Tag: COVID-19 reserve

Texans DT Ross Blacklock could miss second straight game

The chances for Houston Texans DT Ross Blacklock to return for the New England Patriots game in Week 5 are highly unlikely.

The Houston Texans may be without the services of defensive tackle Ross Blacklock for a second straight week.

According to coach David Culley, while he believes the former 2020 second-rounder from TCU would be able to get out of the COVID protocol, he doesn’t believe it would be advisable to play the defensive lineman after not practicing all week.

“I don’t believe, because of the COVID protocol, that he’ll be ready to go this week,” said Culley. “I think he would be eligible to play this week, but the fact that he’s come off COVID, not being able to have practiced. To be able to put him out on the field right now, I don’t think would be good for him.”

Blacklock was placed on the COVID-19 reserve on Oct. 1 after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, and he subsequently did not play in Week 4 when Houston fell 40-0 to the Buffalo Bills.

The Texans take on the New England Patriots Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG 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 activate LT Laremy Tunsil from COVID-19 reserve

The Houston Texans have brought back Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the COVID-19 reserve.

The Houston Texans have finally gotten Laremy Tunsil back from the COVID-19 reserve.

The Texans announced Monday they had activated the two-time Pro Bowler from the COVID-19 reserve after having been placed there on Aug. 13.

Houston was being deliberate with the 27-year-old, allowing him to get his conditioning down before activating him from the reserve and having him count against the active roster.

Tunsil missed all of the 2021 preseason. Although Tunsil has played 28 career games with Houston, starting in all of them since 2019, he has never played in a preseason game for the club.

The Texans host the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Sept. 12 at NRG Stadium.

Texans LT Laremy Tunsil still in COVID protocol, will miss Buccaneers game

Houston Texans coach David Culley says left tackle Laremy Tunsil is still on the COVID-19 reserve and won’t be available for the preseason finale.

The Houston Texans won’t get to see how their two-time Pro Bowl left tackle plays alongside the retooled offensive line.

According to coach David Culley ahead of Thursday’s training camp practice, Laremy Tunsil is still in the COVID-19 protocol.

“He’s doing well,” Culley said. “He’s feeling better. He will not play.”

The Texans take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday night at NRG Stadium. The next game after that is the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 12, also at NRG Stadium.

Culley says the team’s approach with Tunsil is to take it “day by day.”

Said Culley: “The protocol, when he’s feeling better. Right now, we’re just reconditioning him because he’s been away for a while. We’re not going to put him out on the field again until we feel he’s conditioning wise ready to play.”

Tunsil has played 28 games for the Texans since 2019, missing two games per season.

Texans LT Laremy Tunsil is working back from COVID-19 reserve

Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil is still working his way back from the COVID-19 reserve.

HOUSTON — Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil was back at practice Tuesday morning at the at Houston Methodist Training Center. Tunsil missed all of last week, including Saturday’s 20-14 preseason victory against the Dallas Cowboys due to testing positive for COVID-19.

Tunsil remains on the Texans’ COVID-19 reserve, though coach David Culley said Monday he has been in team meetings.

“He is not back,” Culley said. “He is here but he is not back, and he is not ready to practice yet.”

Although he did not participate in any on-field activities, Tunsil took part in individual works on Houston’s third practice field.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor was pleased to see Tunsil back in the facility.

“It was good,” Taylor said Monday. “I talked to him last week through text. It was good to see him come into the locker room today, just his presence amongst the guys means a lot. I know the offensive linemen and just the rest of the team have the utmost respect for him, and just happy to have him back. I know he’s eager to get back on the field, and we need him to be ready for Week 1 and excited to see him back in the huddle.”

Texans RT Tytus Howard back from COVID-19 reserve

Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard returned to practice for the first time since being placed on the COVID-19 reserve.

The Houston Texans may get to see more from the top of their depth at tackle this preseason.

Right tackle Tytus Howard returned from the COVID-19 reserve and was at Texans’ training camp practice Wednesday.

Howard was part of a trio that included Laremy Tunsil and Roderick Johnson who were placed on the COVID-19 reserve just before the Texans’ preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Aug. 14.

The former 2019 first-round pick has started 21 games at right tackle in his past two seasons for Houston. The other start was at left guard in Week 2 of his rookie year, which is an experiment the Texans are considering revisiting.

