Tag: Eric Murray

3 Texans to work with NFLPA externship program

The Houston Texans have three players who will be taking part in the NFLPA’s externship program in March.

The Houston Texans have players who are aiming to achieve more off the field.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett, safety Michael Thomas, and safety Eric Murray are taking part in the NFL Players Association’s externship program that helps with their transition from football to the “real world” when their playing days are over.

The goal of the externship is to provide after-football career opportunities that emphasize networking experiences.

Scarlett will be working with Target Accelerators while Murray will be working with The Players’ Tribune. Thomas will work with the marketing side of the players’ union, NFL Players Inc.

“We believe that this year’s virtual externship experience will provide our player members with a unique opportunity to broaden their knowledge, skillset, and network in new, innovative ways that will serve them well during life after football,” NFLPA player manager Connor Ford said.

The three Texans are a part of 52 players who will work for 24 different organizations in March.

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Texans’ Romeo Crennel: Whitney Mercilus, Eric Murray have mild COVID-19 symptoms

Houston Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel says that OLB Whitney Mercilus and S Eric Murray are recovering from COVID-19 and have had mild symptoms.

The Houston Texans had to place two of their starters on defense on COVID-19 reserve within 48 hours of their Week 16 contest with the Cincinnati Bengals.

On Dec. 25, outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus was placed on the reserve. On game day, Dec. 27, the Texans placed safety Eric Murray on COVID-19 reserve.

Interim coach Romeo Crennel gave an update on the status of the two defenders during his Wednesday media availability.

“They’re both recovering,” Crennel said. “They don’t seem to have any serious symptoms. They have the milder things, the headaches, the body aches. But I think they’re improving from when I’ve texted and talked to them. Now, they have to wait out their sentence so to speak. I think that they’re doing OK.”

Due to the preponderance of positive tests, the Texans had to close the team facilities and held a walkthrough on Wednesday.

“We are having a walkthrough where they’ll come, and we’ll have a walkthrough for about an hour and then they’ll leave,” said Crennel. “They are not using the facility. They come in, we go to the field, we walk through and then they leave.”

The Texans are hopeful that the cutdown on interaction between players stops the spread. Players and coaches will also be wearing masks as they attempt to “get some fundamental work done,” according to Crennel.

The Texans close out the regular season Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium against the Tennessee Titans.

Texans aren’t blaming late roster changes due to COVID-19 for loss to the Bengals

The Houston Texans had to make some changes to their roster due to COVID-19, but they aren’t blaming it for the 37-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Houston Texans had to place two starters on COVID-19 reserve within 48 hours of kickoff against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium.

However, don’t expect interim coach Romeo Crennel to blame the loss of outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and safety Eric Murray for the club’s 37-31 loss in Week 16.

“Any time you lose a starter at this point, at the point in the game where we lost him, that’s difficult because you’ve got to figure out who goes to replace him and all of those kind of things, and so you have to move pieces around,” Crennel said. “Then the guys who had to wait on contact tracing, I think that that impacted their mentality to a degree but they still got there and lined up and tried to play the game.”

Watt pointed out that every team in the NFL is working through challenges, including the Bengals, who started backup Brandon Allen at quarterback and backup Samaje Perine at running back.

“Cleveland played with no receivers today,” Watt said of the Browns’ concurrent contest with the New York Jets. “Every team in the league is dealing with things. So, we can sit here and make excuses and say why we’re not playing a certain way and why we’re not doing this and why we’re not doing that. The fact of the matter is every single team is dealing with that. So, you’ve got to find a way, and we didn’t. We haven’t.”

The Texans defense gave up 540 yards total offense to the Bengals. Allen was not sacked once and tallied 371 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Would Mercilus and Murray have made that much of a difference? Probably not, because the Texans’ problems in 2020 have extended far beyond the availability of their starters.

Texans place S Eric Murray on COVID-19 reserve

The Houston Texans placed safety Eric Murray on COVID-19 reserve and made some roster adjustments to replace him.

The Houston Texans have another player to place on COVID-19 reserve ahead of their Week 16 game with the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at NRG Stadium.

The club announced that safety Eric Murray will be placed on the COVID-19 reserve and miss Sunday’s game.

Houston placed outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus on the COVID-19 reserve on Friday.

As Murray and Mercilus’ COVID-19 replacements, the Texans will call up receiver Steven Mitchell and cornerback Anthony Chesley from the practice squad.

Mitchell has caught three passes for 38 yards through four games this season. Chesley has been activated for two games in 2020 and has played nine snaps on special teams.

Texans S Eric Murray thinks communication has to improve with loss of Justin Reid

Houston Texans safety Eric Murray says the communication needs to improve with safety Justin Reid lost for the season with a hand injury.

The Houston Texans took a blow to their secondary during the 36-7 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 14.

