Tag: NFL Media

Adam Schein makes bold prediction for Chargers player in 2020

The Los Angeles Chargers made the NFL analyst’s bold prediction list for the 2020 season.

Coming off an outstanding rookie season, the expectations were at an all-time high for Chargers safety Derwin James. Unfortunately, his campaign was put to a halt after he sustained a foot injury right before the season that kept him out for the majority of the year.

Even though the defense was still solid, his absence was evident. Upon returning to the action, his impact was felt immediately. James, the chess piece on the defensive side of the ball, made plays in coverage, against the run and as an additional blitzer.

In just five games, he posted 34 tackles, three tackles for loss and one pass deflected.

Now healthy heading into his third season, James will be looking to repeat the same type of success in Year 1 plus more. The former Florida State product will be a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, but Defensive Player of the Year is not out of reach.

NFL Media’s Adam Schein listed his bold predictions for the upcoming season and one of them included James earning the honors of being named the best defensive player in the league in 2020.

The league is loaded with talented defensive players, which include Rams’ Aaron Donald, 49ers’ Nick Bosa, Steelers’ T.J. Watt, Bills’ Tre’Davious White, Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore, among others. But only with two years under his belt, James has proven to be in that same tier.

“To me, James is already the best safety in the NFL. With a Swiss Army Knife skill set, he makes plays and wrecks games. And I envision him taking his game to a whole other level in Year 3,” Shein said.

The sky is the limit for the former Seminole.

Texans WR Brandin Cooks says QB Deshaun Watson is a ‘warrior’

New Houston Texans receiver Brandin Cooks has seen enough from quarterback Deshaun Watson to know that he is a “warrior” in the wideout’s words.

Brandin Cooks has not met Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, but from he has seen from the two-time Pro Bowler on film and in virtual meetings, he knows enough.

“He’s a tough guy and a warrior,” Cooks told NFL Network’s James Palmer. “No matter what is going on, as long as the play is alive, he’s never going to stop.”

Anyone watching Watson’s highlights could come away with that impression. After all, the former 2017 first-round pick from Clemson threw a game-winning touchdown after getting kicked in the eye to beat the Oakland Raiders 27-24 in Week 8 last year.

However, it is what Cooks has seen in the video conferencing, part of the NFL’s virtual offseason, that has really made an impression.

“What I’ve felt right off the bat, is this guy is smart,” said Cooks. “Hearing the questions that coach asks him in these meetings and how quick he’s able to just fire off the answers. It’s really impressive.”

Cooks, who played with Drew Brees in New Orleans from 2014-16 and then Tom Brady in New England in 2017, has seen just one younger quarterback by comparison: Jared Goff with the Los Angeles Rams from 2018-19. Watson has demonstrated a maturity in understanding the offense that some younger signal callers just don’t get.

Said Cooks: “You think, as a young guy, he would struggle with some of that. But I got to tell you, he’s right on the money every single time with questions being asked. That says a lot, especially at the quarterback position.”

Even though some fans and the pundits are not expecting the Texans offense to be as dynamic as it was in years past with three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Watson and the rest of the offense are determined to take the next step and get Houston over the hump after their 2019 season ended 51-31 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round.

Texans Talk Podcast: Previewing the AFC South

Marc Sessler from NFL.com joins the “Texans Talk Podcast” to breakdown the offseason moves in the AFC South and how they impact the Houston Texans.

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The Houston Texans improved ever so slightly throughout the free agency period and the 2020 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for the two-time division champions, their AFC South rivals upgraded by leaps and bounds.

To break down the changes in the division, Marc Sessler from NFL.com and the “Around the NFL” podcast joined host Anthony Wood on the latest “Texans Talk Podcast.”

Even though the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans all found ways to get better in the offseason, Sessler believes the Texans have an advantage in that coach Bill O’Brien is a good “game day coach” and has led Houston to four division titles in his previous six seasons.

Make sure to subscribe to “The Texans Talk Podcast” to ensure you don’t miss out on any exclusive interviews and all the latest news and analysis surrounding the Houston Texans. We are currently available on Apple, Google, Stitcher, and Audioboom.

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J.J. Watt is the Texans player to root for in 2020

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is the player to root for on the AFC South champions.

Looking for a Houston Texans player to root for in 2020? Give defensive end J.J. Watt a chance.

According to Adam Rank of NFL.com, who put together a list of a player from each of the 32 teams to root for, Watt is just the player from Houston that demands his support.

HOUSTON TEXANS: J.J. Watt, DE. He’s been one of my favorite players since he entered the NFL in 2011. And he also realizes that jalapenos are one of the best toppings on a pizza. But I feel for him because his little brother, T.J., is on the cusp of passing him as the best defensive player in his family, if it hasn’t happened already. Also, I want to give a shoutout to Duke Johnson, who should be a three-down back in this league and it’s a shame nobody wants to give him that opportunity. He is the University of Miami’s all-time leading rusher, for crying out loud.

