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Tag: Nick Caserio

  • Texans GM Nick Caserio — Three Best and Worst Moves – Houston Press

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    Well, yesterday I said that the Houston Texans’ early bye week gives us a chance to generate report cards on the coaching staff. With no game to discuss, why not discuss the previous five games? I suppose then that the same sentiment could apply to the general manager, Nick Caserio.

    This article is not necessarily a letter grade for Caserio, but instead a summary of his 2025 offseason and the effect it’s had on the actual 2025 regular season thus far. Let’s do look at where Caserio’s offseason has had a positive impact, and conversely, where his moves fell short. Here we go:

    BEST MOVES

    3. Chubb and Speed “prove it” deals

    The Texans are starting to accumulate more and more expensive “second contract” player, most notably Derek Stingley and Jalen Pitre last spring, Next spring, it’s expected that Will Anderson and C.J. Stroud will join them. As a result, Nick Caserio will need to sign veterans looking to prove themselves on one-year deals. This season, thus far, running back Nick Chubb (1 year, $2.5 million) and linebacker E.J. Speed (1 year, $3.5 million) fit that bill, as both have made contributions well beyond their contract totals. 

    2. Jake Andrews signing

    Since he will never tell, we have no way of knowing exactly how deep in the expensive free agent market Caserio chose to dive, in terms of offers or assessment. The only thing we know about is with whom the Texans ended up. Jake Andrews was a street free agent with some history with offensive line coach Cole Popovich back at the University of Troy in 2022. Andrews had started one game in the NFL when the Texans signed him. Thus far, it’s worked out pretty well, as Andrews has been a solid center, supplanting last season’s incumbents, Juice Scruggs and Jarrett Patterson.

    1. Ed Ingram trade 

    Similarly,  Caserio chose to try to fill one of the guard positions by trading a 6th round pick to Minnesota for Ed Ingram. That move has worked out even better than the Andrews signing, as Ingram has been rated the top guard in the sport by Pro Football Focus thus far for the entire 2025 season. Say what you will about PFF grades, but when you’re ranked first, at a minimum, it’s an indicator of solid play. 

    WORST MOVES

    3. Left guard approach

    While center and the right side of the offensive line have represented some feathers in Caserio’s cap, the left side of the line has been shaky, at best. We can live with Aireontae Ersery struggling at left tackle, as a rookie, although it’s shaky strategy starting a rookie in that spot. However, left guard has been a circus, with veteran free agent Laken Tomlinson handling the first couple games (and not well) and then Tomlinson and Juice Scruggs splitting time for a couple games, and finally, Scruggs taking over versus Baltimore, but not well. 

    2. Cam Robinson cap effect

    In March, the Texans signed Cam Robinson to a one year deal for up to $14 million. Robinson proceeded to get hurt during trading camp and Ersery took his job. Robinson never came close to reclaiming his job, and eventually he was traded to Cleveland, with the Texans absorbing the damage for the nearly $9 million in guaranteed money that the Texans signed gave him. 

    1. C.J. Gardner-Johnson cap effect

    It’s kind of wild to think back to the moment when C.J. Gardner-Johnson was injured in West Virginia at training camp. It looked like he was out for the season with a knee injury, and it felt significant at the time. I was there in person, and it was somber. Fast forward, and after the Texans’ 0-3 start they couldn’t cut Gardner-Johnson fast enough. He was a menace behind the scenes, and missed assignments galore on the field. Paying him around $8 million to lose three games for the Texans was suboptimal. 

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Sean Pendergast

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  • Four Thoughts on the Houston Texans Releasing C.J. Gardner-Johnson

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    Right now, the biggest thing failing the Houston Texans’ 2025 season is their 2025 offseason. With a couple of rare exceptions, every button that GM Nick Caserio has pushed leading up to this season is either stuck or has been the wrong button pushed.

    The offensive line, stocked with journeymen and a rookie left tackle, has been a disaster. This was the biggest area that needed fixing in the offseason, and it is far from fixed. The ripple effect has led to a subpar run game, and C.J. Stroud’s chances at a second contract teetering on the brink. To be fair, the offensive line, and the offense as a whole, may get better with time.

    On Tuesday, though, it was another category of failure in offseason decisions, as the team decided to release starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson just three games into the season. Gardner-Johnson was acquired in a trade for guard Kenyon Green, right before the Eagles were about to cut him for salary cap purposes.

    Caserio, likely with heavy input from DeMeco Ryans, decided to send Green (plus a Day 3 pick swap) to Philly, and inherit Gardner-Johnson’s contract, around $19 million over the remaining two years. The trade ensured that Gardner-Johnson, and his very mercurial personality, would be playing for his fifth different team in Week 1 over the last five seasons.

    In other words, C.J. Gardner-Johnson is a handful, and everybody knew it. The Texans took a swing, and they missed. Here are some of the particulars, and a few thoughts on the latest Texans fiasco in a season full of them, so far.