Third-year safety Justin Reid, who has been almost an older veteran on the back end due to his seniority with the Texans, was lost for the final three games with a hand injury.

Now that the Texans will have to rely more on second-year defensive back Lonnie Johnson and third-year undrafted free agent A.J. Moore, safety Eric Murray thinks the communication has to improve to make up for the loss of Reid.

“I think as a defense we have to communicate,” said Murray, who has 66 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup. “Communication was a big part of what Justin did and what he brought to the team.”

There were other aspects to the defense Reid brought that the Texans will have to compensate for in other areas, and it could start with Murray himself.

Said Murray: “Just personally, Justin was a good physical player in the run game and a good cover guy, so just being able to add to the physicality as an enforcer back there and still be able to do my job in coverage. I think that’s what I would have to do personally.”

The Texans get their first shot to roll without Reid in the secondary for the first time this season as they complete their season series with the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts beat the Texans 26-20 in Week 13 at NRG Stadium. Houston hopes to avoid getting swept by their AFC South rivals, who have not completed a season sweep in the series since 2017.

Texans secondary coach: S Eric Murray has been filling holes on the back end

Houston Texans safety Eric Murray has been helpful in the secondary in filling the holes that crop up each week.

The Houston Texans defense is far from ideal, and the secondary is another unit that has had to face each challenges on a weekly basis.

According to secondary coach D’Anton Lynn, a utility player they have been able to count on to meet the challenges has been safety Eric Murray.

“So, we knew he was a versatile player when we got him,” Lynn said. “We’ve used him just about every spot so far this year. He’s played safety for us. He’s played star. He’s played money. He’s blitzed. He’s been in coverage. He’s done just about everything.”

Murray has collected 38 combined tackles, a pass breakup, a forced fumble, and two quarterback hits in all seven of his starts for the Texans. The former Kansas City Chief and Cleveland Brown has had just seven missed tackles among his 477 defensive snaps and one special teams snap. The Texnas have sent him  on a blitz 16 times and he has had one hurry and one quarterback knockdown.

“It’s been nice to have a utility guy like that that’s a veteran, that’s played in games, that’s smart, that can just kind of fill all those holes we have each week,” Lynn said.

The holes will persist for Houston, even as they get back to work against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9 at TIAA Bank Field. The Texans will still be leaning on Murray to do his part and fill in.

Chiefs will play against three former draft picks in season opener vs. Texans

The Texans have three former Chiefs draft picks on their 53-man roster.

The Kansas City Chiefs are quite familiar with the Houston Texans, facing the team twice last season. This year they’ll be especially familiar with two players on the defensive side of the ball and one on the offensive side.

Eric Murray, a former fourth-round draft pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Chiefs, is slated to be a starter in the Texans defense. The Chiefs sent Murray to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 in a player-for-player exchange acquiring Emmanuel Ogbah.

Zach Fulton, a former sixth-round draft pick by the Chiefs in the 2014 NFL Draft, was once a starter on the offensive line in Kansas City. He started 46 total games in four years with the team, playing left guard, center and right guard.

Philip Gaines, a former third-round draft pick by the Chiefs in the 2014 NFL Draft, is also poised to have a prominent role in the Houston secondary and on special teams. Gaines popped up on the injury report as a limited participant this week, but Murray is someone that the Chiefs defense should expect to see a lot.

Texans HC Bill O’Brien recently highlighted Murray as a do-it-all player for Houston.

“We try — when we think about our secondary, it’s rare that we have guys that can only do one thing,” O’Brien said on Monday. “If they’re excellent at one thing, like say they’re just an absolutely fantastic outside corner, then obviously that’s what they do really well. That’s what we see and that’s what we go with. But most of the time we want guys that can do different things.

“You’ve got a guy like Eric Murray. Eric Murray in his career has played safety; he’s played nickel, he’s played corner, he’s been a fullback, the personal protector on the punt team, he’s been on the kickoff team. He’s done it all. So, when you have a guy that is versatile and can do different things and he’s lined up in different places and he’s really smart, which it requires a level of intelligence to be able to do those things, and we have other guys that do that, that really helps you where you can plug and play. Hey, I know this role, I also know this role and I can be this in different packages. I think that’s part of what we try to do in the secondary every year and that’s part of what we’re doing this year.”

It sounds like the Texans plan to use Murray in a similar way that the Chiefs have used players like Tyrann Mathieu and Kendall Fuller. He can move around in the secondary in different personnel packages. He can also help disguise certain coverages because of his versatility. If there’s an injury, he can fill in without breaking a sweat.

The Chiefs offense should circle Murray ahead of Week 1 because this could be a revenge game for Murray. Being shipped off to Cleveland ahead of a championship-winning season — he could have something that he wants to prove to the Chiefs’ front office.

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Texans have a smart pair of safeties in Eric Murray, Justin Reid

The Houston Texans have two safeties with high football intelligence in Eric Murray and Justin Reid.

