Tag: Brandon Dunn

Texans to cut DT Brandon Dunn

The Houston Texans are moving on from defensive tackle Brandon Dunn.

The Houston Texans are going in another direction at defensive tackle.

According to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790, the Texans are releasing defensive tackle Brandon Dunn.

Dunn missed the final three games of the 2020 campaign with a pelvic fracture, which he spent all offseason rehabbing.

In his 72 career games with the Texans, 37 of which he started, Dunn provided 104 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, 1.0 sack, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.

In the 2018 AFC wild-card against the Indianapolis Colts, Dunn came up with an interception and a pass breakup along with his lone tackle. In the postseason, Dunn collected four combined tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup in his three career playoff games.

The Texans have Jaleel Johnson, rookie Roy Lopez, Ross Blacklock, Vincent Taylor, and Auzoyah Alufohai on the roster at defensive tackle.

Houston Texans 2021 player profile: DT Brandon Dunn

The Houston Texans are transitioning to a Tampa 2 scheme with a 4-3 front. Where does that leave a traditional 3-4 nose tackle like Brandon Dunn?

After D.J. Reader departed for Cincinnati last spring, Brandon Dunn was next in line to take the role as the starting nose tackle for the Houston Texans. Although injuries cut his 2020 season short by three games, Dunn’s output as Houston’s starting nose tackle was a complete 180 from when Reader held the reins for four years.

Dunn had his season cut short with three games to go in 2020 as he sustained a pelvic fracture against the Chicago Bears. Dunn has spent all offseason rehabilitating from the injury, and is a full go for training camp.

Here is what Dunn must improve on in hopes of a bounce-back season in 2021.

Texans DT Brandon Dunn building momentum for training camp

Houston Texans defensive tackle Brandon Dunn is working hard to build momentum to come into training camp strong and full of energy.

Brandon Dunn didn’t have a satisfactory conclusion to the 2020 season.

The 6-2, 310-pound defensive tackle was done for the season after 13 games with a pelvic fracture. The Houston Texan’s defensive lineman has been healing and rehabilitating over the entire offseason.

The dead period from early June to late July is one of the last tranquil parts of the offseason before training camp begins and the grind of the NFL season is underway.

With training camp set to begin at the end of the month, Dunn has been working with personal defensive line coach Brandon Jordan to build momentum to carry into camp.

“This is great,” Dunn said via Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790. “This is my fourth week since I’ve been cleared. I just want to get some work. Some of my ex-teammates and former teammates come here I’m basically we all get work together. We’re all defensive linemen. We all know what we need. I reached out to Brandon. He answered the call. He took care of me. I’ve been there with him ever since.”

Dunn has been working out with Texans teammates Jacob Martin, Jaleel Johnson, and Vincent Taylor — just “part of the crowd.

“I hope it speaks volumes,” said Dunn. “I hope it rubs off on some young players around me. At the end of the day, we all have to work. We’re all working for a goal. I’m just a part of the crowd.”

The Texans went 4-12 last season with a five-game losing streak to close out the year. Even Dunn’s last game against the Chicago Bears in Week 14 was a 36-7 drubbing.

Since joining the Texans midway through the 2015 season, Dunn has experienced four winning seasons and two losing campaigns. However, even the winning seasons — each with an AFC South title — ended in heartbreak in the playoffs.

Said Dunn: “I just want to win. We all want to win. That’s the most important thing is winning and that’s been imbedded in the players. We’re going to take that and go to camp and hopefully everybody gets the message that we’re out to win, nothing else. Simple. It’s all simple, just three letters: W-I-N.”

Dunn has collected 114 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, nine quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery through 76 career games with the Bears and Texans.

Report: Texans DT Brandon Dunn done for 2020 with a pelvic fracture

Houston Texans defensive tackle Brandon Dunn sustained a pelvic fracture, according to a report, and is done for the 2020 season.

The Houston Texans defense will need to find strength in the interior of the defensive line in the final three games.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, defensive tackle Brandon Dunn is finished for 2020 with a pelvic fracture. The 28-year-old’s season ends with 26 tackles, three quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery collected in 13 games, all of which he started.

Dunn played 28 snaps on defense in the 36-7 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 14. The former 2014 undrafted free agent from Louisville also played six special teams snaps in the loss to the club that initially rostered him for the first season and a half of his career.

Interim coach Romeo Crennel expressed concern about Dunn’s injury situation on Monday morning when speaking with Houston media.

“I know today he’s going for other tests to see if there’s anything other than what the x-ray showed,” said Crennel. “But a big guy who is valuable for us on the inside, we’re concerned about his availability.”

The Texans will have to rely on second-round pick Ross Blacklock to play more snaps as the 4-9 Texans seek to finish the year on a high note.

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Texans’ Romeo Crennel gave an injury update after 36-7 loss to the Bears

Houston Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel gave an update on the injury status of players after the 36-7 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Houston Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel provided an injury update on Monday after the team’s 36-7 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon in Week 14 at Soldier Field. Here is an update on the players he mentioned.

