Tag: Charlie Heck

Texans like the depth OT Charlie Heck provides

Houston Texans coach Lovie Smith likes what he has seen from third-year tackle Charlie Heck throughout the offseason program.

Charlie Heck may be a pick from an old regime, but the former 2020 fourth-round tackle from North Carolina is finding ways to stick around with the Houston Texans.

The 6-8, 315-pound offensive lineman took a big step in his second season as injuries and availability issues ravaged the Texans’ offensive line. Heck started 13 of his 15 game day activations, up from one start in three activations as a rookie.

Seemingly the Texans are set at their bookends with two-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil manning left tackle and former 2019 first-round pick Tytus Howard at right tackle. However, the development of Heck gives the Texans options.

“Charlie, you know, we’re going to have two starting offensive tackles, but you need a lot more,” coach Lovie Smith told reporters after organized team activities at Houston Methodist Training Center on Wednesday. “We like our tackle position. There’s depth there. Eventually, you know, Tunsil will be in and Tytus Howard has done an excellent job, but you need more than them, we want to be two-deep the every position on our football team.”

Heck also gives the Texans option across their offensive line as a whole. If the 25-year-old is able to be an effective right tackle, the Texans could kick Howard back inside at a guard position to solidify the line and ensure Houston started the best five-man combination. Then, the depth would roll to the interior offensive line where A.J. Cann would provide support at the guard spots.

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Texans confident Geron Christian, Charlie Heck can hold forth as starting tackles

The Houston Texans are going to have to rely on backups Geron Christian and Charlie Heck at their tackle spots against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Houston Texans aren’t going to play the tackle duo they would have liked against the Indianapolis Colts when the AFC South foes meet Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at Lucas Oil Stadium.

For Houston, the availability issues at tackle started the day before their 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 5 when they placed right tackle Marcus Cannon on injured reserve with a back injury.

After the loss to the Patriots, the Texans discovered that left tackle Laremy Tunsil had a thumb injury and would be sidelined for at least the next four weeks as he needed surgery.

The Texans will have to turn to reserve tackles Geron Christian and Charlie Heck to fill out the left and right sides, and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly has confidence they can get the job done.

“I’m expecting them to come out and do their job,” Kelly said. “Charlie had a really good preseason. Unfortunately, he got sick at the end so it kind of derailed him a little bit, but he was on track and he was playing really well and he’s picked up right where he left off.”

Where Heck picked up was against the Patriots, filling in for Cannon. Kelly believes that Heck will “execute at a high level.”

As for Christian, Kelly says that he hardly notices the former Washington 2018 third-round pick in the game.

Said Kelly: “When he’s in there you don’t notice him, as an offensive lineman we all know that’s one of the highest compliments you can get. We are looking for them to come in and play well and play physical and make sure we can get moving the running game and protect us in the pass game.”

The Colts have generated 27 pressures, the fewest in the NFL. Indianapolis’ pass rush has also generated just 10 sacks, tied for the 10th-fewest in the league.

Texans OT Charlie Heck says he has benefited from spending time with Marcus Cannon

Houston Texans tackle Charlie Heck says that he has learned a lot from spending time with starting right tackle Marcus Cannon.

The Houston Texans are getting younger at right tackle.

A back injury to starter Marcus Cannon has forced the Texans to place the former New England Patriots 2011 fifth-round pick from TCU on injured reserve. Taking his place is second-year tackle Charlie Heck, who started in Week 5 against New England.

Although the Texans traded for Cannon to be the starter at right tackle, Heck has been spending time with the three-time Super Bowl champion to add pieces to his game to take the next step in his NFL career.

“He was somebody I’ve really looked up to,” Heck said. “He’s done such a good job in this league for a long time, so it was always fun kind of picking his brain, watching how he practices, kind of how he really is as a pro. It’s a long season, so I was always preparing each week like I was going to start.”

Heck has even asked Cannon to help him with the finer aspects of his craft, and Cannon has always reciprocated as he wished someone would have taken time with him earlier in his career.

Said Heck: “Something that he always does, because he’s had such a long career, he sees some things that he would do early on in his career that I would be doing. So, he says, ‘These are things I wish I had somebody kind of helping me with when I was younger.’ So, he’s been able to do that for me, seeing little things in pass protection or the run game that I think will go a long way.”

