Speculation abounded surrounding the Houston Texans’ claim of wide receiver Amari Rodgers off waivers in November, and fans finally got a glimpse of his talent in the team’s Week 14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Rodgers was among the team’s most effective receiving threats with both Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins inactive due to injury, and capitalized on every opportunity he was given to make an impact for the struggling franchise.
The second-year wideout caught four passes on five targets for 57 yards and a touchdown in the game. His yardage was enough to set a new career high in his Texans debut, and the touchdown he caught off the arm of quarterback Jeff Driskel was the first of his young career in the NFL.
It is unclear whether Houston will elect to continue activating him on Sundays through the end of the season, but judging from his performance against Dallas, he can clearly make a difference in their lackluster offense.
Rodgers was a highly coveted prospect when he declared for the draft in 2021 and seemed to have found a long-term home when the Green Bay Packers drafted him in the third round with the 85th overall selection. However, things didn’t go to plan for him in Green Bay, and the Packers decided to waive him in the middle of November to cut their losses on their failed investment.
Houston has a rare chance to develop this talented prospect in their offensive system, and should not take Rodgers’ talent for granted just because they got him for a bargain. The team is headed into the 2023 season with some serious work to be done in terms of roster construction, and Rodgers could be an elegant solution to their lack of high-end playmakers who could thrive with a high volume of targets and usage within their various passing schemes.