Tag: Max Scharping

Texans add G Justin McCray to COVID-19 reserve

The Houston Texans have placed guard Justin McCray on the COVID-19 reserve.

The Houston Texans will be without a starting guard when they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday 12:00 p.m. Central Time at TIAA Bank Field.

The Texans placed guard Justin McCray on the COVID-19 reserve Friday.

McCray returned to the lineup against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14’s 33-13 loss at NRG Stadium. McCray played 81 snaps for the Texans.

On the season, McCray has started six of 11 games that he has been activated.

The disruption to the interior offensive line comes as the Texans have been working to have veterans along the line with McCray at left guard, Justin Britt returning at center, and Lane Taylor at right guard.

The Texans could go with Max Scharping in place of McCray against the Jaguars. Scharping has started in nine of his 13 games active in 2021.

C Justin Britt breaks down the Texans offensive line

Houston Texans center Justin Britt took time to break down his teammates along the offensive line.

The Houston Texans offensive line is another position group that has undergone an overhaul throughout the 2021 offseason.

The new offensive line was forged throughout the offseason workouts, training camp, and the preseason. Presumptive starting center Justin Britt believes the Texans will be able to have a successful five-man blocking unit because of the way they have been communicating.

“Sometimes there’s a lot of moving parts and you’ve just got to be able to do it,” said Britt. “That’s why in practice you’ll see this guy running in at left guard and next time he’ll go into right guard, just so he’s forced to communicate and forced to do it. You just teach your body to be able to adapt.”

Britt also provided a breakdown of his fellow offensive linemen.

4 Texans who need to perform at a high level in 2021

The Houston Texans need these four players to have exceptional seasons if they are to exceed expectations in 2021.

The Houston Texans take on the Jacksonville Jaguars to kickoff the regular season Sunday, Sept. 12 at NRG Stadium for the first of 17 games.

The expectation outside of Kirby Drive is the team will be competing more for the No. 1 overall pick than they will for a playoff spot. Maybe even general manager Nick Caserio senses as much as he indicated on Sept. 1 to the media that they are more “process oriented” than “results oriented” at this time.

Nevertheless, the players don’t want to be a part of a losing effort and put bad film of themselves out there for personnel departments to look at in 2022. Here are four Texans who need to excel this season.

Texans G Max Scharping excited to face hometown Packers again

Houston Texans guard Max Scharping is stoked to get back to his hometown of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and take on the hometown Packers.

Houston Texans guard Max Scharping is no stranger to Green Bay.

In fact, he grew up there. He graduated high school from Southwest High School just 2.7 miles away from Lambeau Field before going on to play at Northern Illinois.

Green Bay is a city of beginnings for the former 2019 second-round pick.

“I grew up my whole life there, so it’s everything,” Scharping said. “It’s who I am. That’s where I came from. So it built me into who I am today. I wouldn’t be here without Green Bay.”

Saturday night will be the second time Scharping has returned to Green Bay and the third time in his short career that he has faced the Packers, preseason or otherwise. Scharping’s first preseason game against the Packers was in 2019 to open up the preseason, coming off the tail end of joint practices with the NFC North club.

“I’ve been back once before obviously a couple years ago,” said Scharping. “It’s going to be super special again to get to go back to Green Bay. I’m excited.”

Scharping’s family is excited to see one of their own return to play at Lambeau Field — it means they won’t have to travel very fair.

“The fact that they can just host it and tailgate and stuff, they’re going to be happy,” said Scharping.

If Scharping can get a chance, depending on the schedule and logistics, he will try to see his family and friends after the game.

Ticket procurement is not up to Scharping.

Said Scharping: “That’s all on my parents. I have no idea. I’m not in charge of that one. That’s on them. That’s too much for me to handle.”

Scharping has enough to handle with three tackles, Tytus Howard, Laremy Tunsil, and Roderick Johnson, on the COVID-19 reserve. Nevertheless, in Green Bay, Scharping and the Texans have a chance to lay the foundation for a successful 2021 campaign.

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.

7 impressions from the Texans’ first unofficial depth chart

The Houston Texans released their unofficial depth chart ahead of their game with the Green Bay Packers. Here are seven takeaways.

The Houston Texans released their unofficial depth chart, and there were some intriguing personnel placements on the list.