Heck may have to slide to left tackle if the injury to Laremy Tunsil keeps him out of the Week 6 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Texans place OT Charlie Heck on COVID-19 reserve

The Houston Texans have placed tackle Charlie Heck on the COVID-19 reserve.

The Houston Texans took a hit to their tackle depth on Monday.

The team announced they are placing offensive tackle Charlie Heck on the COVID-19 reserve. A source confirms the placement was a result of a positive test.

Coach David Culley told reporters on Sept. 2 that the coaches were pleased with the progress the second-year tackle had made throughout training camp and the preseason.

“Very happy with Charlie to where he is at to this point,” said Culley. “Very happy with him.”

On the Texans’ unofficial depth chart, Heck was listed as second behind starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Behind Heck on the depth chart is Geron Christian, who did start at left tackle during preseason while Tunsil was on the COVID-19 reserve.

Houston plays the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Sept. 12 at NRG Stadium.

Texans OT Charlie Heck is thriving thanks to preseason games

Houston Texans second-year offensive tackle Charlie Heck has been taking the next step in his development due to the return of preseason games.

Charlie Heck was just like everyone else in that 2020 disrupted his plans.

After the Houston Texans drafted Heck in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, the expectation was he would get to take part in a normal offseason and training camp as part of the usual ramp-up rookies experience as they integrate into pro football. Instead, the COVID-19 lockdowns ensured Heck got to experience neither — just a big, month-long training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center before the regular season kicked off.

When the real normal of an offseason program and preseason games returned, Heck wanted to utilize the opportunity to grow as an offensive lineman.

“I didn’t really get that offseason, so, this year I really wanted to take full advantage of this one,” Heck said. “So, I really was here every day, living in the weight room, meeting everybody and learning the new offense.”

Heck’s father is Andy Heck, the offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, who also played in the NFL from 1989-2000. It is ingrained in the younger Heck that it is the little details behind the scenes that lead to success on the field.

Living in the weight room was a trait of Heck’s that first-year coach David Culley noticed in the offseason.

“When I came here and this staff came here, and we went in to our OTAs and went into our offseason program, I don’t know if there is a player on the team who improved as much as Charlie did from the start to this point right now,” Culley said. “And that’s not surprising because he has a great work ethic.”

As such, Heck has been able to gain some strength and confidence.

“I was able to get in at the end of the year in some of the games and I definitely had my struggles but I kind of proved to myself that I can play in this league and I carried that on going into the offseason,” said Heck.

Heck played in three games and started in one amid the Texans’ 4-12 campaign last year. In 2021, Heck gets the opportunity to play in preseason games to hone his craft rather than live action that counts against the team’s record.

“It’s live reps going against a different team and that’s how you get better is getting experience and getting those live reps,” Heck said.

The Texans expect Heck to continue to develop as he challenges incumbent Tytus Howard for the starting right tackle job.

“He’s going into that year now where you want to see that progress made, and we’re starting to see that,” said Culley. “And that’s what happens when you do what he did to be in the position that he’s in right now.”

Texans G Max Scharping says OT Charlie Heck is a hard worker

Houston Texans guard Max Schapring says that second-year tackle Charlie Heck is doing a great job of displaying his work ethic in training camp.

Charlie Heck knows what it takes to make it in the NFL.

After all, his dad is the offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Andy Heck was also an offensive lineman in the league from 1989-2000.

The Houston Texans selected the former North Carolina product in Round 4 of the 2020 NFL draft. Heck played in three games, starting in the Week 17 season finale against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium.

Heck did the best he could with a virtual offseason, no offseason program, and just a month-long training camp ahead of the regular season last year.

With a full eight-week offseason program available, Heck put in the work this offseason and third-year guard Max Scharping has notice.

“Charlie’s great,” said Scharping. “I love playing next to him. He’s a smart kid. He works his ass off. He’s just a great guy to have by you. Like I said, he’s probably one of the hardest working guys in the room honestly.”

Not only does Heck’s lineage in the NFL provide him with the knowledge that hard work is what it takes to succeed, but his enculturation in the offensive line is also evident at training camp practices at Houston Methodist Training Center.

Said Scharping: “His background with his dad as a coach, he’s really smart in the game of football. So, he gets what’s going on out there, and he brings a level of that work ethic that every single offensive line needs to have.”

Heck will see extended playing time Saturday night against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field as tackles Roderick Johnson, Laremy Tunsil, and Tytus Howard have been placed on the COVID-19 reserve.