    How did we get here?
    Well, where to begin? Look, when a starter on an NFL team gets cut three weeks into the season, there is obviously something going on behind the scenes. While Gardner-Johnson had not played well in these three games (more on that in a moment), if it were just his level of play, he’d get benched, not cut. Therefore, it was not a surprise when multiple reports began rolling in, just minutes after the Texans released Gardner-Johnson, that he had been openly critical of teammates, complaining about one teammate’s contract, and requesting a trade. In short, Gardner-Johnson was checking every box for a guy you DO NOT want on an 0-3 football team. It was time to eject.

    What plays got him cut?
    In addition to the behind the scenes drama, Gardner-Johnson had multiple coverage busts (likely from choosing to go against the game plan) over the three games so far this season, where the end result of the plays contributed HEAVILY to losses, including the 46 yard catch and run by Brian Thomas to set up the Jags’ winning touchdown on Sunday:

    If you want a further breakdown of plays that Gardner-Johnson bungled against the Rams in Week 1, and the Bucs in Week 2, D.J. Bien-Aime of ESPN.com has you covered here:

    What’s the solution?
    In the short term, the Texans will move veteran M.J. Stewart into the starting lineup alongside Calen Bullock at safety. I would guess they will also elevate Myles Bryant and Jalen Mills from the practice squad this week. Longer term, the team could get rookie Jaylen Reed back from injured reserve in the coming weeks, and perhaps veteran safety Jimmie Ward, whose legal issues from an alleged domestic assault appear resolved, could return from the PUP list in the weeks to come. This is not ideal, but it’s not like Gardner-Johnson was giving them much in terms of quality play anyway.

    Are you having flashbacks?
    I’ll just let my tweet do the talking here:

    The Houston Texans host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at noon at NRG Stadium. Both teams are 0-3 to start the season.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • Four Thoughts on the Houston Texans’ Initial 53 Man Roster

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    After 24 hours of potential Houston Texans staring at their phones, hoping against hope that the phone would NOT ring (NOTE: If you’re getting cut, the team calls you to tell you.), on Tuesday afternoon, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and GM NIck Caserio settled on the 53 man roster for your hometown squad. Odds are that one or two of these spots will turn over before the end of the week, once the other 31 teams have made their cuts, and the Texans can sift through the recyclables.

    For now, here is the Texans’ 53 man roster:

    QB (3): C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills, Graham Mertz
    RB (5): Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale, British Brooks
    FB (0):
    WR (7): Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, Braxton Berrios, Justin Watson
    TE (2): Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover
    OL (9): Aireontae Ersery, Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, Ed Ingram, Tytus Howard, Cam Robinson, Blake Fisher, Juice Scruggs, Jarrett Patterson
    DE (5): Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Darrell Taylor, Derek Barnett, Dylan Horton
    DT (5): Tim Settle, Mario Edwards, Sheldon Rankins, Foley Fatukasi, Tommy Togiai
    LB (6): Azeez Al-Shaair, Christian Harris, Henry To’o To’o, E.J. Speed, Jake Hansen, Jamal Hill
    CB (4): Derek Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, Jaylin Smith, Tremon Smith
    S (4): Calen Bullock, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, M.J. Stewart, Jalen Pitre
    Spec (3): Tommy Townsend, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Austin Brinkman

    Here are a few thoughts on what went down on Tuesday morning and early afternoon:

    British Brooks makes the team AGAIN
    On my final version of the team’s 53 man roster prediction over the weekend, I had the team retaining Jakob Johnson as the hybrid fullback type. I was wrong. On Tuesday, the team cut Johnson and, for the second straight season, chose to keep Broooks on the 53 man roster. I should have seen this one coming. Brooks’ 2024 season did not end due to poor performance. It ended due to a season ending knee injury. Every time Brooks had a chance to show off in the preseason, he did just that, including big hits on special teams. With Joe Mixon out for four weeks, there is a chance Brooks factors into the running game in the first month of the season, and beyond.

    After trade rumors swirling, Nick Caserio did pull off a deal
    Throughout my radio show on Tuesday morning, there were multiple reports out there that the Texans were shopping veteran left tackle Cam Robinson in trade talks, possibly with the Chargers and Falcons, two teams that have lost starting tackles for the season due to injury. It appears that rookie Aireontae Ersery is going to start at left tackle for the Texans, so trading Robinson would have been justified. In the end, the team held onto Robinson, and somehow managed to pilfer a seventh round pick in 2027 from the Chargers for Austin Deculus, who was probably going to get cut.

    Jimmie Ward will head to the Commissioner’s Exempt List, due to his legal troubles
    Jimmie Ward’s legal situation is messy right now, to say the least. There are still open criminal charges against him in Montgomery County for domestic abuse involving the mother of his three year old child. Additionally, she has filed a civil lawsuit against Ward, with Tony Buzbee (remember him, Texan fans?) representing her. The Commissioner’s Exempt List is essentially a holding tank, where Ward is unable to practice or play, but still gets paid, while the league gathers information and the legal saturations play out. It’s not unexpected, but it’s also not ideal, for a team needing safety depth.

