Tag: Steven Mitchell

Texans waive G Beau Benzschawel, WR Steven Mitchell

The Houston Texans have waived guard Beau Benzschawel and receiver Steven Mitchell.

The Houston Texans have waived two players as they continue to trim their roster with the NFL draft approaching at the end of April.

The Texans announced Monday they have waived guard Beau Benzschawel and receiver Steven Mitchell.

Benzschawel was active for one game in the 2020 season for the Texans. In the Week 17 finale at NRG Stadium against the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 3, Benzschawel played a total of seven special teams snaps as the Texans lost 41-38 to the Titans.

Mitchell saw more playing time throughout his tenure with Houston from 2018-20 with last year being his most productive season to date. In 2020, Mitchell caught five passes for 60 yards through six games, one of which he started. He played 84 offensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps.

Former coach and general manager Bill O’Brien, who was fired on Oct. 5, 2020, liked Mitchell.

“Stevie’s got a great opportunity to come out, to be on the field and to make plays,” O’Brien told reporters on Aug. 18, 2020. “He’s really doing a good job of taking advantage of those opportunities with some big catches. Again, starting to build the trust between the wide receiver and the quarterback. So far in camp Stevie is doing a good job of capitalizing on those opportunities.”

Mitchell was due $1,525,000 in 2021, and Benzschawel was due $1,675,000 in 2021.

WATCH: Texans execute a fake punt pass against the Titans

The Houston Texans pulled off a perfect fake punt pass against the Tennessee Titans to keep a scoring drive alive in Week 17.

The Houston Texans have nothing to lose.

On a fourth-and-2 from the Texans’ 46-yard line, interim coach Romeo Crennel decided to go for it against the Tennessee Titans down 10-3 early in the second quarter.

Rather than keep quarterback Deshaun Watson and the offense out there, the punt team took the field. A curious note was quarterback A.J. McCarron was the personal protector for punter Bryan Anger.

Long snapper Jon Weeks direct-snapped the ball to McCarron, who then threw a pass to receiver Steven Mitchell for a 20-yard gain to get into the Titans’ territory.

Houston capped off the drive with a 43-yard field goal from kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn.

Texans call help from practice squad against the Titans in Week 17

The Houston Texans made a few roster moves as they gear up to play the Tennessee Titans in Week 17 at NRG Stadium.

The Houston Texans called up some players from the practice squad as they prepare to close out their regular season against the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 3:25 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium.

The club placed guard Brent Qvale on injured reserve. The 6-7, 315-pound offensive lineman was knocked out of Week 16 with a concussion in the 37-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Qvale was still in concussion protocol; his season is over.

The Texans signed receiver Steven Mitchell to the active roster from the practice squad.

As part of the Texans’ standard elevations from the practice squad, Houston promoted guard Beau Benzschawel.

Houston’s COVID-19 replacement on the active roster is center-guard Greg Mancz.

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 sign WR Chad Hansen to active roster, other roster moves

The Houston Texans have signed receiver Chad Hansen to the active roster among other roster moves ahead of Week 15 at the Indianapolis Colts.

The Houston Texans made a series of roster moves as they get ready to take on the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The first was to sign receiver Chad Hansen to the active roster from the practice squad. After the Colts game, Hansen will remain on the roster, not revert back to the practice squad as he did the previous two weeks.

Houston did elevate undrafted free agent defensive lineman Auzoyah Alufohai and cornerback Anthony Chesley from the practice squad to the active roster for game day.

Receiver Steven Mitchell was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for the third straight week. Unlike the past two weeks, Mitchell was activated as part of a COVID-19 roster replacement for guard Hjalte Froholdt.

The Texans also activated outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett from injured reserve.

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Texans elevate WR Chad Hansen from practice squad, other roster moves for Week 14

The Houston Texans elevated receiver Chad Hansen from the practice squad, among other roster moves ahead of Week 14 at the Chicago Bears.

The Houston Texans announced a series of roster moves as they gear up for the Chicago Bears in Week 14 Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at Soldier Field.

Chad Hansen, one of the stars of last week’s 26-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, is getting another shot at it. The Texans are elevating him from the practice squad along with cornerback Anthony Chesley, who will fill in for Phillip Gaines and John Reid, who did not make the trip to Chicago.

