Category: Preseason

Texans vs. Cowboys: Announcers set for Week 11 game

The Houston Texans will hit the road to face off against the Dallas Cowboys on ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 11.

The Houston Texans (6-4) hit the road on Monday night for a Lone Star showdown against the Dallas Cowboys (3-6) in Week 11 on primetime at AT&T Stadium.

Houston’s Week 11 matchup will serve as the ‘Monday Night Football’ game on ESPN at 7:15 CT. Joe Buck (play-by-play) and Troy Aikman (analyst) will serve as commentators in the broadcast booth.

Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) will remain on the sidelines and provide in-game interviews.

The Texans need a win. So does Dallas, but Houston’s woeful second-half outing on ‘Sunday Night Football’ against the Detroit Lions now has fans wondering if the AFC South favorites are a legit contender in the conference.

Houston jumped out to an early 23-7 lead in the first half after C.J. Stroud connected with John Metchie III for the 15-yard touchdown. Lions quarterback Jared Goff tossed five interceptions, but the Texans never could pressure him into fumbling the ball.

For Detroit (8-1), its defense stepped up in the second half. The front seven recorded four sacks while Stroud tossed a pair of interceptions to Carlton Davis III, including one in the end zone on a pass intended for Tank Dell. 

Jake Bates drilled two second-half 50-plus-yard field goals, including a game-winning 52-yard kick as time expired. With the loss, the Texans joined the 1970 Chicago Bears as the only franchise in league history to lose a game where the opposing quarterback throws five interceptions. 

“Definitely should have won this game,” Stroud said. “My job is to lead the offense to score points, and I didn’t do that today. … We really should have put them away after the first half. It’s really on the offense.”

The Cowboys aren’t waving the white flag for 2024, but their season has gone off the rails. Quarterback Dak Prescott will miss the remainder of the regular season after it was announced Tuesday that he would undergo hamstring surgery. 

In Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, backup quarterback Cooper Rush completed 13-of-26 passes for 45 yards and lost two fumbles. He also was sacked once. Former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance filled in the fourth quarter and finished with 21 passing yards and an interception. 

For the second time in six games, the Cowboys did not score a touchdown. 

“Everybody has confidence in Coop,” Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “Again, it wasn’t our best performance yesterday as an offense, for sure. Wasn’t all him. We’re all involved in that.”

Houston has opened as 7.5-point road favorites against the Cowboys in primetime out in Arlington, according to BetMGM. The over/under is currently set at 42. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. 

Texans add offensive lineman to practice squad before trade deadline

The Houston Texans are bringing in another offensive lineman before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon.

The Houston Texans might not have added a top-level offensive lineman before the trade deadline, but they’ve added at least one new member to their trenches.

According to KRPC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, Houston signed former Tennessee starter Jerome Carvin to the practice squad. A former member of the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs, Carvin has experience at both guard and center.

A two-year starter for the Volunteers, Carvin played left guard and center for the Bears in the preseason. He posted a 72.0 overall Pro Football Focus analytics grade.

https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1853447385831055718

The Texans need depth in the interior offensive line in the wake of struggling starting left guard Kenyon Green dislocating his shoulder and is slated to be placed on the season-ending injured reserve. Fellow offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson remains in concussion protocol.

The Texans (6-3) return to NRG Stadium to take on the Detroit Lions this Sunday at 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally broadcast on NBC.

Texans thankful for Case Keenum’s impact amid season-ending injury

Case Keenum’s impact will remain a factor in the Houston Texans’ locker room even as he’s placed on the season-ending injured reserve.

Case Keenum won’t suit up for the Houston Texans in 2024 after being placed on the season-ending injured reserve.

Given his track record and path back home to Houston, those inside the locker room have plenty of respect for the seasoned vet.

“Case is a leader and he’s made a great career in this League for 13 years,” Texans coach DeMeo Ryans said Wednesday. “[He] came from undrafted to making a name for himself. So, proud of what Case has done.”

Keenum’s career moving forward is much of an unknown. After leaving Saturday’s preseason finale with a foot injury, he’ll be out for several months before being cleared to throw.

He’ll also be a free agent entering at age 37 and could be entering a turning point in his career. Keenum, who set multiple FBS passing records while at the Univeristy of Houston, has been a journeyman over the past dozen seasons, playing with six different franchises. He could be reaching his final resting stop once his contract expires after the 2024 season.

