Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Here is a look at the roster moves the Houston Texans made to make it to 85 players by the first cut deadline.
The Houston Texans released or waived the following five players from its roster in accordance with the guidelines set by the NFL that training camp rosters must go from 90 players to 85 by 3:00 p.m. Central Time on Aug. 16.
The Houston Texans are cutting former Minnesota Vikings receiver Chad Beebe.
The Houston Texans have to cut from 90 players to 85 players by 3:00 p.m. Central Time on Aug. 16, and the club is already getting a headstart.
According to Aaron Wilson from the Pro Football Network, the Texans are releasing former Minnesota Vikings receiver Chad Beebe.
Beebe was part of a glut of receivers working to provide depth behind Brandin Cooks, Chris Conley, Chris Moore, and Phillip Dorsett. The leukemia diagnosis of John Metchie provided an opportunity for receivers to get more reps and make an impression on the coaching staff.
The 5-10, 183-pound wideout had just one target in the 17-13 preseason win over the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 13 at NRG Stadium.
Houston Texans QB Jeff Driskel says that WR Chad Beebe’s heads-up fair catch allowed them to have a game-winning drive against the New Orleans Saints.
Jeff Driskel may have blown the game with his third interception with 4:10 to go, but the Houston Texans defense got the ball back.
With 2:15 left in the preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints Aug. 13 at NRG Stadium, the Texans had a shot to give new coach Lovie Smith his first win ever, even if it was in an exhibition contest.
“We practice two-minute every single day,” Driskel told reporters. “It’s something that we’re super comfortable with. Most games come down to a two-minute situation.”
For Driskel, who finished with 16-of-26 for 165 yards and two touchdowns, the positive play that gave Houston a realistic shot was receiver Chad Beebe’s decision on the Blake Gillikin 35-yard punt.
“Chad Beebe fair caught the ball on the 10-yard line,” said Driskel. “I thought that was an unbelievable decision. You know that ball hits the ground, bounces around a little bit and we’re backed up on the 1- or 2-yard line, it could be a different scenario. So, that was huge.”
The Texans were able to go 90 yards in seven plays, melting 1:50 off the clock as Driskel capped off the drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to receiver Johnny Johnson to give Houston a 17-13 win.
“Obviously, the defense getting the stop to force the punt and then just going out and executing,” Driskel said. “That’s what it’s all about. The players are out there. We’ve just got to go execute, and we did that at a high level on that drive.”
The Texans will get another chance to showcase their consistency in execution when they take on the Los Angeles Rams Aug. 19 at SoFi Stadium.
There are some surprising names on this list
With OTAs wrapping up and veteran mandatory minicamp right around the corner, there are still some noteworthy names on the list of Minnesota Vikings free agents that remain unsigned.
The biggest name on that list is obviously former four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro outside linebacker Anthony Barr.
After spending eight seasons with the Vikings, Barr’s contract was allowed to expire in the offseason ahead of the regime shift in Minnesota.
Not only did the team replace him with Za’Darius Smith, but they also gave away the No. 55 jersey he wore during his time with the franchise.
It’s a bit shocking that he’s still one of the players on this list considering he’s more than capable of helping a team in need at the linebacker position. The same could be said about other names on this list as well, assuming they end up in the right situation.
Here are the Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned to this point.
The firepower at receiver is unreal
For the Minnesota Vikings, the 2021 season was a teaser to what should be one of the best receiving units in 2022 and beyond. It doesn’t matter who starts under center—Kirk Cousins, Kellen Mond, a rookie or some veteran free agent the Vikings decide to bring into the fold.
Some quarterback will be playing with the Infinity Gauntlet of offensive firepower.
The opportunity will clearly be there for the Vikings to morph into one of the most explosive teams on the field with an offensive-minded head coach like Kevin O’Connell leading the charge.
They aren’t going to be a team afraid to take risks, and they’re going to consistently push the ball downfield. You can also expect plenty of pre-snap movement in order to bait and confuse opposing defenses.
Grab a cold beverage, a bowl of popcorn and pull up a chair. Things are about to reach new levels of excitement in Minnesota.
Here’s where the Vikings stand at wide receiver.
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The Vikings waived Chad Beebe to injured reserve on Tuesday.
The #Vikings waived Chad Beebe to injured reserve today; he’ll need about four months to recover from the foot injury he suffered on Friday in Kansas City. He’ll hit the open market once he’s healthy.
— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingStrib) August 31, 2021
Vikings WR Chad Beebe provided depth for the team when they needed it in 2020.
He helped Minnesota defeat Carolina by catching the game-winning touchdown reception, a redemptive moment after a muffed punt earlier in the game.
However, this year, Beebe was let down by injury. The wideout was waived to IR on Tuesday. He will need four months to recover from a foot injury he suffered in the team’s preseason finale loss to the Chiefs, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. Beebe will hit the open market when healthy, per Goessling.
Beebe’s injury is one of a several to the wide receiver group this offseason. Minnesota has seen Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen both get banged up. Bisi Johnson tore his ACL, leaving him out for the year. Minnesota can’t afford any more injuries to the wide receiver room in 2021, especially near the top of the depth chart.
How will the Minnesota Vikings fill the void at wide receiver three? Mike Zimmer talked about the position recently.
The Vikings have a menacing wideout duo in Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. But Minnesota, like so many other teams, start to drop off in talent beyond the first two wide receivers on the depth chart.
That makes the wide receiver three battle pretty important. The Vikings could use a wideout with big-play potential to fill the void at wide receiver three.
Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer recently talked about that spot:
“It’s really hard to tell,” Zimmer said. “I really like some of these guys. Some of the young guys we drafted. Even Blake Proehl, I think he’s done a nice job. We still got [Chad] Beebe. K.J. Osborn has had a really nice camp. Even [Dan] Chisena has done a really good job when we thought of him being maybe just a special teams player. They’ve all kind of grown as they’re moving forward here. Thank goodness we have some of these preseason games to get a look at some of these guys as well. But I think once we get into camp, we’ll find out a little more about some of them.”
The wide receiver Minnesota drafted, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, would be an interesting choice. It’s a big role to put on a fifth-rounder, but if Smith-Marsette can take the top off the defense every now and then, the Vikings could be looking at a changed offense.
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How do you want the Minnesota Vikings to fill its remaining open positions this offseason: Through the NFL draft or in free agency?
Minnesota is just one season removed from a playoff victory, but the team still has plenty of pressing needs to address this offseason.
So this article will feature some big roles that are relatively open on the Vikings right now, followed by a decision over whether to address those spots through the draft or in free agency.
It probably goes without saying, but the Vikings shouldn’t just draft by need and need alone. The team should try and find the best talent available to it. That said, given Minnesota’s open spots, it would certainly help if ideal players at big positions fell to it in the 2021 draft.
Here is the list:
The Minnesota Vikings are bringing back wide receiver Chad Beebe this offseason.
The Vikings ended up not tendering a single restricted free agent this offseason. That’s understandable. The low tender was $2.1 million. The only starter from 2020 who was set to be a restricted free agent was DE Ifeadi Odenigbo.
But Minnesota’s restricted free agents can still return to the team. That’s exactly what WR Chad Beebe is doing. According to multiple reports, Beebe is returning to the Vikings on a one-year veteran minimum deal.
This move isn’t a bad one. Beebe is coming off a season where he was serviceable at times as a wide receiver. However, I don’t think he’s Minnesota’s answer to its punt returning problems.
Beebe’s deal doesn’t break the bank and the Vikings need wide receiver depth beyond Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. That said, Beebe should not be Minnesota’s wide receiver three in 2021. If Minnesota wants him as depth further down the depth chart, though, I can see that working.
The Minnesota Vikings will not be tendering their three restricted free agents amid a cash-strapped 2021 offseason.
The Vikings have an interesting class of restricted free agents this offseason. DE Ifeadi Odenigbo was a a stellar reserve in 2019, but he struggled as a full-time starter in 2020. WR Chad Beebe had his moments in 2020, but also had his share of mishaps. RB Mike Boone was good, but he was in a very limited role on offense.
A compelling case can be made that all three should try to be retained this offseason. But tendering one of those three is a tall order for the Vikings, a team that’s strapped for cash and likely doesn’t want to shell out that kind of money to role players.
According to multiple reports, Minnesota doesn’t appear to be tendering Odenigbo, Beebe or Boone this offseason. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reported that Minnesota will not tender Boone.
The Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling reported earlier in the offseason that the team wants Beebe back, but likely won’t be tendering him. Also according to Goessling, Odenigbo won’t be tendered, either.
It should be pointed out that these three could also return to Minnesota. Although, it seems likely that the Vikings would be paying them less than the low tender of $2.1 million.
