Tag: Brandon Hill

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.

Texans vs. Rams: DB Brandon Hill carted off with lower-body injury

Brandon Hill left the game during the first quarter with what appears to be a lower-body injury

Injuries are a part of football, but it hurts to lose a player in the preseason.

That might be the case for the Houston Texans entering cut-down day on Tuesday.

Second-year defensive back Brandon Hill was carted off during the first quarter after suffering a leg injury during a block on punt return. He rolled to the ground and was slow to get up.

Eventually, the medical staff placed an air cast on his right leg and placed him in the cart for further evaluation in the locker room. Everyone, including starters like C.J. Stroud, Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs, greeted Hill as he was helped into the cart.

A 2023 seventh-round pick. Hill was expected to compete for the final safety spot with veteran M.J. Stewart. Special teams were a way for Hill to stand out since Stewart’s calling card since joining the AFC South franchise.

Fellow defensive back and special teams star Kris Boyd left the game after the opening defensive series with a leg injury. He appeared on the broadcast wearing some type of protective ice pad around the area and isn’t expected to return.

Boyd’s shown potential over the last two years on special teams, so he could have locked up one of the final corner spots because of his consistent play in practice. Hill, who spent most of last season on the injured reserve list, might be headed back there for the start of the new season.

The Texans must finalize their roster cuts by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Texans place C-G Kendrick Green on injured reserve among roster moves

The Houston Texans moved Kendrick Green to injured reserve among their other roster moves on the first practice day of Week 5.

The Houston Texans have been busy on the first day of practice for Week 5.

The Texans placed center-guard Kendrick Green on injured reserve. Houston will now have to come up with another solution at left guard.

Houston also signed defensive end Derek Rivers from the practice squad to the active roster.

The Texans restored safety Brandon Hill to the practice squad. The seventh-rounder had been placed on the practice squad/injured list in Week 1.

Houston also signed defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth to the practice squad. The 28-year-old played only in Week 14 for the Texans last year, but recorded four combined tackles and a tackle for loss.

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Texans sign seventh-round safety Brandon Hill to rookie contract

The Houston Texans have signed seventh-round safety Brandon Hill to a standard rookie contract.

The Houston Texans have added another member of their nine-player draft class to their payroll.

The Texans announced Friday they have signed seventh-round safety Brandon Hill to a standard four-year rookie contract.

General manager Nick Caserio told reporters on April 29 after the draft that Hill “fits the profile” for what new coach DeMeco Ryans wants to install on defense.

“Fast, tough, explosive, urgent, 5-10, 195,” Caserio said. “Got a good playing style, tough. Things that DeMeco wants to emphasize on defense, he sort of fits the profile. Probably a little better closer to the line of scrimmage. We’ll see where he fits in some other spots.”

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WATCH: Texans S Bandon Hill showcases explosiveness in Pittsburgh highlights

Check out new Houston Texans safety Brandon Hill and his explosiveness in some of his best Pittsburgh highlights.

Brandon Hill is a low-risk high-reward pick by the Houston Texans in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft and will make the bottom end of the team’s depth chart better when training camp starts in July.

A hard-nosed tackler with a nose for the ball and ability to cover, what Hill lacks in polish he makes up for with effort. Seventh-round picks face an uphill battle to get playing time as rookies, but Hill will look to push veteran talent for snaps when he gets on the field in the preseason.

Check out his best plays from his time at Pittsburgh below to see how he might fit in the Texans’ defense next season:

 

Houston Texans pick Pittsburgh S Brandon Hill No. 248 overall in Round 7 of 2023 NFL draft

The Houston Texans took Pittsburgh safety Brandon Hill with the 248th overall pick in Round 7 of the 2023 NFL draft.

The Houston Texans have added another defensive back to new coach DeMeco Ryans’ defense.

The Texans used the 248th overall pick in Round 7 of the 2023 NFL draft to take Pittsburgh safety Brandon Hill.

The 5-11, 195-pounder generated 67 combined tackles, a half-tackle for loss, two pass breakups, and returned a 30-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown through his 12 games with the Panthers last season.

The redshirt junior from Apopka, Florida, earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2021.