    If there’s one area of the team where Caserio is shopping around, it’s probably the secondary
    As of the final Tuesday 53-man roster, the Texans are sitting on just eight defensive backs — four cornerbacks and four safeties, with Jalen Pitre, who kind of does a little of everything, listed as a safety. Most teams carry at least nine defensive backs. I’m not surprised they only have eight, because the names beyond those on the roster were unimpressive. I do believe that the team will be active on the waiver wire at corners and safety.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • Houston Texans 53 Man Roster Prediction, FINAL VERSION

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    The final weekend of the NFL preseason is done, and now it’s on to guillotine sharpening season, as the 32 teams in the National Football League now must pare their rosters from 90 players down to the mandated 53 players. As Nick Caserio will point out, though, there is also the hope of bringing players who are cut back onto the 16 man practice squad, a key adjunct to the main roster.

    The cuts begin rolling in over the weekend. Take my word that I am generating this article early Sunday afternoon, before the Texans have made any cuts. The deadline line to get down to 53 is 3 p.m. this Tuesday, August 26. With that in mind, here is my prediction for the Texans’ 53 man roster. Here we go:

    QUARTERBACKS (2): C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills
    This is an easy one. The big question (well, okay, medium sized question) will be who the team keeps on the practice squad as the emergency quarterback, as both Kedon Slovis and rookie Graham Mertz had impressive showings on Saturday against Detroit.

    RUNNING BACKS (4): Nick Chubb, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale, Dameon Pierce
    Chubb has been running with the starters, in the absence of Joe Mixon. Woody Marks has stood out in camp and in games. The rookie absolutely factors into the equation. Ogunbowale is viewed as a reliable emergency back and a core special teams guy. Pierce is an interesting one, because I’m assuming Mixon starts the season on the PUP list, opening up this spot for Pierce. If Mixon were healthy, I think Pierce would be gone, likely traded.

    WIDE RECEIVERS (7): Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, Justin Watson, Braxton Berrios
    Seven is a lot at the receiver position, but the fact the likely kick and punt returners (Berrios and/or Noel) come from this group makes it easier to keep an extra guy.

    FULLBACK / TIGHT ENDS (4): Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover, Irv Smith, Jakob Johnson
    Schultz and Stover were locks. I have Irv Smith winning the battle with the newly acquired Harrison Bryant for the third tight end spot, with Johnson making the team as a hybrid fullback/tight end, in that order.

    OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Aireontae Ersery, Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, Ed Ingram, Tytus Howard, Cam Robinson, Blake Fisher, Jarrett Patterson, Juice Scruggs
    After all the conjecture of what would happen on the offensive line, including former second round picks Scruggs and Fisher perceived to be precariously close to being let go, we settle on these nine. Several new faces along the starting front, with Fisher, Scruggs, and Patterson anchoring the second layer on the depth chart.

    DEFENSIVE LINE (10): Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Darrell Taylor, Derek Barnett, Dylan Horton, Tim Settle, Sheldon Rankins, Foley Fatukasi, Mario Edwards, Tommy Togiai
    One key here is Denice Autry, a veteran who can play on the inside and outside, and who the Texans really like when he is healthy. The problem? He is not healthy all that often. If they start him on the PUP list, which I am assuming in this projection, it opens up a spot for Togiai or Horton.

    LINEBACKERS (5): Azeez Al-Shaair, Christian Harris, Henry To’o To’o, E.J. Speed, Jake Hansen
    Hansen survives again, over Nick Niemann and Jamal Hill, who I know they would love to have back on the practice squad, if this is how it plays out.

    CORNERBACKS (5): Derek Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, Jaylin Smith, Tremon Smith, Jalen Pitre
    I’m putting Pitre in this group, even though he is not a conventional slot corner. Tremon Smith makes the team over D’Angelo Ross. Jaylin Smith, a third round rookie, as the third cornerback is not ideal. This is one position where I could see the Texans making moves after they see who’s been cut by other teams.

    SAFETIES (4): Calen Bullock, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, M.J. Stewart, Myles Bryant
    This is another position where the Texans might look around the league after cutdown day. Jimmie Ward’s legal situation makes this room a little murky. Bryant makes it as a safety, but his versatility and ability to play slot corner gets him on the team. Rookie Jaylen Reed starts the season on the PUP list, unless they feel they can sneak him through waivers and bring him back on the practice squad.

    SPECIALISTS (3): Austin Brinkman, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Tommy Townsend
    This is usually one of the easiest groups to forecast, but Brinkman is dealing with some ailment right now, which is why Blake Ferguson was brought in last week. Ferguson was atrocious snapping in the win over the Lions. He will not be on this team. So if Brinkman is hurt, do they pick up another long snapper this week, and put Brinkman on injured reserve. If they do that, do you burn one of your eight returns from IR on a long snapper? Allowing Jon Weeks to walk in free agency is suddenly something that’s possibly coming back to bite the Texans in the ass.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • ESPN NFL Future Rankings Show Massive Progress Made By Houston Texans

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    There are several different reminders of what an outstanding job the team of Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans have done in rebuilding the roster, and putting the franchise in position to contend for a Super Bowl.

    There are any number of positional power rankings with scattered Texans listed, including the NFL Top 100, which will ultimately include six Houston Texans this season. The eye test works, too. Watch these Houston Texans at an open practice, and you don’t have to be a football fan to notice the ferocity and intensity they all bring to practice every day.

