Tag: Angelo Blackson

Report: Texans restructure contract for DE Angelo Blackson

The Houston Texans have restructured the contract of defensive end Angelo Blackson, who will now make $2.5M in 2020 and clear $1.5M cap space.

The Houston Texans continue to save money against the salary cap while also paying contributing players who have earned it.

According to the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain, the Texans have restructured the contract of defensive end Angelo Blackson. The former Tennessee Titans 2015 fifth-round pick will make $2.5 million in 2020 thanks to the restructuring of his contract.

For the Texans, they win by clearing $1.5 million in cap space. When combined with the extensions for guards Zach Fulton and Senio Kelemete in the offseason, the Texans have added $8 million in cap space — not bad for a club that was already in the top-15 in cap space after opt-outs.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Blackson signed a three-year contract extension in 2019 that provided $3.5 million in base salaries for 2020, 2021, and up to $500,000 in per-game active roster bonuses.

Blackson has been a key part of the Texans’ field goal block unit. Last season, in Week 15 at the Tennessee Titans and Week 16 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Blackson added a blocked field goal in each game. The 6-4, 319 defensive lineman joined J.J. Watt as the only Texans to have multiple field goal blocks in a season. Blackson (two) also trails Watt (three) for the most field goal blocks in franchise history.

“He plays his butt off on the field, a great guy in the room,” Watt said of Blackson on May 27.

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J.J. Watt will miss D.J. Reader, but loves current Texans defensive tackles

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt says he will miss having D.J. Reader, but loves the other defensive tackles on the roster.

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D.J. Reader was one of J.J. Watt’s closest friends in the locker room.

“It’s no secret I love D.J.,” Watt told reporters on May 27. “He’s one of my best friends, he’s a great guy. I’m certainly going to miss him both in the d-line room, on the field, and off the field just as a friend.”

Reader signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals during free agency after the Texans couldn’t negotiate a contract extension with their former 2016 fifth-round pick from Clemson.

“But I also at the same time, I can’t be mad at him,” said Watt. “There’s a whole bunch of reasons that he’s in Cincinnati now.”

Who remains to pick up the slack at defensive tackle include Brandon Dunn, Eddie Vanderdoes, and undrafted rookie Auzoyah Alufohai. Free agent Timmy Jernigan and the Texans have agreed to terms, but the former Philadelphia Eagle is not yet listed on the official roster.

Dunn is one of the teammates Watt enjoys as much as he did Reader.

“He’s a guy who always keeps it light, fun,” said Watt. “He’s got great energy, he works extremely hard on the field, he plays well.”

The Texans also have help at defensive end that can crash inside, including Angelo Blackson.

Said Watt: “He plays his butt off on the field, a great guy in the room. I love our room. I love the guys we have in our room. I love these Zoom meetings every day.”

According to Watt, the defensive line spends the first 10 minutes of their Zoom meetings “shooting the breeze and talking to each other,” as if it were a FaceTime call with friends.

“We really enjoy being around each other and I think that makes the work that much better and that much more effective,” Watt said.

The Texans seek to fortify their defensive line in 2020 after finishing the year with 31 sacks, tied with the Bengals for the sixth-fewest in the league.

WATCH: Texans DE Angelo Blackson blocks another FG

Watch as Houston Texans defensive end Angelo Blackson blocks another field goal, this time to Matt Gay of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After two turnovers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cleared-up their act. They drove down the field to attempt a 54-yard field goal. It seemed as if they would narrow the Houston Texans’ 10-point lead.

Upset, they didn’t make the field goal. Rookie kicker Matt Gay missed the attempt, not due to his leg, however. Instead, for the second-straight week, Texans defensive end Angelo Blackson blocked the kick. Watch below.

Last week, Blackson did the same against the Tennessee Titans. He earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for doing so.

“It’s just one of those things where I do everything I can to help the team, so if I get a one-on-one block, I’ve got to win, if I get two-on-one I try to win. Any way that I can to help the team win, that’s what I’m going to do,” Blackson said on Wednesday on blocking field goal kicks.

By the way, J.J. Watt approves.

Texans DE Angelo Blackson wins AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Houston Texans DE Angelo Blackson won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for Week 15 thanks to his blocked field goal at the Tennessee Titans.

Houston Texans defensive end Angelo Blackson was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.

In the Texans’ 24-21 win over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, Blackson blocked kicker Ryan Succop’s 45-yard field goal in the first quarter. Safety A.J. Moore recovered the loose ball at the 23-yard line, and the Titans stalled on their first drive of the game.

Blackson’s blcok was the first of his career and it was the first for the Texans since Week 2 of 2015 when defensive end Jared Crick blocked Carolina Panthers kicker Graham Gano’s 53-yard field goal attempt.

A former 2015 fourth-round pick of the Titans, Blackson also recorded two tackles against his original draft team.

Angelo winning the ward is the fifth time in 2019 a Texans player has earned a player of the week honor, the most in single season in club history. It is the 48th time in franchise history that the Texans have had a player of the week award winner.

The last time Houston had a special teams player of the week was following Week 15 of 2018 when kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn won it. Angelo’s award is the 15th special teams player of the week in team history.