Hill joins a Texans secondary that features young and veteran talent ranging from second-year Jalen Pitre to free agent Jimmie Ward, who is entering his 10th season in the NFL.

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10 potential UDFAs Broncos could target after the NFL draft

Here’s a quick list of 10 potential undrafted free agents the Broncos could consider after the NFL draft.

The Denver Broncos only have five picks to use in the NFL draft this year, so barring any trades that add more picks, Denver will have room to sign 13 undrafted free agents following the draft next weekend.

The Broncos have a great history of landing UDFA gems, including wide receiver Rod Smith and cornerback Chris Harris. Last year, Denver signed 13 UDFAs, including wide receivers Jalen Virgil and Brandon Johnson.

It’s impossible to know for sure which prospects will go undrafted this year, but we have put together a list of 10 potential UDFAs that the Broncos could consider late in the draft or potentially immediately after the draft.

Here’s a quick list of 10 names to watch for as potential UDFA targets.

Broncos met with DB Brandon Hill ahead of NFL draft

The Broncos recently had a pre-draft visit with Pitt strong safety Brandon Hill.

The Denver Broncos recently met with Pittsburgh defensive back Brandon Hill, according to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo.

Hill (5-10, 193 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 15 times at the NFL combine. He started 25 games at strong safety for the Panthers over the last two years, totaling 138 tackles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions from 2021-2022.

Before that, Hill was a rotational defensive back in 2020, totaling 24 tackles, two forced fumbles and a 50-yard pick-six in seven games as a freshman.

Hill is now projected to be a late-round pick or undrafted free agent prospect. If drafted or signed by the Broncos, he would likely contribute on special teams as a rookie while competing for a backup safety spot.

Before making any trades, Denver’s latest pick in the draft is set to be No. 195 overall in the sixth round (view the Broncos’ full order of picks).

The 2023 NFL draft will be held in Kansas City from April 27-29.

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Giants met with Pittsburgh safety Brandon Hill

The New York Giants recently met with Pittsburgh safety Brandon Hill, who is a projected mid-to-late-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

The New York Giants have been extremely busy ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, attending a multitude of pro days, often running the drills, and meeting with various prospects — some formally, some informally.

There have been many pre-pro day dinners and top-30 visits are also beginning to pile up.

Lost in the whirlwind of news was that the Giants snuck in a meeting with Pittsburgh safety Brandon Hill.

“I’ve been in constant contact with teams ever since the combine. I’ve had so many virtual meetings and interviews. I’ve met with teams like the 49ers, Jets, Giants, Cardinals, Buccaneers, Texans, Raiders, and Broncos lately,” Hill told The Draft Network.

Hill did not clarify if his meeting with the Giants was a top-30 but that seems unlikely given that he is projected to go in the later rounds of the draft.

The 5-foot-10, 193-pound Hill is a big hitter but needs to develop the rest of his game, says NFL Network analyst Lance Zierlein.

Aggressive down safety with above-average cover traits but below-average instincts and consistency in run support. Hill is an equal opportunity hitter regardless of position or size of the opponent, but he needs to balance forceful striking with more wrap-up tackling. He is twitchy and plays with closing speed, which might make him a better fit for man coverage than zone, where he struggles to play with awareness and discipline. Hill has the demeanor and skill level to compete for a backup spot and should find special teams snaps early in his NFL career.

Hill’s play style and willingness to play special teams is certainly going to intrigue some around the league, including the Giants.

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Cardinals met with Pitt S Brandon Hill

HIll had a fantastic combine. The Cardinals are one of many teams he met with.

The Arizona Cardinals don’t need a starting safety today, as they have both Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker on the roster, but looking to the future at the position isn’t a bad idea. They have some interest in at least one in the 2023 NFL draft.

According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, Pitt safety Brandon Hill has met with the Cardinals, along with many other teams.

Hill is a 5-foot-10, 193-pound safety out of Pitt. He had 67 tackles, half a sack, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown.

He had three career interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, and eight pass breakups.

He ran the 40 at the combine in 4.43 seconds.

His play style should get him regular playing time on special teams to start his career. After that, who knows?

The Cardinals could use special teams safety depth, so keep an eye on his name as the draft progresses.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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