    One of my favorite exercises, though, that we see in the offseason is ESPN’s “Future Power Rankings,” in which ESPN ranks how all 32 teams are set up for future over the subsequent THREE seasons, by rating all 32 teams in the following categories — roster (other than quarterback), quarterback, head coach, and general manager. (NOTE: Up until 2023, they also included the draft as a data point.)

    Looking at ESPN’s results for this exercise over the last four years paints a picture of a fantastic rebuild. Here is the synopsis:

    2022 — 27th overall
    OVERALL ROSTER (minus QB) — 32nd
    QUARTERBACK – 25th
    COACHING – 28th
    DRAFT – 1st
    FRONT OFFICE – 15th

    2023 — 29th overall
    OVERALL ROSTER (minus QB) – 30th
    QUARTERBACK – 23rd
    COACHING – 25th
    DRAFT – 15th
    FRONT OFFICE – 32nd

    2024 — 6th overall
    OVERALL ROSTER (minus QB) – 5th
    QUARTERBACK – 5th
    COACHING – 7th
    FRONT OFFICE – 10th

    2025
    OVERALL ROSTER (minus QB) – 8th
    QUARTERBACK – 9th
    COACHING – 12th
    FRONT OFFICE – 10th

    Most of these trajectories make sense. Bill O’Brien left the roster in shambles after he was fired in 2020, so the roster being ranked 32nd and 30th in 2022 and 2023, respectively, before jumping into the top 10, makes sense. Similarly, until we knew what exactly the Texans had in C.J. Stroud, it made sense for that position to reside in the bottom quartile, before moving into the top 10. Same with coaching and DeMeco Ryans.

    The most interesting category is the front office, which basically means “Nick Caserio.” I’m guessing his 2022 score of 15th was largely based on the haul he got back for Deshaun Watson in the trade with Cleveland. Then, in 2023, Caserio plummeted to 32nd, dead last. This was obviously an atrocious job of evaluating the GM, because the roster went from 30th to 5th in one year. Caserio has since settled in as one of the better GM’s in football.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • The Difficulty in Making Changes on the Texans’ Beleaguered Offensive Line

    The Difficulty in Making Changes on the Texans’ Beleaguered Offensive Line

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    Seven games in, the Houston Texans sit at 5-2, which is a really good place to be, considering it’s their best record to start a season since 2012. Despite the solid overall record, there are still areas for Texans fans to worry about, if indeed this team aspires to compete for a Super Bowl. The offensive line is one of those areas.

    Hell, most Texan fans are just hoping the offensive line won’t get C.J. Stroud killed, let alone prevent a Super Bowl appearance. Sunday’s loss to Green Bay, which saw the offensive line allow relentless pressure from the Packers defense on Stroud, along with a near record setting ELEVEN tackles for loss in the run game, was the last straw for many fans.

    I host the team’s postgame radio show, as well as my own four hour weekday show on SportsRadio 610, and the question we get asked most often is “Can we please just trade [FILL IN NAME OF OFFENSIVE LINEMAN HERE] and move on?” Most often, it’s Laremy Tunsil that fans want to see shipped out, but others are catching heat, too.

    In the NFL, it’s not as simple as just trading a guy for the sake of trading him. The salary cap has real ramifications in these situations, especially with guys like Tunsil, Tytus Howard and Shaq Mason, who’ve all signed big extensions within the last year or so.

    So let’s try to get those of you who have that itchy trigger finger on the “trade this guy” gun a bit more informed. Here is how attached the Texans are contractually and emotionally to each of their five starting offensive linemen. I’ll preface this by saying that none of them are getting traded or cut in 2024, so even addressing that possibility is a waste of space.

    LT: LAREMY TUNSIL (CONTRACT)
    2025: $28.9M cap hit, $25M dead money
    Tunsil is public enemy number one on the offensive line for fans, even as he has done a nice job of cleaning up the barrage of penalties he was committing earlier this season. If the Texans were to move on from Tunsil in a trade next offseason — they would never cut him, he has too much value — they would save around $4 million against the cap in 2025. I think it’s more likely that Tunsil plays out this deal, and the Texans move on after 2026.

    LG: KENYON GREEN (CONTRACT)
    2025: $5.1M cap hit, $5.1M dead money
    Next year would be the fourth year of Green’s rookie contract, so the big question surrounding Green this coming offseason is whether the Texans opt into Green’s fifth year option in 2026. I would guess right now there is no way they will commit to another year of Green after 2025 right now. Imminently, Green is the one guy on this line who could be replaced as soon as next week, if the coaches choose.

    C: JUICE SCRUGGS (CONTRACT)
    2025: $1.7M cap hit, $0.7M dead money
    Scruggs in the second year of his rookie deal, his first year as a full time center, and he is going nowhere. The Texans moving on from Scruggs is not even worth speculating about.

    RG: SHAQ MASON (CONTRACT)
    2025: $14.7M cap hit, $12.5 dead money
    Mason has been the one player out of this group the team can count on to be available. Now, if he could just play better, that would be sweet! Like Tunsil, the team would experience a cap savings of a couple million bucks if they move on from him, in trade or a release, after the season.

