Tag: Anthony Miller

NFL draft history: Every player selected with the 51st pick since 2010

NFL Draft history: Looking at every No. 51 overall pick selected since the 2010 NFL Draft and the Eagles’ chances of landing an impact player

The buildup for the NFL draft is all about the first-round picks, but championship teams are built when the dollars aren’t guaranteed and some of the league’s all-time greats have been second round picks.

Philadelphia will have one second-round pick (No. 51 overall) in next week’s NFL draft and that selection could be used to target a wide receiver or edge rusher depending on how Thursday night turns out.

In 2019, the Eagles hit gold with Miles Sanders, but have been burdened by passing on DK Metcalf and Terry McLaurin for J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.

In 2020, Howie Roseman landed the teams current starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, and last year, a future All-Pro left guard was landed when Landon Dickerson was selected.

With the draft a little over a week away, here’s every No. 51 overall picks since 2010.

Steelers roster moves: Pittsburgh signs WR Anthony Miller to PS, releases nose tackle

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a trio of roster moves on Tuesday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers must’ve liked what they saw in former Chicago Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller on Tuesday. Just as quickly as the team brought Miller in for a physical, he was signed to their practice squad.

Miller, selected by the Chicago Bears in the 2018 NFL draft, was recently released by the Houston Texans. During his four-year career, Miller has logged 1,587 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s made contributions to the run game, which makes him a particularly interesting prospect for the Steelers.

Defensive tackle Isaiah Mack, who has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2019, was also signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad. Mack signed with the Tennessee Titans following the 2019 NFL Draft as an undrafted rookie free agent. He spent time with the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots and Denver Broncos.

According to Steelers.com, Mack was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-SoCon in 2018 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga while recording 78 tackles, including 11 tackles for a loss, and 8.5 sacks.

Nose tackle Eli Ankou, who the Steelers signed to the practice squad on Oct. 5, was released.

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Update: WR Anthony Miller takes new offer to join Steelers active roster

Miller initially planned to sign with the Jags through their practice squad, but will be joining the Steelers instead.

Former Houston Texans receiver Anthony Miller won’t be joining the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad at all. Instead, he’ll be jumping on an offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are signing him to their active roster.

Early Monday morning, a report surfaced that Miller was expected to be signed by the Jags’ practice squad, but would be eventually elevated. That clearly was the plan as he even tweeted “Duval” from his Twitter account this weekend. However, it appears they simply didn’t have the room to sign him straight to the active roster. Simply put, the team may not be ready to cut any of the receivers on the back end of the roster like Tyron Johnson and Tavon Austin. Additionally, they may need to make other active roster signings elsewhere with injuries to Brandon Linder, Myles Jack, and Dakota Allen occurring.

Miller will join the Steelers as they are going to be without receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who will be having shoulder surgery after sustaining an injury Sunday against the Denver Broncos. The injury was one that required him to go to the hospital, and on Monday, it was revealed that his season was over.

That said, the Jags will be sticking with their present group that includes Austin, Johnson, Laviska Shenault Jr., Marvin Jones Jr., and Jamal Agnew. They also have five receivers on their practice squad in Jeff Cotton, Laquon Treadwell, Devin Smith, Tim Jones, and Josh Hammond.

Jags expected to sign WR Anthony Miller to their practice squad

The Jags appear to have plans to add more veteran help to their receivers corps by signing Miller, who will start things off on their practice squad.

The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to have plans to add some veteran help to their group of pass-catchers. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team is expected to sign fourth-year receiver Anthony Miller to their practice squad, who previously played for the Houston Texans.

Miller, 27, entered the league in 2017 as a second-round pick (No. 51 overall) for the Chicago Bears. He spent three seasons there and participated in 47 games with the team while also starting in 17. Ultimately, in terms of statistics, he was able to garner 134 receptions for 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns before being traded to Houston in late July.

Miller was a healthy scratch for Houston during their first two regular season games against the Jags and Cleveland Browns but was activated for their following two games against Carolina and Buffalo. In those two games, the slot receiver was able to garner five catches for 23 yards and a touchdown, but with Danny Amendola returning from injury, they released the veteran last week.

According to Rapoport, a promotion to the active roster should be expected for Miller down the road once he gets acclimated. Once he signs, he will join a group that currently consists of notables Laviska Shenault Jr., Marvin Jones Jr., and Tavon Austin, to name a few.

Texans continue to neglect youth movement despite lost season

The Houston Texans released WR Anthony Miller, which signals they are neglecting the youth movement despite a season more about process than results.

The Houston Texans released third-year wide receiver Anthony Miller. Houston traded a 2022 fifth-round pick for the former Chicago Bears 2018 second-round pick, along with a 2022 seventh-rounder.Miller was acquired in August from the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 5th round selection in the 2022 draft and was himself selected in the 2nd round by Chicago in 2018.