Watt is on the verge of a mini-comeback in 2020. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year missed eight games in 2019 with a torn pectoral. Watt was able to make it back in time for the playoffs, and contributed a sack in the Texans’ 22-19 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card at NRG Stadium.

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NFL.com: Texans had worst draft in the AFC South

The Houston Texans did not have a good draft haul, according to NFL.com, and it ranks last in the AFC South.

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The Houston Texans didn’t have a good draft, according to NFL.com, and right on cue, it was related to the bevy of trades “Trader Bill” made throughout the 2019 season and 2020 offseason.

According to Dan Parr, the Texans get a C for their five-man class from the 2020 NFL Draft.

The stench of some of Bill O’Brien’s trades wafts over this draft class, but it’s a solid, albeit unspectacular, group. Blacklock was a fine value in Round 2. He should eventually be able to help the pass rush from the interior, but he’s going to have to be more consistent against the run — a key factor for a guy who will be lining up across from the power running games of Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Tennessee. Houston came back for the edge help it needed with the selection of Greenard, who went a little earlier than we expected. Heck should be a serviceable swing tackle, at worst. Reid’s another guy who came off the board sooner than we anticipated, but his competitiveness gives him a chance to make up for what he lacks in size. The best pick from this group might turn out to be Coulter, a developmental prospect with the tools to become a starter. All in all, needs were addressed, even though we might quibble with the order in which they received attention. This was a decent haul given the limited value the Texans had in draft capital.

Coach and general manager Bill O’Brien’s strategy was to pick quality players, not walk away from the draft with a quantity of players. Draftniks were wrong last year about Andre Dillard versus Tytus Howard. Texans fans are hopeful they are wrong about the Texans’ 2020 draft class.

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NFL.com envisions a scenario where the Texans trade up to Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft

The Houston Texans don’t have a pick in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft, but NFL.com sees a scenario where the team moves back into Thursday night.

The Houston Texans gave away their first-round pick this year as part of a left tackle’s ransom to the Miami Dolphins for Laremy Tunsil. However, NFL.com can see the AFC South champions returning to Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

In Chad Reuter’s latest mock draft, the Texans make a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to get back into the first round with the 31st overall pick. Houston then uses that selection to address edge rusher.

PROJECTED TRADE WITH 49ERS. Bill O’Brien is not afraid to go after (or send away) players. If he hadn’t broken his fibula in November, Okwara would have received much more first-round talk this year. If the medicals are fine, the Texans will view him as a strong and agile edge rusher for the foreseeable future.

The trade would cost the Texans their second-round pick and their 90th overall pick in the third round. San Francisco would use those picks to take Texas A&M defensive lineman Justin Madubuike and Dayton tight end Justin Trautman.

The Texans finished the 2019 campaign tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the sixth-fewest sacks in the NFL with 31. Part of that was due to the fact defensive end J.J. Watt spent eight games on injured reserve with a torn pectoral. The other part was the Texans’ pass rush was just not that dominant last season.

Adding Okwara would give Houston another young edge rusher to stack with defensive end Charles Omenihu, who is entering his second season, and outside linebackers Whitney Mercilus, Jacob Martin, and Brennan Scarlett.

TCU receiver Jalen Reagor hardly saw accurate passes in 2019

Former TCU receiver Jalen Reagor saw an accurate pass just a little over a third of the time according to Pro Football Focus data compiled by NFL.com.

INDIANAPOLIS — If there is any particular statistic that shows former TCU Horned Frogs receiver Jalen Reagor had a tough time his junior year, it took Pro Football Focus to measure it.

According to PFF data compiled by NFL.com’s Graham Barfield, Reagor had the lowest instance of accurate passes thrown to him among the entire receiver class for the 2020 NFL Draft. The 5-11, 205-pounder saw an accurate pass 31% of the time.

No doubt having three quarterbacks take snaps for the Horned Frogs in Max Duggan, Alex Delton, and Michael Collins influenced that percentage, as well as TCU’s 5-7 record with a 3-6 mark in Big 12 play.

 

However, Reagor won’t blame his three signal callers for his down year of 43 catches for 611 yards and five touchdowns.

“I was say it was just rhythm,” Reagor told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine Wednesday. “I was going back to practice and it was a different quarterback or just being like a receiver and a quarterback you have to have rhythm with your quarterback. And it was hard to get on track sometimes.”

Reagor had caught 72 passes for 1,061 yards and nine touchdowns in his sophomore season. The expectations were the son of former NFL defensive end Montae Reagor would exceed those numbers in his junior year, not fall below them.

However, Reagor took the opportunity to demonstrate he could excel in other areas as a receiver.

“I felt like it was time to show my real character and how that I can lead without the ball, lead without being I was getting the ball 12 times a game,” said Reagor. “So, I just felt like it was showing teams what I could without the ball.”

The Houston Texans already have a receiver with that type of character in three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins. If the Texans choose to get younger at wideout and release Will Fuller, Reagor could be a mid-round target Houston could use to upgrade the position.