    RT: TYTUS HOWARD (CONTRACT)
    2025: $23.1 M cap hit, $21.1M dead money
    Howard is the one guy here who I think could be gone after this season. The Texans drafted right tackle Blake Fisher out of Notre Dame for a reason. I never understood the extension the Texans gave Howard, and he most certainly does not play like a highly paid tackle. I could see the team taking the $2 million cap savings, plugging in Fisher, and moving on in 2025.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • NFL Preseason Week 3: Texans 17, Rams 15 — Four Winners, Four Losers

    NFL Preseason Week 3: Texans 17, Rams 15 — Four Winners, Four Losers

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    It’s been  long preseason and training camp for the Houston Texans, and anybody covering the Houston Texans. I’m not just talking about the near 100 degree heat every day at practice, but I’m talking in literal terms. The Texans started camp a week earlier than everyone else in the NFL (except the Bears), because of their participation in the Hall of Fame game.

    So you can feel it palpably — everyone is ready for the regular season to get here. In less than two weeks, the Texans will kick off the 2024 season in Indianapolis against he Colts, but before that there was one final audition for fringe players and possible practice squad bodies. In the final preseason game of 2024, the Texans defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 17-15.

    Here are your winners and losers from the final preseason game, as we wait for the final roster cutdown on Tuesday afternoon:

    WINNERS

    click to enlarge

    Can Akers had another big day, as he tries to make the Texans’ 53 man roster.

    Photo by Sean Thomas

    4. Can Akers
    The Texans brought in Akers a few days into camp, and he immediately made an impression, which was somewhat surprising given that he was coming off his second Achilles tear, an injury suffered during the 2023 regular season. When healthy, Akers has been more than capable as an NFL back, and he was very impressive in game action this preseason. On Saturday, Akers had 7 carries for 53 yards, including a few highlight reel plays. The Texans held their top three backs (Joe Mixon, Dare Ogunbowale, Dameon Pierce, more on this in a minute) out of the game, so Akers appears to still be battling for a spot on this team. I don’t know if he makes it, but he should.

    3. Neville Hewitt
    2. Henry To’o To’o
    I’ll bunch Hewitt and To’o To’o in one bullet point since they are part of the same position group. First, I think Hewitt had already secured a spot on this team before Saturday, but if we assume guys playing in that game were not 100 percent ON the team yet, then Hewitt locked down a spot. He’s already been one of the best special teams players on the Texans, but on Saturday, he was running around hitting people like a maniac on defense. Meanwhile, To’o To’o, in just his second season, managed to work his way onto the list of guys who don’t have to play in the final preseason game. Some of why To’o To’o was watching in street clothes may have been Christian Harris’ ongoing injury, and the need to keep To’o To’o healthy for Week 1, but either way, the second year linebacker has taken a big step forward in his second preseason.

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    John Metchie III has done enough to make the team.

    Photo by Sean Thomas

    1. John Metchie III
    Just two weeks ago, on the heels of two very quiet preseason games and some drop-plagued practices, many of us in the media were questioning Metchie’s spot on this team, especially amidst the deepest receiver room the team has had in years. However, Metchie broke out with a great game against the Giants last week (6 catches, 68 yards), and followed that up with a great week of practice and a couple of catches against the Rams, including this five star juke move:

    Metchie is a lock to make this team, and given his story as a cancer survivor, it’s nice to see.

    LOSERS

    4. Tim Boyle
    GM Nick Caserio had intimated on the team’s pregame show last week, before the win over the Giants, that Davis Mills is embedded as the backup quarterback, and there was a battle between Case Keenum and Tim Boyle for the third string. While Boyle did some nice things on Saturday, and while Keenum was not exactly sharp, Boyle needed a much bigger margin between the two, in all likelihood, to win that job. There are just certain things that Keenum brings in the way of leadership in the locker room and mentorship to C.J. Stroud that Boyle just can’t replicate.

    3. The whole Pierce situation
    So, as I said on the radio and in this space last week, I had no idea how the Pierce situation would play out in the game on Saturday. Pierce has looked lost in this offense for over a calendar year now, and yet, DeMeco Ryans seems to put Pierce’s lack of success on the blocking in front of Pierce. In short, he sees a much better version of Pierce right NOW than I have seen. So along comes Saturday’s game, and Pierce is not dressed for the game, a stats typically reserved for someone who’s made the team (or injured, Pierce is healthy). We will see what happens over the next couple days. Maybe Pierce is on his way to being traded, and the Texans wanted to keep him healthy. I just know that Pierce making the team over Cam Akers, if it does happen, is going to be the first real scenario that has people possibly upset with DeMeco Ryans.

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    Not a great day for Desmond King (25) who fumbled a punt.

    Photo by Sean Thomas

    2. Desmond King
    It feels like the Texans’ return game situation is still very much up in the air. Steven Sims is battling for that spot, and so is Desmond King, who is in his fourth training camp with the Texans. With Jalen Pitre kind of invading King’s spot at nickel cornerback on defense, King making an impression in the return game was going to go a long way toward making the team. Well, he made an impression, but not a favorable one. King badly muffed a punt, deep in Texans territory, in the first quarter, and set the Rams up for their first three points of the game. Not good for King.

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    This was a rare good moment for Troy Hairston in Saturday’s won over the Rams.