Texans DT Brandon Dunn has made the most of opportunities in 2020

Houston Texans defensive tackle Brandon Dunn has take advantage of his chances in 2020.

Defensive tackle Brandon Dunn was a role player who would split snaps with D.J. Reader, but 2020 changed that dynamic.

In free agency, Reader left for the Cincinnati Bengals, and Dunn assumed the position, even though the Texans did ostensibly replace Reader with Ross Blacklock, their second-round pick from TCU.

On Thanksgiving, Dunn started his 11th game of the season amid the 41-25 win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The former 2014 undrafted free agent from Louisville has now started the most games in a season in his NFL career.

“I take it with pride,” said Dunn, who has produced 24 combined tackles, two quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery. “Every week this year has been different. I’ve just been preaching to the guys that you’ve just got brush it off. It’s a weird year, a weird season. You’ve got to make the most of it.”

What Dunn has seen in 2020 is an opportunity for leadership with younger players, and the 28-year-old has stepped up to the plate.

“You’ve just got to be a leader in a situation and a time where a leader needs to step up, just to help guys out in the locker room,” said Dunn. “Even young guys. We’ve got some young guys playing. We’ve got some young guys dealing with COVID issues who may need some help. Everybody in the building is helping each other out right now and I feel like it’s the best contribution I’ve been doing this whole time.”

The 62-, 310-pound defensive tackle has played in 70 games for the Texans, 17.5 times more than he did with the Chicago Bears, who signed him as a priority free agent after the 2014 NFL Draft.

Dunn is appreciative of his time in Chicago, which lasted through Week 4 of the 2015 season. After four career games with the Bears, they let him go.

“I got released after, I think, Week 3 and then there was some doubt and shame,” Dunn said. “Was it my fault? But it was some other stuff I didn’t even know about, but luckily I got a call from Houston and the rest is history.

“I’ve been here ever since. You just don’t know. You have no clue. You can’t pinpoint things and opportunities but when it comes, you’ve got to make the most out of it.”

Dunn was nominated Thursday as the Texans’ choice for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

Brandon Dunn tabbed as the Texans’ Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominee

Houston Texans defensive tackle Brandon Dunn was named as the club’s nominee for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

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The NFL announced its 32 nominees for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, and defensive tackle Brandon Dunn was named as the Houston Texans’ nominee.

The award, which is given annually to NFL players who best demonstrate on-field sportsmanship, was created in 2014 and honors Art Rooney, Sr., the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The winner is determined by a vote of current NFL players. From the eight finalists, each team’s players will present a consensus vote for their pick to be the winner.

If Dunn wins the award, it will be announced at the NFL Honors, and the 28-year-old will receive a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice.

Defensive end Josh Allen is the Jacksonville Jaguars’ nominee while defensive end Justin Houston will represent the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Ryan Tannehill is the Tennessee Titans’ pick.

Brandon Dunn says Texans rookie DT Ross Blacklock ‘has done good’

Houston Texans rookie defensive tackle Ross Blacklock is already making a good impression on veterans such as defensive tackle Brandon Dunn.

Houston Texans defensive tackle Brandon Dunn waited almost four months to meet rookie defensive tackle Ross Blacklock.

From what the 27-year-old has seen of the former TCU product, Dunn is impressed.

“The rookie has done good, man,” Dunn said. “He plays hard. He’s very coachable. He listens. He asks. He goes to work every day. That’s all you can really ask out of a rookie.”

Blacklock normally would have been involved in an offseason program that would have allowed him to work alongside Dunn before training camp. However, COVID-19 forced the NFL to make changes to offseason workouts.

Even though Dunn has had limited opportunities, even in the extended training camp that will include zero preseason games, he can tell that Blacklock has a passion for the game that will carry over on Sundays.

“Just seeing from him, you just see a guy who just actually loves ball,” Dunn said. “You can just tell the way his mannerisms are and the way he is on the field, he actually wants to be here and get better. That’s all you want to see out of a rookie.

“It can get kind of crazy sometimes in your first year, especially this year, but he’s working hard.”

The Texans would benefit from having Blacklock play above expectations as the defensive line lost defensive tackle D.J. Reader in free agency to the Cincinnati Bengals. Blacklock, who is primarily a defensive tackle, also has the ability to kick outside and play a little edge in first year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s 3-4 defense.

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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.

Contract extension details with Texans NT Brandon Dunn revealed

Contract details have been revealed on the new extension for Houston Texans nose tackle Brandon Dunn.

Details have emerged regarding the contract extension the Houston Texans reached with nose tackle Brandon Dunn on Wednesday.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans agreed to a three-year contract worth $12 million.

Dunn signed a one-year contract worth $2 million in 2019. Now, the 27-year-old from Louisville is set to make $4 million per year.

The Texans still have a decision to make along their interior defensive line with defensive tackle D.J. Reader, who is set to be a free agent on March 18. With the club paying Dunn $4 million a year, it shows the ballpark that they are trying to get into with Reader.

Over Dunn’s 59 games with the Texans, 24 of which he started, the 6-2, 310-pounder produced 78 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, a pass breakup, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

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