Houston Texans 2021 player profile: OT Charlie Heck

Charlie Heck was active for three games with one start his rookie season. Can the second-year tackle play more for the Houston Texans in 2021?

Charlie Heck appeared in three out of 16 games last season, and a congested offensive line core could cause the second-generation NFL pro to spend the 2021 season watching from the sideline.

The son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck saw his lone start of the season in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Heck proved to then-starting center Nick Martin that he belonged among the group.

“He popped his finger out,” Martin told reporters on Jan. 4, the day after the 41-38 loss. “He’s mid-game. They couldn’t get it back in. They wanted to go to the locker room, pop it back in and he stayed out here. He goes, ‘no, tape it up. I’m going to fight through it,’ with his finger turned sideways. Stuff like that you’re so proud of.”

As Heck enters his second year with the Texans, here’s what the former North Carolina product should consider in hopes of getting playing time in 2021.

Texans OC Tim Kelly credits OL coach Mike Devlin with OT Charlie Heck’s development

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly likes the job OL coach Mike Devlin has done with OT Charlie Heck.

Charlie Heck hasn’t had much playing time in 2020, but the fourth-rounder from North Carolina has been ready to play when he has been thrust into the action.

The son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive line coach, Andy Heck, has been active for two games. After seeing a snap at right tackle during the 27-20 win over the New England Patriots in Week 11, Heck played 39 snaps at right tackle in the 37-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 as Houston had to shuffle its offensive line due to injuries.

Houston may have to rely on the combination that they finished the game with Sunday as left tackle Laremy Tunsil left the game with an ankle injury and left guard Brent Qvale left with a concussion. Heck may be a part of those plans.

“I think we’ve got a couple different combinations that we may be able to throw out there with certain people playing different positions,” offensive coordinator Tim Kelly said. “So, if Charlie has to go out there and play, we’re going to be fine. He went out there, he prepares really well. He’s made tremendous strides this year during his rookie season.”

Kelly says that offensive line coach Mike Devlin has “done a great job” with developing Heck and getting the 6-8, 311-pound tackle accustomed to the NFL level.

“He’s put in the work and he’s earned the opportunity, so if we have to use him or if he has to come off the bench or whatever it may be, he’s going to be ready for whatever role he has to play for us on Sunday.”

The Texans take on the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium. If swing tackle Roderick Johnson has to fill in at left tackle, with starting right tackle Tytus Howard already on injured reserve, Heck could see his third activation of the season and possibly his first start of his career.

Texans announce 4 inactives against the Jaguars in Week 9 rematch

The Houston Texans have announced four inactives against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Week 9 rematch Sunday at TIAA Bank Field.

The Houston Texans announced their inactives ahead of their Week 9 encounter with the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at TIAA Bank Field.

The Texans only had four inactives for the game: LB Kyle Emanuel (concussion), OT Charlie Heck, and WR Isaiah Coulter.

CB Bradley Roby was declared inactive as he did not make the trip with the team. Although he was on the injury report with a knee injury, it was not injury related as to his deactivation Sunday. According to reports, the team did not bring Roby to Jacksonville for disciplinary reasons.

For the Jaguars, their inactives included QB Gardner Minshew (right thumb), RB Devine Ozigbo, RB Josiah Scott, DB Luq Barcoo, DB Dakota Allen, LB Aaron Lynch, and DL Caraun Reid.

Texans vs. Vikings Week 4 inactives: WR Keke Coutee not active

The Houston Texans announced their inactives for the Minnesota Vikings and receiver Keke Coutee was among them.

The Houston Texans announced their inactives for the Week 4 tilt with the Minnesota Vikings, and receiver Keke Coutee was among them.

Receiver Will Fuller had been on the injury report with a hamstring injury, but he is ready to go.

Joining Coutee as healthy scratches were cornerback Cornell Armstrong and rookie offensive tackle Charlie Heck.

Fullback Cullen Gillaspia (concussion) and inside linebacker Peter Kalambayi (hamstring) were also declared inactive.

For the Vikings, cornerback Mike Hughes (neck), cornerback Kris Boyd (hamstring), offensive tackle Olisaemeka Udoh (finger), defensive tackle James Lynch, receiver Tajae Sharpe, and defensive end Eddie Yarbrough were declared inactive.