The Houston Texans signed former Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns safety Eric Murray to a three-year contract in free agency.

With Justin Reid entering his third season, the Texans anticipate having a safety duo with high football IQ on the back end.

“They’re both very smart players, good pros,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “Eric works hard, smart, played a lot of football in this league. He fills a lot of different roles for us. He’s involved in special teams. He’s involved in different parts of the defense. He’s been a real good addition to our team.”

Murray played three seasons with the Chiefs after going in Round 4 of the 2016 NFL Draft. The 5-11, 199-pound safety played nine games for the Browns last season, starting in four of them, and collecting 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, and a pass breakup.

The former Minnesota Gopher looks forward to teaming up with Reid and confusing opposing offenses.

“I think we complement each other just by the mental part of the game, just being able to be on the same page so we can fool [offenses] into whatever look we have going on there,” said Murray. “I think in ways that we’re different, he’s more of an enforcer type. I think for me personally, I’m more of a covering type. I can still bring some physicality too, but I think that’s what separates us.”

Murray will be the third different free agent safety to start opposite of Reid. In 2018, Tyrann Mathieu played alongside Reid before departing in free agency, and Tashaun Gipson was the safety opposite of Reid last year.

“I think whatever possibilities we have, I think it’s really limitless,” Murary said. “We’re just learning new stuff and really getting a feel for each other. I feel like once we really click and get our camaraderie down as a group, it’ll be real good.”

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Texans safety Justin Reid looking forward to teaming up with Eric Murray

Houston Texans safety Justin Reid has great expectations when it comes to the pairing up with former Cleveland Browns safety Eric Murray.

For the third time in as many seasons Justin Reid has been with the Houston Texans, the former 2018 third-round pick is getting a new partner at safety.

The Texans signed former Cleveland Browns defensive back Eric Murray in free agency, and Reid is anticipating the team-up with his new comrade on the back end.

“He’s an athletic guy, a really hard worker, and I just know he’s going to be really excited for this opportunity,” Reid said via the Houston Chronicle. “He’s really showed up whenever he did get on the field. This is going to be a hell of an opportunity for him to really come out from the get-go.”

Murray played nine games for the Browns in 2019, starting in four of them. The former Kansas City Chiefs fourth-round pick collected 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, and a pass breakup in Cleveland’s 6-10 campaign.

Reid expects better results with Murray in Houston.

“We’re going to be working together and communicating,” said Reid. “He’s going to be my partner in crime. We’ll feed off each other.”

The former Stanford Cardinal grabbed two interceptions, broke up five passes, recovered one fumble, made a tackle for loss, and recorded 78 tackles for the Texans in 15 games last season.

Reid’s first teammate at safety in his rookie season was Tyrann Mathieu, who later signed with the Chiefs in the 2019 offseason, earning an All-Pro during the club’s victorious Super Bowl campaign.

In 2019, the Texans replaced Matheiu with former Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars safety Tashaun Gipson. The former Wyoming Cowboy missed two regular season games and the Texans’ two playoff games, which led to the organization seeking an upgrade.

The Texans finished last season with 22 takeaways, tied with Washington for the 15th-most in the league. Eight of the top 10 teams in takeaways in 2019 made the playoffs.

Is safety an area of strength for the Texans defense?

Houston Texans defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is optimistic about the talent in the safety positions, including third-year starter Justin Reid.

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The Houston Texans may have inconspicuously upgraded their safety position in the offseason.

First-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver told reporters on a video conference on May 13 that he is pleased with the free agent acquisitions of Eric Murray and Michael Thomas.

“We’re extremely excited about Eric Murray and Michael Thomas,” said Weaver. “They’re both proven veterans, phenomenal human beings that know how to play the game and how to win.”

Murray comes over from a one-season stint with the Cleveland Browns, where he recorded 24 tackles, 1.0 sack, three tackles for loss, and had a pass breakup in nine games.

Thomas spent the last two seasons with the New York Giants, earning his first career Pro Bowl in 2018 for collecting 59 tackles, 1.0 sack, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and forcing a fumble in 16 games.

While the Texans are hopeful to get that level of production out of either Thomas or Murray, Weaver knows they still have a young weapon on the back end: Justin Reid.

“I think Justin Reid is a heck of a football player, and now that he’s going into year three, it was amazing to see some of the things that he did last year particularly when he was nursing really two shoulder injuries the entire year,” Weaver said. “So, when he comes back this year and he’s healthy, 100 percent healthy, I could see him taking a huge jump as well.”

Reid has been a fixture for the Texans secondary since the club took him in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft from Stanford. The mature 23-year-old is losing the label of being Pro Bowler Eric Reid’s little brother and becoming one of the more complete safeties in the league.

“I have the utmost confidence in our safety position with just the professionalism we have in there and obviously the ability as well,” Weaver said.

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