“Case has been a good player for this organization for a long time,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “His leadership, his toughness, his intelligence. It’s unfortunate that he’s not going to be able to play football this year.”

Keenum will still have a voice inside the locker room. Even though he can’t play, he’ll still attend practice and meetings. He can still appear on the sidelines during games and serve as a mentor for C.J. Stroud following drives.

Ryans said he doesn’t know what’s next for Keenum but he knows the quarterback will continue to lead in whatever path life takes him down. Perhaps being the voice on the sidelines helps him get into coaching, though nothing is imminent.

Caserio tipped his cap to Keenum, espeically after he stepped in last season for the Texans when Stroud suffered a concussion. The veteran went 1-1 as a starter and picked up a critical in-division win over the Titans last year in Nashville.

Keenum will still be a part of the Texans’ success in 2024, though it won’t come in the way anyone envisioned when training camp broke in July.

“It’s an unfortunate, difficult situation,” Caserio said.

“As far as what he does moving forward, ultimately that’s going to be his choice. I think whatever he decides to do, he’s going to be really good at it.”

Where are the Texans in the waiver wire order?

The Houston Texans could bring in a name or two on the waiver wire, but they’ll be waiting to land a top talent given their selection spot.

The Houston Texans trimmed their roster to 53 players on Tuesday, and it’s almost time for them to start building their 16-player practice squad and potentially make some changes to their roster.

While the Texans released a slew of players, so did the rest of the NFL, which means there multiple premier targets on the waiver wire that might have Houston’s interest, especially in areas like defensive tackle and cornerback

But teams can’t just go out and sign whoever they want with a big-time check. They’ll need to hope that another team ahead of them in the waiver order doesn’t also want that player. Houston isn’t sitting in the top spot in the waiver wire priority, meaning it’ll have to hope talent falls in its lap.

The waiver claim deadline is Wednesday at 11 a.m. CT.  Those waiver claims will be announced an hour later and then teams can begin filling out their practice squads.

Here’s the order of the waiver priority list, which is identical to the 2024 draft order:

Waiver wire order

  1. Carolina Panthers
  2. Washington Commanders
  3. New England Patriots
  4. Arizona Cardinals
  5. Los Angeles Chargers
  6. New York Giants
  7. Tennessee Titans
  8. Atlanta Falcons
  9. Chicago Bears
  10. New York Jets
  11. Minnesota Vikings
  12. Denver Broncos
  13. Las Vegas Raiders
  14. New Orleans Saints
  15. Indianapolis Colts
  16. Seattle Seahawks
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars
  18. Cincinnati Bengals
  19. Los Angeles Rams
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers
  21. Miami Dolphins
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Cleveland Browns
  24. Dallas Cowboys
  25. Green Bay Packers
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  27. Houston Texans
  28. Buffalo Bills
  29. Detroit Lions
  30. Baltimore Ravens
  31. San Francisco 49ers
  32. Kansas City Chiefs

Click the link below to see the Texans’ initial 53-man roster heading into the 2024 season.

Every move the Texans made during preseason roster cuts

Here’s a quick recap of every move made by the Houston Texans en route to having the final 53-man roster entering the 2024 season.

The Texans’ debut 53-player roster is out now, and while that means we are one step closer to Houston kicking off its 2024 season. It also means the journey in H-Town has reached its final point for several players, including a handful who were expected to make the roster.

Houston can sign 16 players to its practice squad starting Wednesday afternoon — or 17 if it opts to keep International Pathway Player, Kilian Zierer, who is expected back for the 2024 campaign.

For now, 34 players who weren’t kept on the active roster or designated to a reserve list will hit the open market. It’ll be up to the Texans to decide who returns after clearing the waiver wire in the coming days.

Find every move Houston made during preseason roster cuts below.

Monday

Waived

DL McTelvin Agim

LB Tarquie Barnes

OL Dieter Eiselen

Released

LB Jacob Phillips

OT Cameron Erving

Tuesday

Waived

DE Solomon Byrd

WR Quintez Cephus

DE Malik Fisher

DE Ali Gaye

FB Troy Hairston

DL Marcus Harris

WR Johnny Johnson III

WR Ben Skowronek

CB Troy Pride

RB J.J. Taylor

LB Max Tooley

OT Kilian Zierer

Released

FB Nick Bawden

FB Andrew Beck

WR Noah Brown

QB Tim Boyle

CB Mike Ford

CB Desmond King

OT Charlie Heck

CB CJ Henderson

OL Chris Reed

DB Lonnie Johnson Jr.

