Tag: Marcus Cannon

Patriots signing former longtime OT Marcus Cannon to practice squad

A familiar face is returning to New England.

The New England Patriots had a familiar face at practice with offensive tackle Marcus Cannon rejoining his former longtime team for a visit on Thursday.

It didn’t take long for the Patriots to make the reunion official with the team signing the 34-year-old lineman to the practice squad after his workout.

Cannon spent nine seasons with the Patriots before joining the Houston Texans in 2021. He started only four games for the Texans before going on injured reserve for the rest of the year and ultimately being released in the offseason.

There have been questions along the offensive front for the Patriots throughout training camp and the preseason with the unit struggling to adjust to the new offensive scheme. It hasn’t helped matters that starting tackle Isaiah Wynn is also coming off another injury.

Cannon’s mere presence adds another layer of depth and experience for the Patriots heading into the 2022 season.

When called upon, the team can be certain that the man that spent nearly a decade blocking for legendary quarterback Tom Brady in the biggest moments will be ready to go.

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5 great right tackle options on market with Raiders set to add $20 million under the cap

Raiders are about to add $20 million in spending cash and there are still a lot of great right tackle options on the market

We tend to think of free agency having a couple of waves that happen back in March. But there’s another wave that is building strength as we speak. This one crashes on the shore on June 1.

This offseason the Raiders made a few cuts, some to save cap money, some to simply let go of unproductive players. A couple of those cuts left a scar — specifically the releases of Cory Littleton and Carl Nassib.

But in order to limit the bleeding in the short term, they gave those players a post-June 1 cut designation. This means that after June 1, a large portion of the dead money they left behind is moved to next year’s cap, which in turn frees up that money right now.

It’s no small amount, either. The Raiders will see their available money under the cap go up nearly $20 million after June 1 — $19.75 to be exact — raising it from the current available amount of around $5 million to over $25 million.

One position of great need for the Raiders this offseason which they have not sufficiently addressed is offensive tackle — right tackle specifically. And, as it turns out, there are actually still a lot of solid starting options out there, presumably waiting for this day so teams will have the funds to offer them a suitable salary.

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Texans clear cap space by cutting OT Marcus Cannon

The Houston Texans have saved $5.2 million by cutting tackle Marcus Cannon.

The Houston Texans are finding salary cap savings where they can.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Pro Football Network, the Texans have released tackle Marcus Cannon, saving the team $5,202,941 against the salary cap per Over The Cap figures.

Cannon was one of a handful of former New England Patriots players who found new life following Nick Caserio to his general manager role in Houston. The former 2011 fifth-round pick from TCU played in just four games for the Texans in 2021, starting in all four of them. The theory was that if Cannon manned right tackle, the Texans could kick Tytus Howard inside at guard while Laremy Tunsil played left tackle. Injuries to both Tunsil and Cannon forced Houston to move Howard to left tackle.

The 6-6, 335-pound tackle was a COVID opt out in 2020, and relished the chance to play ball again with the Texans.

“Coming back, it was kind of emotional and I was excited to come and play,” Cannon told reporters on Sept. 17, 2021. “I’m very thankful. I thank God every day that I’m back and I’m here this year to play, and I’m thankful and I’m going to make the best out of it.”

Although Cannon played barely a quarter of a season’s games for the Texans, he made an impact on tackle Charlie Heck during his second season in the pros.

“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,” Heck told reporters on Oct. 11, 2021. “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.”

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 OT Marcus Cannon placed on injured reserve

The Houston Texans have placed right tackle Marcus Cannon on injured reserve ahead of the Week 5 matchup with the New England Patriots.

The Houston Texans have placed right tackle Marcus Cannon on injured reserve.

The former New England Patriots 2011 fifth-round pick from TCU won’t get a chance to play against his former team. Cannon was unlikely to do so as he was on the injury report as a non-participant all week with a back injury.

Second-year tackle Charlie Heck is expected to take Cannon’s place at right tackle against New England.

The Texans also elevated quarterback Jeff Driskel from the practice squad as one of their COVID-19 replacements.

Houston also elevated receiver Chris Moore from the practice squad as one of their standard elevations.

Texans RT Marcus Cannon didn’t know how much he missed playing football

Houston Texans right tackle Marcus Cannon wasn’t entirely aware of how much he missed playing football until he got back out on the field.

Marcus Cannon opted out. It was the right decision, albeit a difficult one. However, that seemed to be the theme across the world in 2020: making difficult decisions and having to miss out.

The Houston Texans traded for the New England Patriots’ right tackle and had every intention to plug him at that position, even though the incumbent wasn’t too shabby in former 2019 first-round pick, Tytus Howard.

When Cannon got out on the field at NRG Stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 12, the 33-year-old from Odessa, Texas, didn’t realize how much he missed playing in the NFL.

“When we first got out there, I could feel my feelings kind of raising up, because man, I really missed this game,” said Cannon. “I really missed it.”

Cannon did make use of his off year in 2020 by spending more time with family, especially his homeschooled kids.