    Photo by Sean Thomas

    1. Troy Hairston
    While King’s day was marked by one BIG mistake, Hairston’s was a series of errors that should 100 percent keep him off the 53 man roster. Hairston is trying to make the team as the starting fullback, a position of need given incumbent starter Andrew Beck’s ongoing injury issues. In Hairston’s final audition to try to win the job, he had four holding penalties — FOUR! — and a couple missed blocks in the running game. Sure, he got into the end zone for a touchdown, but there are plenty of guys on this team who can catch an easy pass out of the backfield. None of them would get flagged for holding four times.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • Houston Texans 2024 Training Camp Report, Practice No. 7

    Houston Texans 2024 Training Camp Report, Practice No. 7

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    An entire NFL training camp consists of 21 total practices, so the Houston Texans hit the one third marker of the preseason amidst serious downpours of rain on Friday morning at the Methodist Training Center across the street from NRG Stadium. Thus, sloppiness and mistakes were, unfortunately, kind of a theme on Friday.

    Your practice report starts NOW…

    Rainy day equals Friday sloppiness
    There has been rainy weather practically every practice morning since training camp began over a week ago, but generally speaking, the rain has subsided by around 8:30 a.m., and the Texans have gotten in work with relatively dry conditions. Friday, this was not the case. Flood warning-level downpours occurred all morning long, including during practice, and it led to sloppy conditions, which lent itself to overall sloppy play. There were a slew of pre-snap penalties on Friday, and at one point, left guard Kenyon Green had to run a lap after a false start, which leads me to believe that he was a multiple time offender. The Texans will not play an outdoor game until Week 6, but it’s still productive to get bad weather work in. The most important things — (1) the soggy conditions don’t appear to have caused any injuries, and (2) the fans didn’t care about the rain, they showed up in droves again. It is a VERY lively camp with fans there.

    Tough cuts shaping up
    A third of the way into training camp, there are already some interesting roster decisions shaping up at the skill positions on the depth chart. Let’s take them one at a time:

    WIDE RECEIVER

    LOCKS: Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs
    NEAR LOCKS: John Metchie
    OTHERS: Noah Brown, Robert Woods, Ben Skowronek, Xavier Hutchinson, Steven Sims

    Typically, a team carries five, maybe six receivers. If the Texans roll with six, which I think they will, I would guess that Collins, Dell, Diggs, Metchie, and Brown, if all healthy, make the team, and that multiple guys out of Woods, Skowronek (who they traded for), Hutchinson (who showed promise as a rookie in 2023), and Sims (their best return guy) will be on the street. Deep group.

    RUNNING BACK

    LOCKS: Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce
    NEAR LOCKS: Dare Ogunbowale
    OTHERS: Cam Akers, Jahwar Jordan, JJ Taylor, British Brooks

    I have Ogunbowale making the team based on (1) special teams/emergency kicker chops and (2) he’s been getting reps with the first team in Mixon’s absence due to injury. Akers brings some veteran savvy, but is coming off a second Achilles tear. Jordan is a sixth round rookie, who’s shown some pop in camp. Brooks and Taylor have also flashed at times. They need to factor in a fullback here, as well, and if they overload at wide receiver or tight end, then there likely isn’t room for a fourth tailback.

    TIGHT END

    LOCKS: Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover
    NEAR LOCK: Brevin Jordan
    OTHER: Teagan Quitoriano

    This likely comes down to a simple choice — do they keep three tight ends or four? If they keep three, I think it’s a virtual lock that it’ll be Schultz, Stover, and Jordan. Jordan’s had a nice camp, so far, and I could see them moving him for a draft pick in a trade, if they trust Quitoriano’s health. Quatrain is a talented kid, but he’s had injury issues in both of his NFL seasons.

    Other notes and observations

    * Joe Mixon was back out at practice, but in T-shirt and shorts. He appeared to be moving okay. Metchie was back at practice after missing two days, and Laremy Tunsil was out again on Friday. Rookie Blake Fisher continued to get all the reps at first team left tackle.

    * Ka’imi Fairbairn had another stellar practice, making field goals from 53 and 60 yards. He did miss a 36 yarder.

    * If you’re going to any Texans practices over the next few days, go out of your way to watch receiver versus defensive back drills. The top three wide receivers for the Texans are cooking. Tank Dell does change-of-direction things that are not human. He puts guys into the figurative blender.

    * Best play of practice that I saw was a stretched out Ben Skowronek coming down with a Tim Boyle pass. Later in practice, Skowronek was in the middle of a skirmish with linebacker Max Tooley, making this the second straight Texans practice with some sort of dustup or kerfuffle.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • Four Thoughts on the Houston Texans 2024 NFL Draft Class

    Four Thoughts on the Houston Texans 2024 NFL Draft Class

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    When it comes to excitement on NFL Draft weekend, there may never be another weekend like last year, when the Texans selected C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson on back to back picks near the top of the draft. That’s awfully tough for any team to replicate, especially when you consider the early returns on those decisions.

    So for this past weekend, you already knew going in that things would be way more chill for Texans fans, especially with the team waiting until Friday night to make its first pick of the weekend, the 42nd overall pick. In the end, the best description for the Texans’ nine man draft class would be “solid and unspectacular,” and honestly, that’s good enough for where this team is right now.