CB D’Angelo Ross

OT David Sharpe

Waived via injury settlement

RB Jawhar Jordan

TE Teagan Quitoriano

DL Pheldarius Payne

Placed on injured reserve (designated to return)

LB Christian Harris

DL Kurt Hinish

Placed on reserve/injured list

QB Case Keenum

DB Brandon Hill

Placed on reserve/suspended list

DL Denico Autry

Placed on reserve/non-football illness list

DL Dylan Horton

Could Texans trade preseason breakout star WR John Metchie III?

After an impressive training camp, could the Houston Texans trade John Metchie III while his value is at an all-time high?

Could John Metchie III be on the move before Week 1?

Based on one report, it’s not off the table heading into Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Houston Texans have been contacted by “multiple teams” regarding the availability of the third-year wide receiver. The Texans are loaded at the position and could afford to free up space by trading one of their top backups.

Schultz did note that it’s “unclear” if the Texans would be willing to trade Metchie, although several opposing front offices are keeping a “close eye” on the former second-round pick.

An asking price wasn’t mentioned, but it’s safe to assume given Metchie’s unproven upside in the regular season, he’d likely go for a Day 3 pick. Could it be more? If so, that’s a deal the Texans would at least have to mull over given the long-term status of several other positions.

Metchie was drafted by the Texans out of Alabama in 2022, but missed his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia during summer workouts. He returned in 2023, hauling in 16 passes for 158 yards.

Perhaps the Metchie’s highlight moment came in the 45-14 wild-card round victory over the Cleveland Browns. Totaling three catches for 36 yards, Metchie helped the Texans inch deep into Browns’ territory with a 27-yard grab-and-go from C.J. Stroud in the second quarter.

He picked back up where he left off in the preseason. Metchie had been a standout in practice with both Stroud and Davis Mills in the passing game. In Week 2’s 28-10 win over the New York Giants, he finished with a team-leading six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.

Everyone in the locker room loves Metchie. As much as he offers upside on the field, he provides the same value in the huddle. Players couldn’t wait to celebrate with the former Crimson Tide after he scored his first NFL touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Case Keenum.

“It’s exciting to see Metchie make those types of plays,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Nobody is more fired up than his teammates to see the other receivers and see their genuine excitement when he makes those plays. The entire team, as a whole, is pulling for him to do well. And he did a really nice job today.”

Metchie could struggle to stand out in a loaded receiver room for the impending season. Nico Collins signed a three-year extension this offseason after racking up a team-high 1,297 yards off 80 catches.

Rookie sensation Tank Dell is back after his promising 2023 season ended in Week 13 due to a fractured fibula.

The Texans also brought in four-time Pro Bowl target Stefon Diggs from Buffalo to raise the skillset for reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud. He’s going to start after leading the NFL in receptions over the past four years with Buffalo.

For Houston, the question turns to Metchie’s future. Diggs is only on a one-year deal after the franchise voids the last three years of his contract. If he exceeds expectations, he’ll command top dollar on the market, thus forcing his way out of Houston’s price range.

The Texans also have to assume Metchie is the No. 4 receiver if they elect to cease all trade talks. Right now, that part feels logical since he finished the preseason with 10 catches for 100 yards and a score.

Where does Noah Brown fit in the equation?

Where does Robert Woods factor in if he makes the active roster?

Also, do the Texans expect Metchie to remain the same player once the regular season rolls around? If not, why not trade him when the value has reached its peak?

The Texans would feel content about their receiver room if they moved on from Metchie, but it would have to be for the right price. Until that happens, expect Metchie to remain in Houston as the team prepares for Indianapolis.

When do the Texans have to make final roster cuts?

Here’s everything you need to know about roster cutdown dates and how they affect the Houston Texans entering Tuesday’s deadline.

With the preseason in the past, the Houston Texans look toward a bright future in 2024 as they intend to build off their AFC  South division title.

There is one final hard decision to make before Week 1 officially arrives: roster cuts.

The Texans must trim their roster to 53 players by Tuesday at 3 p.m. CT. Unlike in previous years, there is just one cutdown date that comes once the preseason has ceased.

Following Sunday night’s finale, all 32 teams must narrow this roster from 90 to 53 players. After that, waiver claims begin for those who didn’t make the initial 53-man roster.