The Texans are working through way through a roster that is mostly comprised of veterans on short-term deals. As a result, the Texans are looking to put together the best combinations possible.

A lot can change between now and the end of preseason, but here are some takeaways from the unofficial depth chart.

Houston Texans 2021 player profile: G Max Scharping

Max Scharping had a sophomore slump in 2020. Can the former 2019 second-round pick find a place on the Houston Texans’ new look offensive line?

After a promising rookie year, the 2020 campaign was an example of the sophomore slump for Max Scharping. Despite battling COVID and its effects for half the season, Scharping on-field production took a decline across the board.

As he enters his third season with the Houston Texans, there is one part of Scharping’s game he must improve in hopes of bouncing back in 2021.

Texans’ Romeo Crennel blames G Max Scharping’s regression on the lack of an offseason

Houston Texans LG Max Scharping lost his grip on the starting job, and interim coach Romeo Crennel cites a lack of an offseason as the problem.

The Houston Texans appeared to have rebuilt their failed state of an offensive line, and it only took the 2019 NFL Draft.

Houston selected right tackle Tytus Howard in Round 1, and then used one of their twin Round 2 picks to take Max Scharping. Howard started eight games, and Scharping, who had tackle and guard experience, anchored left guard with 14 starts in his 16 games played.

In 2020, Scharping has played in 13 games, but has started in just seven as he has been sharing the left guard spot with Senio Kelemete and Brent Qvale. In Week 15’s 27-20 loss at the Indianapolis Colts, Scharping played just four snaps, all on special teams.

Interim coach Romeo Crennel believes Scharping’s regression can be traced to the lack of an offseason caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think that not having an offseason, not having a preseason hurts young players when they are ready to make a move and to improve themselves and they’re not able to have that to continue that progress,” Crennel said. “I think also during the year, like you said, he missed some time during the year and so all of those things set him back a little bit.”

Though Scharping has taken a step back, Crennel is still positive that the former Northern Illinois product can provide some talent along the interior offensive line.

“I still feel like he’s a big body in there,” said Crennel. “He will be able to get some things done, particularly if he’s able to have an offseason this year and a preseason and all of those things that go into educating a football player.”

Scharping may not see significant snaps as the Texans face the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium. However, the 6-6, 327-pound offensive lineman will have the entire offseason to improve and reclaim a starting spot.

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Browns player tests positive for COVID-19 after Texans lose 10-7 in Week 10

A Cleveland Browns player has tested positive for COVID-19 after the Week 10 game with the Houston Texans.

The Houston Texans have done a great job of avoiding COVID-19 to this point, but the Cleveland Browns will be testing their limits this week.

A Browns player has tested positive for the novel coronavirus following the Texans’ 10-7 loss Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium.

On Oct. 26, Texans guard Max Scharping was the first player in the organization to test positive for COVID-19. The positive test occurred over Houston’s bye week.

On the evening of Nov. 4, outside linebacker Jacob Martin tested positive for COVID-19 and went on the coronavirus-related reserve. Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and inside linebacker Dylan Cole similarly went on the COVID-19 reserve due to contact tracing discovery, although they did not test positive at any point.

Browns offensive lineman Chris Hubbard tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.

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3 Texans return from COVID-19 reserve

The Houston Texans had three players return from the COVID-19 reserve: ILB Dylan Cole, OLB Whitney Mercilus, and G Max Scharping.

The Houston Texans had three players return from the COVID-19 reserve on Tuesday.

Inside linebacker Dylan Cole, outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus, and guard Max Scharping were all cleared to return to the team, the Texans announced Tuesday.

Scharping was the first COVID-19 positive case the Texans have had in 2020, and the former 2019 second-round pick tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Oct. 28.

Cole and Mercilus were on the list due to contact tracing after an investigation revealed they were in close association with outside linebacker Jacob Martin, who tested positive for COVID-19 on the night of Nov. 4 and is the only remaining player on the list.

Interim coach Romeo Crennel told reporters Monday he expects Martin to be away from the team a little bit longer than Cole, Mercilus, and Scharping.

“Jacob, he’s going to be away from us a little bit longer because he was on that 10-day COVID list,” Crennel said.

The 2-6 Texans take on the 5-3 Cleveland Browns Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at FirstEnergy Stadium.