DeAngelo Hall: Texans’ Bradley Roby is No. 2 on best free agent cornerbacks list

NFL Network analyst DeAngelo Hall says that Houston Texans CB Bradley Roby will be the second-best corner on the open market in free agency.

Love him or hate him, but former three-time Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall knows the position he played in the NFL for three teams over his 14 seasons.

Hall, who is now an analyst for NFL Network, released his 10 best free agent cornerbacks, and a Houston Texans corner set to hit free agency is second-best on his list.

Roby impressed Hall so much he almost landed the top spot over the Denver Broncos’ Chris Harris.

I was this close to putting Roby at No. 1, but he isn’t as consistent as his former Broncos teammate. Roby bet on himself last season by signing a one-year contract with the Houston Texans, and it paid off for both parties. The 27-year-old cornerback, who I expect will get a long-term deal this offseason, is an asset on the perimeter or in the slot. He’s a versatile corner who can make an immediate impact for the team that signs him.

Roby produced 38 tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, eight pass breakups, and a forced fumble. The problem was Roby, who had missed just one game since the Denver Broncos drafted him in the first round in 2014, missed six with the Texans due to a hamstring injury. This injury, along with a slew of others, led the Texans to trade for former Oakland Raiders 2017 first-round pick Gareon Conley and claim ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-rounder Vernon Hargreaves off waivers.

Houston will have to make big decisions at cornerback in the offseason. Roby was a starter alongside two-time Pro Bowler Johnathan Joseph, who will also hit free agency on March 18. If the Texans let Joseph and Roby go, they will lose their starters from Week 1.

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Pair of Chargers listed as potential surprise cut candidates

Will the Los Angeles Chargers move on from these two players this offseason?

The Los Angeles Chargers enter this offseason with a salary cap space of slightly north of $48 million, marking the most that Tom Telesco has had since taking over as general manager in 2013.

Telesco will be using a good chunk of that money to re-sign some of their notable in-house players like tight end Hunter Henry, as well as working on an extension with defensive end Joey Bosa.

Likely to want to be aggressive in signing a few free agents to bolster the already talented roster, Telesco might have to do some wheeling and dealing to clear up some cap space after negotiating contracts with some of their own.

Should Telesco choose to do so, that would require releasing some of their own players that are still under contract.

NFL Media’s Gregg Rosenthal released his list of potential cut candidates, and on that list were offensive tackle Russell Okung and linebacker Thomas Davis.

Here is what Rosenthal had to say about Okung:

A smarter man than I told me to take Okung off this list because left tackles are so hard to find. But a move seems possible, if only because Okung has the Chargers’ highest cap figure ($17 million) and played under 300 snaps last season.

It wasn’t the year that Okung was hoping for. The 32-year old suffered a pulmonary embolism last June, which kept him out of the action until late October. When he returned to the starting lineup he was far from perfect, finishing with five penalties, including three holding calls and two false starts in six games. Okung was also banged up with a groin injury a few games after returning, which eventually ended his campaign.

With Okung’s medical and injury history, there’s certainly reason to be concerned moving forward. If Okung, who has the highest cap figure on the team, was released, the team would save $13 million in cap. Left tackles are hard to replace and Okung has proven to be a key staple on the offensive side of the ball when he’s healthy. Unless the Chargers have a plan to sign a proven veteran tackle in free agency, I don’t think they will let him go.

As for Davis, cutting him would save $5 million in cap. The 36-year old led the team in tackles last season (112), but he wasn’t efficient in pass coverage. With the absences to safeties Derwin James and Adrian Phillips, Davis had to take on a bigger role in that department. Los Angeles could move on from Davis to start getting younger at the position and giving his role to Kyzir White, but the team covets him for his locker room presence.

NFL.com: Texans must re-sign DT D.J. Reader

NFL.com believes one of the Houston Texans’ offseason priorities is to re-sign defensive tackle D.J. Reader.

The Houston Texans could have a hole in the center of their front seven if the club can’t reach an agreement with defensive tackle D.J. Reader.

The former Clemson Tiger is set to hit free agency when the new league begins on March 18. NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice believes one of the Texans’ offseason goals needs to be keeping Reader in Houston.

Defensively, the Texans have needs from front to back. The first order of business should be re-signing D.J. Reader. The former fifth-round steal has developed into one of the game’s best nose tackles, setting him up for a substantial payday at age 25.

The Texans don’t have much to rely on in the center of their defense if they let Reader walk and test free agency. Brandon Dunn, also one of the Texans’ nose tackles, similarly is set to hit free agency. Houston could have to retool their entire defensive tackle situation if Reader and Dunn get away.

There is no denying that Reader is impactful in the middle, and that he makes defensive end J.J. Watt’s job easier. Coach Bill O’Brien has spoken glowingly of Reader, but general manager O’Brien has to find a way to keep him or seek an adequate replacement.

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