    That said, a good hype video can even make the unspectacular feel spectacular, so here you go:

    Now that you’re appropriately juiced up, here are a few thoughts on the Texans’ rookie class they assembled over the weekend:

    A message for the folks angry the Texans didn’t draft a wide receiver….
    I saw plenty of upset Texans fans, particularly on Friday night after the second and third rounds, lamenting the fact that the “Texans didn’t get any weapons at wide receiver for C.J. Stroud!” Here is where I remind those people that the Texans DID use draft capital to acquire a weapon for Stroud — they moved back from the 23rd pick to the 42nd pick, and received a 2025 second round pick, which they then flipped for STEFON FREAKING DIGGS, who is a better weapon solution than anybody they could have drafted on Friday. Keep your eye on the ball, folks.

    I think people are going to really like Kamari Lassiter
    At the Texans downtown draft party on Friday night, there was some mild disappointment among Texans fans, when Alabama CB Kool Aid McKinstry went to the Saints one pick before the Texans’ selection. Lassiter, also a cornerback, was the next pick, and it was met with tepid applause from Texan fans who seemed to want McKinstry. Honestly, no disrespect to the fans at the party, but I think most of y’all just wanted a player named “Kool Aid.” If Lassiter’s name were Kool Aid Lassiter, you’d have cheered like the team won a playoff game. Anyway, Lassiter appears to be the exact type of personality that Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans are looking for, and if you don’t believe me, listen to his college coach at Georgia, Kirby Smart:

    The biggest surprise was the drafting of offensive lineman Blake Fisher
    I figured the Texans would draft an offensive lineman or two along the way, but I was mildly surprised that they used one of their premium picks on Fisher, who is a really good player, but tackle doesn’t feel like a big need, with Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard locked into new contract extensions they each signed last year. The flip side, though, is that the offensive line sustained a ton of injuries last season, and worst case, Fisher should provide high quality depth. It will be interesting o see if they give Fisher any reps at guard, or if he was drafted solely as a tackle.

    The most intriguing selection was Cade Stover
    I’m not just saying that because world famous streamer Sketch announced the pick, although that certainly didn’t hurt the intrigue:

    Stover, of course, was a teammate of C.J. Stroud’s for two years at Oho State, and he was one of the better tight ends in the country by the time his chose to head to the NFL. However, it’s his journey that makes him interesting. Stover was raised on a farm, a background he very much leans into. After playing running back in high school, he went to Ohio State and started out as a defensive end. He then flipped over to the offensive side of the ball in 2022, so he’s only been playing the tight end position for a couple seasons. In other words, there is a lot of untapped potential there.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • Houston Texans Re-Sign Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn to Three Year, $15.9 Million Deal

    Houston Texans Re-Sign Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn to Three Year, $15.9 Million Deal

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    Thus far, if we’ve learned anything since the Texans returned from the NFL Scouting Combine last week, it’s that the team is heavily focused on bringing back some fo their veteran free agents who would be hitting the open market next week. On Tuesday, it was tight end Dalton Schultz re-upping with the Texans on a three year, $36 million deal.

    On Wednesday, it was kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, signing a three year, $15.9 million deal to return to the team in 2024 and beyond, as first reported by ESPN.com’s D.J. Bien Aime:

    A few thoughts on the Texans checking off an important box on their offseason to-do list:

    Fairbairn is getting paid like one of the best, because he’s been one of the best
    The $5.3 million annual salary puts Fairbairn fourth on the list of kickers in the NFL, with Justin Tucker of Baltimore l leading the way at $6 million per year. The money for Fairbairn is well deserved. He converted 27 of 28 field goal attempts in 2023. Fairbairn missed five games with a  quad injury, but returned strong, and went 9 for 9 to close out the regular season. He went 2 for 3 in the playoffs. Fairbairn’s career field goal percentage of 87.1 percent ranks third among all kickers with at least 100 games played since 2017, and his 94.9 percent field goal conversation rate since 2020 ranks first among kickers who’ve played in at least 25 games. On kickoffs, he is a practically automatic touchback kicker. In short, Fairbairn has been excellent.

    Fairbairn’s injury in 2023 may have actually helped him get this deal done
    If there is one concern, though, it would be injuries. In the last three seasons, Fairbairn has missed nine games — four in 2021, and five in 2023. Ironically, though, Fairbairn’s missing games in 2023 may have actually helped the case to pay him, as the experience of trotting replacement kicker Matt Ammendola out there for each kick was a harrowing adventure. Absence certainly made the heart grow fonder of Fairbairn, and I would say the same thing about punter Cam Johnston, also a free agent, and how it felt trotting Ty Zentner out there for four games to start the 2023 season, while Johnston convalesced from a leg injury.

    Special teams is clearly a priority for the Texans
    While $5.3 million for a kicker may sound pricy, it does line up with the way the Texans prioritize special teams. They were among the highest spenders in the NFL on specialists in 2023, and if they re-sign Johnston, they likely shoot to the top of the list. The results, though, have been worth it, as Fairbairn and Johnston have been key contributors to some of the best special teams units in the league over the last few seasons. Spending in areas like the kicking game will likely always be a thing under GM Nick Caserio.