Texans place Tytus Howard, Roderick Johnson, Laremy Tunsil on COVID-19 reserve

The Houston Texans have placed Tytus Howard, Laremy Tunsil, and Roderick Johnson on the COVID-19 reserve.

The Houston Texans will have to cobble together some solutions at tackle this weekend.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Texans placed tackles Roderick Johnson, Laremy Tunsil, and Tytus Howard on the COVID-19 reserve Friday. One of the players was a positive test, and the other two were deemed high-risk close contacts.

The Texans won’t get to see the continuity along the offensive line they were hoping in the first preseason game. Coach David Culley told reporters on Aug. 11 he wanted to see “consistency, coming off the ball, communicating” in the first preseason game.

“Being our first game is we’ve been moving those guys all across all during training camp, I mean, guys been playing different positions and so now, once we get in there, obviously the communication has to be really, really good because guys may be playing one position a little bit longer than what he been doing in practice and the communication is big thing with the offensive line as far as us doing the things that we need to do in our running game and our pass game,” said Culley. “Their communication is critical.”

The communication will be challenged as Houston will be without three of their tackles.

Saints activate D.J. Swearinger, shuffle practice squad for playoffs

The New Orleans Saints activated safety D.J. Swearinger from COVID-19 reserve and shuffled their practice squad for the postseason.

The New Orleans Saints filed a number of roster moves on the daily NFL transactions wire Monday evening, including the return of veteran safety D.J. Swearinger from the league’s COVID-19 reserve list. But the team also brought in emergency options for their specialists, like kicker Blair Walsh and long snapper John Denney.

Here’s a quick recap of each roster move:

 

Chiefs LB Anthony Hitchens indicates he has returned from reserve/COVID-19 list

The Chiefs’ defensive signal-caller says he’s back in the building after a stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting a boost to their defense before they return to practice this week.

Chiefs LB Anthony Hitchens posted on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, indicating that he’s back in the building after nearly a full two-week absence. Kansas City placed Hitchens on the reserve/COVID-19 list back on December 22. This was believed to be a result of a high-risk close contact, but his extended stay suggests that he could have contracted the virus.

Hitchens, who is the Chiefs’ defensive signal-caller, missed the final two games of the regular season. This forced Ben Niemann and Darius Harris to wear the green dot in his absence, getting the calls from the sideline and relaying those to the rest of the defense.

In 14 starts this season, Hitchens has 78 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, and a pass breakup. He still finished the year second on the team in total tackles, despite missing those final two games.  Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke about his season back in early December, describing him as the “glue guy” on the defense.

“To me, he’s the glue,” Spagnuolo said of Hitchens. “You don’t have the luxury of seeing the guys like I do and seeing the interaction and the little things that he does. I showed one this morning from yesterday’s practice—I actually made the point that we all should feel fortunate that we have Hitch as a MIKE linebacker because he does a lot of things before the ball is snapped and he helps everybody else play better. I’m sure glad we got him; I think he’s playing some really good football. He always has played aggressive, he always has tackled physically, and I think he brings that to the game. I think all of us, I’m talking about players and coaches, appreciate what he does.”

The team appreciation for Hitchens has likely grown fonder in his absence. His return to action will be a big boost for a defense that is looking to make a statement during the playoffs.

The Chiefs return to practice on Thursday as they prepare for potential opponents in the divisional round. Expect an official transaction, returning Hitchens from the reserve/COVID-19 list to happen either later today or tomorrow.

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Texans OLB Whitney Mercilus placed on COVID-19 reserve

The Houston Texans have placed outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus on the COVID-19 reserve for the second time this season.

The Houston Texans will be without one of their starting outside linebackers as they take on the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium in Week 16.

Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus was placed on the COVID-19 reserve Friday, the team announced.

Mercilus originally missed Week 9’s rematch with the Jacksonville Jaguars as he and inside linebacker Dylan Cole were deemed close contacts with outside linebacker Jacob Martin, who did test positive for the novel coronavirus.

The Texans were able to activate outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett from injured reserve last week. Houston also has Martin and rookie third-rounder Jonathan Greenard to provide support on the edge in the absence of Mercilus.