Teams will have until 11 a.m. CT to claim players placed on waivers during final cuts. Those will be announced shortly after the deadline, thus leading to another set of potential cuts to make room for the newcomers.

Houston is 23rd in waiver priority after finishing the 2024 season after securing a playoff win over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round. This likely means general manager Nick Caserio might not have a great chance to land some top targets, but he still could land a handful of players with upside.

Once players have cleared waivers, teams can begin assembling their 16-player practice squad starting at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday.

Offensive tackle Killan Zierer will automatically make the practice squad and is the presumed 17th player given that he’s part of the NFL’s new International Player Pathway (IPP) rule, which was implemented this offseason to keep an extra player on the roster without it affecting one of the 16 spots.

New look offensive line powers Titans’ engine

After a solid performance in the finale, the Tennessee Titans new look offensive line look primed for a big season in 2024.

After spending most of the offseason rebuilding the offensive line, it appears that the unit is trending in the right direction. After suffering through a miserable 2023 campaign, the preseason should give fans hope that the unit can be much improved in 2024. Analyst Brian Baldinger echoed that sentiment in his breakdown.

During their preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints, the starting offensive line looked strong, both in pass protection and in the run game. This was a welcome sight for a unit that entered camp as a giant question mark.

The left side of the offensive line has tremendous potential and lived up to that in this game. Manned by first-rounders JC Latham and Peter Skoronski, they kept quarterback Will Levis clean in the pocket and opened up the lanes for Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears in the running game. While this type of performance was expected from the duo and veteran free-agent signee Lloyd Cushenberry in the pivot, it was the bookend performance by the right side that should help raise expectations.

While questions about their viability as starters were raised as late as last week, the tandem of tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere and guard Dillon Radunz backed up head coach Brian Callahan’s words with a solid performance. In this game, they were just as good as the left side and appeared to have solidified their position in the starting line-up, showing both power and athleticism.

While depth questions, especially at offensive tackle, remain. The unit looks to have potential strength heading into 2024. Everyone will find out just how far they progressed against a stout Chicago Bears front in Week 1.

Report: Texans DB Brandon Hill out for year with knee injury

Brandon Hill’s second season with the Houston Texans is officially over

Brandon Hill’s sophomore NFL season is over before it officially begins.

According to KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, the Houston Texans defensive back will miss the 2024 season after suffering a significant knee injury in Saturday’s win against the Los Angeles Rams.

Hill, a former seventh-round pick out of Pitt, was a longshot to make the active 53-man roster, but he was a favorite to make the practice squad. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Houston’s second preseason contest, he recovered a fumble on special teams and intercepted a pass from Kyle Allen in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

During the first quarter, Hill fell during a punt return and was slow to get up. Trainers eventually came to attend to him, with players going onto the field to wish him well before he was transported to the locker room for further examination. An air cast was placed on his right leg to further the swelling.

With Hill out for the year, the Texans could be set at safety if they elect to keep five players. Jalen Pitre, Jimmie Ward, Eric Murray and third-round pick Callen Bullock didn’t play in Saturday’s contest, signifying that they’ve probably done enough to make the 53-man squad.

Lonnie Johnson and M.J. Stewart could be in a race for the last spot. Johnson looked promising in coverage against the Rams, totaling five tackles and a pass breakup. Stewart has been a special teams standout under Frank Ross, so he could have the upper hand if the Texans are looking for certain roleplayers.

Roster cutdowns must be finalized by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Titans’ linebacker suffers apparent knee injury

The Tennessee Titans have possibly lost another inside linebacker, as Chance Campbell exits the game with an apparent knee injury.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Chance Campbell has exited this preseason battle with the New Orleans Saints just before halftime with an apparent knee injury. A preseason standout with 16 tackles, a sack, an interception, and two tackles for loss through two games was visibly frustrated as he made his way to the locker room.

Campbell is no stranger to injury in his NFL career. Now entering his third season, he has seen action on only four regular-season games because of knee issues. He missed his 2022 rookie season and most of 2023 with a knee injury. His injury also adds to the Titans’ woes at the inside linebacker position, where they lack depth behind starters Jack Gibbens and Kenneth Murray II. He is listed as questionable to return, but his day is likely over.

This wasn’t the only first-half injury for the Titans. Defensive back Elijah Molden exited the field and is being evaluated for a concussion.

We’ll wait for an update on Tennessee’s injury situation when head coach Brian Callahan speaks after the game.