    The strategy is simple — we trust the ones we know
    DeMeco Ryans said it at the combine last week — the Texans place a heavy value on knowing players as PEOPLE, knowing how they react to adversity, and knowing how they fit in the team’s locker room. As a result, they will attempt to bring back as many GOOD players as they can. The re-signing of Fairbairn clings with this strategy. The question now is “Who’s next?”

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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  • 2024 NFL Draft Combine: Four Things for Houston Texans Fans to Watch For

    2024 NFL Draft Combine: Four Things for Houston Texans Fans to Watch For

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    In the tapestry of the 2024 NFL offseason, one of the most important offseasons in the Houston Texans’ franchise history, the road to the NFL Draft unofficially gets underway with the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama in mid-January. However, the crown jewel on the road to the draft in April is really this week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

    The Combine, of course, is the annual gathering whose ostensible purpose is to allow the 32 teams the chance to hyper examine several of the top college prospects in this spring’s draft, both via interview and via a series of inane, position specific drills. The real, largely unspoken of purpose of the combine is to provide a quasi-summit for all 32 front offices to talk, tamper, and lay the ground work for trades and for free agency in a few weeks.

    To that end, both Texans GM Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans are in Indy this week for the festivities. The spotlight isn’t shining nearly as brightly on the Texans’ draft maneuvers this year as in the previous two years. Picking 23rd overall and having your franchise QB in hand, as opposed to having the second overall pick and Davis Mills as your QB, will create that effect.

    That said, there are still plenty of reasons for Texans fans to keep an eye on things in Indianapolis and the news wire this week, all combine-related. Here are four of them:

    Ryans and Caserio WILL meet with the media
    Other than a few Caserio media stops at the Super Bowl, including one on my show on SportsRadio 610, we haven’t really heard from either Caserio or Ryans since just after the season ended in Baltimore. That will change this week, as head coaches and general managers from all 32 teams (at least those in attendance in Indy) will have a 15-minute session with national media. Ryans does his session at noon on Tuesday, and Caserio goes at noon on Wednesday. I would imagine the buzz around both sessions will be a 180 degree turn from the “rebuilding” questions of the last couple seasons, as the Texans are, to some degree, still basking in the afterglow of their pleasantly surprising 2023 season.

    Could we see some free agency deals go down?
    It cannot be overstated just how much non draft business is going to be discussed this week in Indianapolis, at the combine itself, in back rooms at Lucas Oil Stadium, and over expensive steaks and shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo’s Steakhouse. Hundreds of agents and most of the prominent decision makers are all in one spot. Back channel tampering will be rampant, so we will hear plenty of rumors about teams “possibly” (read; definitely) having interest in certain free agents from other teams. Above board, we may see movement on teams signing their own free agents. For the Texans, the one to keep an eye on will be tight end Dalton Schultz, who seems to be the one Texans free agent most prominently linked to staying in Houston in 2024 and beyond.

    College players and news to watch out for
    For the average Texans fan, this Combine probably doesn’t carry as much prospect-centric intrigue as the last couple off-seasons, since the team is improved and the Texans’ top pick is in the early 20’s overall. That said, if some of you are interested, here is the schedule of which positions work out on which days, all of which can be viewed on the NFL Network:

    Thursday, February 29th, 3pm ET – Defensive Linemen, Linebackers
    Friday, March 1st, 3pm ET – Defensive Backs, Tight Ends
    Saturday, March 2nd, 1pm ET – Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, Running Backs
    Sunday, March 3rd, 1pm ET – Offensive Linemen

    If you’re looking for specific names to track, use Drew Dougherty’s mock draft tracker as a way to cobble together a list of names. These are the names that the prominent mock drafts have tied to the Texans with the 23rd overall pick:

    CHOP ROBINSON, DE, Penn State
    TROY FAUTANU, OL, Washington
    LAIATU LATU, DE, UCLA
    JER’ZHAN NEWTON, DT, Illinois
    BRIAN THOMAS, WR, LSU
    MICHAEL HALL, DT, Ohio State
    LEONARD TAYLOR, DT, Miami
    BRALEN TRICE, DE, Washington
    COOPER DeJEAN, CB, Iowa
    TALIESE FUAGA, OL, Oregon State
    PATRICK PAUL, OT, Houston
    KINGSLEY SUAMATAIA, OL, BYU

    So there you go, Texan fans. There are some names.

    Hey, it’s still fun to watch quarterbacks throw, right?
    It sure is! Even with C.J. Stroud already in the fold, it’s fun to watch intelligent football people gush over throws against air. Now, even with the degree of difficulty in looking good being fairly low, there will be at least a couple top rated signal callers who will forego throwing in Indy so they can throw in the cozy confines of their own Pro Day at their college campus. Bryce Young did that last year. Be proud, though, Texan fans, for our hero, C.J. Stroud, being the ultimate competitor, threw caution to the wind and decided to throw at last season’s combine (ironically, AGAINST wind and that’s it), so no one can question the ballsiness of your QB! I would suspect we will know which quarterbacks are definitively participating by mid week.

    Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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