Miller played two games for the Texans this year, including a performance against the Carolina Panthers’ where he caught rookie quarterback Davis Mills’ only touchdown of the evening. He finished his tenure in Houston with five catches for 23 yards off of 11 targets.

Normally this kind of transaction is not one that you’d bat an eye at. A marginal roster player was passed over in favor of giving opportunity to other men on the team that the coaching staff favors. However, this isn’t your normal case.

The Miller cut represents yet another example of GM Nick Caserio essentially wasting a Day 3 selection on a player that spent very little time with the team. Similarly, the Texans traded a 6th round pick for quarterback Ryan Finley from the Cincinnati Bengals before cutting him during training camp.

This is a small quarrel, however, compared to the larger issue at hand. The Houston Texans are too old. Already the oldest team in the NFL, Miller was the second youngest receiver on the roster (26) behind rookie Nico Collins (21). In a season where making the playoffs seems virtually impossible with Mills at quarterback while starter Tyrod Taylor nurses a hamstring injury, all eyes are on the future of 2022 and beyond in Houston.

Somehow, rather than the future, this coaching staff continues to place emphasis on the present and on veteran presences on the team that have little future value beyond the 2021 season. When asked about why the team cut Miller, head coach David Culley responded that it was redundant to roster both Danny Amendola and Miller simultaneously if Amendola is healthy.

Amendola is 35 years old. He was a free agent until 4 days before the season kickoff against Jacksonville. A signing that is the practical definition of a journeyman filler is one that the coaching staff has decided to place emphasis on. This is a major problem.

The Texans must focus on finding and identifying future contributors for the 2022 and 2023 seasons when, with draft capital from the assumed Deshaun Watson trade, they will have a chance to return to relevance. The identification of this young talent is imperative in building any competitive roster in the NFL.

So far, we’ve seen no effort to emphasize youth in Houston. Amendola won the war against a younger, more talented slot receiver in Miller. Scottie Phillips is inactive every week while veterans Mark Ingram and Phillip Lindsay struggle to create anything on the ground. Brevin Jordan has not played a single snap yet in his young NFL career.

It’s becoming frustrating to watch this team again and again emphasize veteran presence and culture in a movement that will ultimately amount to nothing moving beyond this season. The veteran contributors currently seeing snaps in season are unlikely to play any part in the Texans returning to the top of the AFC South and the Super Bowl conversation.

Houston is due for a youth movement if they hope to be competitive anytime in the near future. It is a fallacy to continue to place value in the 2021 season and imperative that the front office identify what can only be called a “sunk cost.” Fans can only hope that the staff on Kirby Drive takes the time to realize this soon.

Texans to release WR Anthony Miller

The Houston Texans are releasing former Chicago Bears receiver Anthony Miller.

The Houston Texans are constantly evaluating their roster as they recover from the 40-0 shutout loss against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.

According to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790, the Texans are releasing receiver Anthony Miller.

The Texans traded 2022 fifth-round pick for Miller along with a 2022 seventh-round pick from the Chicago Bears’ coffers.

Through two games with Houston, including one start, the former 2018 second-round pick from Memphis caught five passes for 23 yards and a touchdown. To date, Miller is the only Texans player to have caught a touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Davis Mills throughout his first two starts.

After the Texans’ 24-9 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 on Thursday Night Football, Miller was optimistic about the direction of the team.

On Tuesday, Miller tweeted, “The cream always rises.”

For Miller, it will have to rise in another NFL city as the Texans work their way through a 1-3 record and attempt to come off the worst loss in franchise history.

Watch: Panthers allow first first-half points of the season

After two scoreless first halves to start the season, the Panthers defense was bitten by Texans QB Davis Mills on Thursday night.

The major story heading into Thursday night’s primetime showcase was how stingy the Carolina Panthers defense has been. And, to their credit, they kept on with that stinginess, until quarterback Davis Mills woke up.

With a minute and 37 seconds remaining in the first half, Mills drove the Houston Texans into the end zone on a seven-play, 64-yard romp. The scoring drive, which took just a minute and 12 seconds, ended with a sharp 1-yard completion to wideout Anthony Miller.

Houston’s touchdown marks the first points the Panthers have given up  in the first half this season. Carolina still, though, led 7-6 at the break.

Prior to that possession, Mills chalked up all of 19 passing yards in what was almost another scoreless half courtesy of the Panthers. He went for 60 yards on the quick strike, closing the deficit to just one with a missed extra point try from our old friend Joey Slye.

The wheels have seem to come off a bit for Carolina, who had lost their superstar running back Christian McCaffrey due to a hamstring injury. He will not return to action tonight, and it shows, as the offense has suddenly began to sputter.