“We got to do little P.E. workouts before and hang out with them, go fishing in our pond, just do stuff that I usually wouldn’t get to do in that year,” Cannon said. “But I’d be lying if I had said I didn’t miss it.”

At the time, Cannon was still under contract with the Patriots, who went 7-9 on the season.

Said Cannon: “It’s hard to watch games sometimes just seeing everybody out there, my friends and everybody just having a good time, flying around.”

The 6-6, 335-pound tackle says he thanks God for the chance to be back, and he gets another shot to play the game he loves when the Texans take on the Cleveland Browns Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at FirstEnergy Stadium.

“I thank God every day that I’m back and I’m here this year to play, and I’m thankful and I’m going to make the best out of it,” Cannon said.

How will OT Marcus Cannon work his way back with the Texans?

Houston Texans tackle Marcus Cannon is coming off an opt-out year and working his way back from injury. It isn’t unfamiliar territory.

Marcus Cannon is coming off of a long layoff.

The former New England Patriots offensive tackle opted out of the 2020 season. After signing with the Houston Texans in the offseason, Cannon had knee surgery in late June, which compromised his training camp to the point he spent the majority of it on the physically unable to perform list.

Coming back from injury isn’t unfamiliar territory for Cannon, who has played in 115 games since 2011, starting in 69 of them.

“Over the years I’ve been through this process of coming back,” Cannon said. “I just really lean on the staff and kind of whatever they tell me to do, whenever they tell me to start running full speed, I do what they say.”

The 6-6, 335-pound tackle called the Texans’ training staff and sports science department “professionals” and “one of the best.”

Said Cannon: “They’re tracking everything I’m doing: how much I’m running, how much I’m lifting, checking my gains and losses in the training room, weight room, all that. So, there’s a good group of people that I have around me and I’m kind of just listening to what they’re saying.”

Cannon is also helping the training staff by providing input as to how he is feeling.

“I’m listening to my body and telling them how I feel and we’re working together,” said Cannon. “Whenever they think it looks good and whenever I feel good enough, that’ll be when I’m the best.”

Cannon was brought in to provide the Texans options along the offensive line. Although former 2019 first-round pick Tytus Howard has manned right tackle since the club acquired Laremy Tunsil at the end of the 2019 preseason, Howard does have position flexibility. If Houston could have another starting-quality tackle, they could move Howard inside.

The 33-year-old Cannon could be that player for Houston when he returns to full-go from his knee surgery.

Texans OT Marcus Cannon returns to practice

Houston Texans tackle Marcus Cannon practiced for the first time in months at Houston Methodist Training Center Tuesday.

HOUSTON — Offensive tackle Marcus Cannon is close to making his long-awaited return to the gridiron. Houston Texans’ coach David Culley announced Tuesday morning that Cannon would practice with the team “on a limit basis” for the first time since organized team activities in May.

Cannon underwent a minor knee procedure in June that sidelined him all of training camp and preseason. During camp practices, Cannon spent the majority of his time working out on Houston’s rehabilitation field, alongside teammate Lane Taylor. According to Culley, Taylor will remain on the Texans’ physically unable to perform list.

With Cannon becoming active, his return to the field will alter Houston’s offensive line. He will likely take the helm as Houston’s right tackle — the position second-year offensive lineman Charlie Heck held since camp began.

“I like playing right tackle,” Cannon said. “That was fun. I got into a really good rhythm. I like playing guard, on the right side playing guard. I’ve played the left side too, but I don’t really have a super favorite position. I’m just happy to be out there. I’ll play any position they want me to play. I’m just happy to be a Texan.”

5 takeaways from Texans training camp Day 3

The Houston Texans held their third day of training camp. Here are five observations from day 3.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans held their third day of training camp practice at the Houston Methodist Training Center on Friday.

Coach David Culley was pleased with the health of the team during the third session of “ramp-up” period.

“Health-wise, it’s been good,” said Culley. “We’ve had some dehydration, which happens in training camp. This is Houston. If our trainers didn’t give me all that Gatorade and water coming by and telling me to take it, sometimes I refuse it, and they say, ‘No, Coach, you’d better take it, because if you don’t, we’ll be giving you an IV.’ The last thing I want is to be an IV.”

Here are five observations from the third day of practice.

Texans OT Marcus Cannon, G Lane Taylor to start camp on PUP list

The Houston Texans have placed tackle Marcus Cannon and guard Lane Taylor on the physically unable to perform list to start training camp.

The Houston Texans have placed two offensive linemen on the physically unable to perform list to start training camp.

According to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790, Marcus Cannon and Lane Taylor will go on the PUP list to start camp. They can be activated at any time, pending they pass their physicals.

Cannon had arthroscopic knee surgery in the offseason, and the procedure could sideline him for a large portion of training camp.

Taylor, 31, had surgery to repair his ACL, and is expected to compete for the starting job.

The Texans also released long snapper Mitchell Fabroni and are hosting Dennis Kelly, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, for a visit. Kelly is the brother of Houston offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.