused him to crash into a garage door when the team practiced inside its bubble.

12. Pass rushing depth beyond Watt and Jadeveon Clowney could be a concern for Houston, especially if the Texans continue to primarily drop Whitney Mercilus into coverage. Fifth-round pick Charles Omenihu’s long arms batted down a pass in practice, but he otherwise hasn’t been too disruptive. Neither have Joel Heath or Carlos Watkins, who are also competing for roles.

13. When the Texans fired general manager Brian Gaine, the franchise’s new executive vice president of team development, Jack Easterby, seemed to pop up in every story about the front office shakeup. After coming from New England, where he was the Patriots’ character coach, Easterby has become a trusted adviser to O’Brien. But what exactly does he do? "Jack is just what his title says," O’Brien said in June. "He is executive vice president of team development, and he helps in all areas of the team. He helps me with the team. He helps in the different departments around the team, the departments that work with the team, obviously the training room, equipment room. He helps me with putting in processes to really help the duties of each department relative to the team. It’s all about the team and how can we improve the team and Jack has been an excellent addition to the organization."‘ At training camp, it’s at least become clear that Easterby wants to interact with players, not just stand quietly on the sidelines as a powerful observer. During the early portions of practices, he’s been on the field while players receive instruction from assistant coaches.

14. Promoting Tim Kelly to offensive coordinator has allowed O’Brien spend more time with other parts of his team. But the head coach often still finds himself near Watson, even if he’s not offering much instruction while Watson works with Kelly and new quarterbacks coach Carl Smith. As Kelly continues to grow into his new role, perhaps O’Brien will allot allot his time differently.
Click to expand...

#68 zeeshan2, Jul 30, 2019

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zeeshan2 said: ↑

Continued:
Click to expand...

John McClain faints.

#69 CrazyJoeDavola, Jul 30, 2019

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cdain3 Member

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If Gillaspia is getting any kind of meaningful reps we're ****ed.

#70 cdain3, Jul 30, 2019

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cdain3 said: ↑

If Gillaspia is getting any kind of meaningful reps we're ****ed.
Click to expand...

Or he's actually a good athlete that's showing well in camp. We could use a versatile fullback.

#71 Omihall23, Jul 30, 2019
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#72 zeeshan2, Jul 30, 2019
Mr.Scarface Member

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zeeshan2 said: ↑

Click to expand...

But NO! Penn is the ANSWER at Tackle for the Texans!

#73 Mr.Scarface, Jul 30, 2019

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What is wrong with Martin? How did he get injured?

#74 solid, Jul 30, 2019
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#75 J.R., Jul 31, 2019
Last edited: Jul 31, 2019
zeeshan2 Member

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Quick thoughts from today. More on the site later. Really got to see the #Texans heat up the OTs today. Seantrel Henderson had issues and Matt Kalil held his own. Still have to worry about long term for the season if they can hold up.

— patrick (@PatDStat) July 31, 2019

Whitney Mercilus and J.J. Watt and still heat up the edges in their pass rush. Those two have power and speed. Always good to see them get work on their pass rush. #Texans

— patrick (@PatDStat) July 31, 2019

I thought the offensive line held their own in short yardage situations. Defense won some reps as did the offense. Not one side really dominated. That is a good sign imo for the offensive line who struggled in the trenches last season. #Texans

— patrick (@PatDStat) July 31, 2019

#76 zeeshan2, Jul 31, 2019

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Two Sandwiches Contributing Member

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zeeshan2 said: ↑

Click to expand...

Texans don't have a GM, so we're not one of the teams that think he is washed up.

Signing imminent.

#77 Two Sandwiches, Jul 31, 2019

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Bill O'Brien said Tytus Howard day off little banged up back to practice Saturday

Bill O'Brien on Jordan Thomas, who is sidelined with hamstring, 'He needs to get out here'

Bill O'Brien on Brandon Dunn 'Dunnie is a grinder. Has really improved'

Bill O'Brien on Matt Kalil 'I think he works hard, very athletic, really smart, he is doing a good job'

Aaron Colvin, who went inside trainer room, returned and finished practice

#78 J.R., Aug 1, 2019
Last edited: Aug 1, 2019

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Rockets trade for Russell Westrbook. Astros trade for Zack Greinke. The Texans give 35 year old Jonathan Joseph a pay raise and draft an Alabama State offensive linemen in the first round.

LOSER organization.

#79 AstrosRockets1818, Aug 1, 2019

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AstrosRockets1818 said: ↑

Rockets trade for Russell Westrbook. Astros trade for Zack Greinke. The Texans give 35 year old Jonathan Joseph a pay raise and draft an Alabama State offensive linemen in the first round.

LOSER organization.
Click to expand...

They have 82m in cap next year. Get ready for fireworks lol

#80 Fulgore, Aug 1, 2019

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