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Texans vs. Panthers second quarter recap: Davis Mills finds the end zone

Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills was able to help pull within one against the Carolina Panthers just before halftime in Week 3.

Texans vs. Panthers first quarter recap

Panthers 3rd drive continued (14 plays, 81 yards, 7:43): RB Chuba Hubbard can’t pick up a yard on fourth-and-1 from the Texans’ 5-yard line, turning it over on downs. The Panthers were moving the football at will against Houston. QB Sam Darnold and his receivers have found the open spots in the Texans’ Tampa 2 scheme. RB Christian McCaffrey is also starting to heat up as he has seven carries for 31 yards.

Texans 3rd drive (6 plays, 11 yards, 5:00): Houston gets the benefit of a Panthers offside, their second of the game, and proceed to give RB Mark Ingram a carry for four yards. Penalties hurt the Panthers on the drive as DT Daviyon Nixon committed a roughing the passer to push Houston out to their own 35-yard line. The Texans gave RB Phillip Lindsay his chances, but he couldn’t get any traction against Carolina’s defense. Houston’s own penalties killed them as they had a false start to create a third-and-16 from their own 29. The Texans gave up with a draw play to RB David Johnson. The boo birds come out at NRG Stadium.

Panthers 4th drive (3 plays, 2 yards, 0:54): Carolina lost McCaffrey on the previous drive with a hamstring injury. DE Jonathan Greenard hit Darnold for a forced fumble, but Panthers C Matt Paradis fell on it before Houston could. Carolina runs a screen pass to Hubbard on a third-and-15, but it only gets half the distance to convert.

Texans 4th drive (3 plays, 2 yards, 1:44): Mills gets sacked on second down and it basically scuttled the drive; three-and-out.

Panthers 5th drive (3 plays, 1 yard, 0:24): DE Whitney Mercilus busts through on third-and-2 and forces a three-and-out. Houston could score some points before the end of the half.

Texans 5th drive (7 plays, 64 yards, 1:12): The Texans went two-minute and Mills was dealing. The Texans concluded the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to receiver Anthony Miller, who is making his Houston debut. K Joey Slye missed the extra point. Panthers, 7-6

Panthers 6th drive (2 plays, 4 yards, 0:25): DT Ross Blacklock strip-sacks Darnold to end the drive.

 

Stats

Texans

Mills: 9/11, 79 yards, TD

Ingram: 3 carries, 16 yards

Cooks: 4 catches, 60 yards

 

Panthers

Darnold: 13/20, 158 yards; 3 carries, 9 yards, TD

McCaffrey: 7 carries, 31 yards

DJ Moore: 6 catches, 100 yards

WATCH: Texans QB Davis Mills throws touchdown pass to WR Anthony Miller

Houston Texans rookie quarterback threw a touchdown pass to receiver Anthony Miller Thursday night at NRG Stadium.

Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills connected with receiver Anthony Miller for a 2-yard touchdown to pull their team within one point Thursday night at NRG Stadium.

Kicker Joey Slye missed the extra point, and the Texans trailed the Carolina Panthers 7-6 at the break.

Running back David Johnson said on Sept. 21 that the Texans would do everything in their power to keep their rookie quarterback effective.

“We’re going to try to help him out running the ball, making it a lot less stressful for him as a rookie,” said Johnson. “I was there, everybody was there. The best thing that you can have is a great veteran group that we have, and then guys who you can lean on to talk to about it.”

The Texans will need one more fast-paced drive ending in a score if they are to beat Carolina.

Texans WR Anthony Miller expected back against the Browns

Houston Texans receiver Anthony Miller has a chance to come back against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.

HOUSTON — A day after recording a total of 449 yards during their 37-21 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans may obtain an additional offensive weapon ahead of Week 2. Monday morning, coach David Culley announced that Anthony Miller will likely make his Texan debut Sunday against the 0-1 Cleveland Browns.

Miller, 26, has been sidelined due to a slightly separated shoulder sustained during Houston’s preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers. He left the game after recording two catches for 15 yards. Miller made his return to practice last week but remained sidelined due to the injury.

“With injuries, you never know what’s going to happen,” Culley said. “We could’ve played him this past week, although we wanted to make sure that everything was good with him. He practiced, he did a really good job for us, but when we got to that decision, we wanted to make sure that for the long haul, that he’s ready to go, and we’ll just see how it goes this week.”

Miller will return to a team that now features two slot receivers following the addition of Danny Amendola, which brings the Texans wide receiver total to six. The Texans acquired Miller in a trade with the Chicago Bears, where Houston sent a 2022 seventh-round pick in the exchange.

In 47 career games, Miller has recorded 1,564 yards on 134 catches and 11 touchdowns — all with the Bears.