Chron: Texans hope Gaffney can take pressure off Johnson

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3227881

By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Texans wide receiver Jabar Gaffney stood with a script in his hands as the Texans went over one drill after another during the final minicamp practice Wednesday.

At one point, Gaffney tucked the script away and participated in one of the passing drills. But for the most part, the fourth-year receiver remained off to the side, helping coach the newcomers.

It's a scene the Texans hope doesn't continue when training camp begins July 30. Gaffney is rehabilitating his left shoulder, on which surgery was performed about two months ago to repair the rotator cuff. Early this week, coach Dom Capers said he did not expect Gaffney to be available at the start of training camp.

Gaffney said he has no doubt he will be ready, though, and the Texans hope he is right. With opponents expected to double-team Pro Bowler Andre Johnson again, the Texans need additional playmakers such as Gaffney on the field.

"Jabar made a lot of plays for us last year, especially on third downs," Johnson said. "So without him being there right now, other guys just have to step in and see if they can pick up some of that.

"But I'm pretty sure he'll be ready when it's time to come to Buffalo (in the season opener) and play."

Last season, Gaffney ranked sixth in the NFL for converting 82.9 percent of his receptions into first downs. His 41 catches tied his season high set in 2002, and his 632 receiving yards were a career high.

Patience a virtue

This year, Gaffney hopes his shoulder doesn't prevent him from building on that momentum. Because he didn't have surgery on the rotator cuff until two months ago, Gaffney, 6-1 and 205 pounds, understands he must be patient as it heals.

"It was something I was playing with during the season, and I kind of fell on it in the last game, and that's when it really started hurting," Gaffney, 24, said. "It was the kind of thing where it could have healed up on its own or I could have the surgery.

"At first, we were trying to go without the surgery. I could have probably gone without it, but it could have been a thing where if I took a lick on it, I could have injured it again. So I just went ahead and repaired it."

Gaffney said he will remain in Houston until training camp begins and continue his rehabilitation as well as try to get in shape. The Texans will then wait to see how quickly Gaffney can return to his former self on the field.

The Texans have changed their offensive schemes in hopes of freeing up Johnson, but the other wide receivers will be critical to the team's success.

"Whatever (opponents) take away, if you're going to be a good offense, you have to be able to redirect and take advantage of what they give you," Texans wide receiver coach Kippy Brown said. "So what we're striving for is to have some balance.

"There will be some games when they will try to take Andre away or do take Andre away, and there's nothing you can do but have somebody else make plays."

Top four return

The Texans return their top four receivers. Johnson led the team with 79 receptions, Gaffney finished with 41, Derick Armstrong had 29, and Corey Bradford had 27.

Rookie Jerome Mathis has made strides in camp, as have Reggie Swinton and Kendrick Starling.

Armstrong proved to be a reliable playmaker for the Texans in only his second pro season. He converted 21 of his 29 receptions into first downs.

Bradford's numbers have steadily dropped since 2002, but Brown said he sees that trend possibly changing this season.

"Corey has had an excellent camp, made a lot of catches and made a lot of plays," Brown said. "I think he's a better football player right now than he has been since he's been here.

"I think Jabar has to get back in football shape, and I think he can have as good a year as he's had since he's been here because he's gotten better. He's gotten more experience."

Shoulder the load

That will, of course, depend on Gaffney's shoulder. Now entering his fourth season, Gaffney said he is more than ready to take another step up. Despite his finishing second on the team in receptions last year, there was a four-game stretch in which Gaffney had only two catches. He hopes to change that this year.

"I want to be a bigger part of the offense, get my catches up, more yards, more touchdowns," Gaffney said. "I feel like if I do that, it can only help us get better and take some of the attention away from Andre and free him up more."


megan.manfull@chron.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Texans Summary

Call to duty

Texans rookie defensive back C.C. Brown was excused from the final minicamp practice Wednesday because of obligations that arose with his National Guard unit in Mississippi. Brown's unit has not been called to duty overseas, but is one of the National Guard units prepared to go to Afghanistan if needed. The Texans said they do not expect Brown to be deployed.

"Through our research — again, you never say never — but the chances are remote," Texans coach Dom Capers said. "We plan on him being here with us. This is something we've known about. He just had to go home and take care of business."

Brown is the Texans' sixth-round draft selection from Louisiana-Lafayette. The Texans were aware Brown was part of the National Guard before the draft.

"That didn't enter into it at all," Capers said. "When you have a chance to get a young man with that talent where we got C.C. Brown, I'd jump up and do it again 10 more times."

No summer vacation

The Texans were dismissed from minicamp Wednesday afternoon and do not have to report to training camp until July 29. The coaching staff doesn't expect too many players will take a six-week vacation, though.

Conditioning tests will be held when all players return, and coach Dom Capers said he hasn't had problems with players reporting out of shape.

"I'm not concerned at all, because they know the structure," Capers said. "Every guy will get weighed in. They all have a reporting weight. Over the first three years, we've really not had any issues because they know what's expected of them when they come back. A large majority will work out here with our strength and conditioning coaches. And the guys that aren't here, know there is a standard that when they come back in that they're going to have to run those 14 40s."

Odds and ends

Defensive end Robaire Smith was at Reliant Park on Wednesday but he did not participate in any team drills. Smith sprained his neck in a collision during practice Tuesday, but coach Dom Capers said all signs indicate Smith will be fine by camp. ... The Texans cut three players Wednesday: punter Curtis Ansel, offensive tackle Sam Lightbody and strong safety David Young.

-- MEGAN MANFULL