Because of running back David Johnson being placed on COVID-19 reserve on Friday, the Texans will get to use receiver Steven Mitchell as his replacement from the practice squad.

Houston also signed safety Jonathan Owens from the practice squad to the active roster.

The Texans waived defensive end Nate Orchard, who the Texans claimed off waivers from Washington on No. 9.

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Texans OC Tim Kelly ‘proud as hell’ of WRs Keke Coutee, Chad Hansen

Houston Texans receivers Chad Hansen, Keke Coutee, and Steven Mitchell made offensive coordinator Tim Kelly proud in Week 13.

The Houston Texans had a welcome surprise from receivers Keke Coutee and Chad Hansen in Week 13’s 26-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

In the wake of receiver Will Fuller’s six-game suspension and receiver Randall Cobb being placed on injured reserve with a toe injury, Coutee stepped up with eight catches for 141 yards. Additionally, Hansen provided five catches for 101 yards.

Though Coutee and Hansen are getting the credit this week, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly includes Steven Mitchell in that group, though the undrafted free agent from USC played just six offensive snaps and was not targeted.

“I think that’s a testament to really those two and Steven Mitchell,” Kelly said. “Those guys did a great job, even before last week, of coming and preparing like they were going to play, so if a situation arose and they had to come and their number was going to be called, they were going to be ready.”

With the Texans already struggling to run the football, there were some concerns as to how Houston would be able to keep drives alive with Fuller and Cobb sidelined. However, Coutee and Hansen were able to meet the challenge and keep the Texans’ passing game as potent as before.

What helped was the work ethic that the receivers displayed behind the scenes, in practice, in training camp, and in offseason workouts with Deshaun Watson that developed cohesion with the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

Said Kelly: “They had already earned the trust of Deshaun to be able to go out there and make plays. Really, I was proud as hell of all three of those guys for them being able to come in and make those plays and really not skip a beat there as an offense.”

Hansen and Mitchell reverted back to the practice squad after Week 13. However, they could be called up again as the Texans take on the Chicago Bears Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at Soldier Field.

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Texans activate RB David Johnson from injured reserve, other roster moves

The Houston Texans have activated running back David Johnson from injured reserve among other Saturday roster moves.

The Houston Texans may be getting some help at running back just in time for their Week 13 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium.

The club announced Saturday they have activated running back David Johnson from injured reserve. The club also activated linebacker Kyle Emanuel.

As a corresponding move, Houston placed fullback Cullen Gillaspia (back) on injured reserve, where he must remain for at least three weeks.

The Texans elevated receivers Steven Mitchell and Chad Hansen to the active roster as party of their weekly standard elevations as the club continues to search for answers after the suspension of No. 1 wideout Will Fuller.

Mitchell has two catches for 37 yards in his five career games with Houston since 2018.

Hansen has been with the club since training camp 2019, and he spent the lockdown with Deshaun Watson in Los Angeles working out.

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Touchdown Wire: Texans WR Keke Coutee in roster bubble trouble

Houston Texans receiver Keke Coutee is in roster bubble trouble, according to the Touchdown Wire.

Houston Texans receiver Keke Coutee could be in danger of not making the team’s final roster at the end of training camp.

According to Doug Farrar from the Touchdown Wire, Coutee is one of 11 veterans across the league who are on the roster bubble.

Though the Texans’ receiver depth chart is very different after the team’s ill-advised decision to move DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals, it still may be difficult for Coutee, a 2018 fourth-round pick out of Texas Tech, to get reps behind Kenny Stills, Randall Cobb, and Brandin Cooks… especially if dynamic deep threat Will Fuller can stay healthy. Coutee has played in just 15 games through two NFL seasons, starting six, and in this case, the numbers game is not working in his favor.

What also hasn’t helped Coutee is missing time in training camp due to a foot stress fracture. With more reps going towards his competition in Steven Mitchell, DeAndre Carter, Isaiah Coulter, and more, it risks pushing Coutee further down the depth chart.

When Coutee has been on the field, he has demonstrated growth as a player. As has been the case with the former Texas Tech wideout, the availability is the issue.

The Texans’ young receivers are getting their chances to impress coaches

The young receivers on the Houston Texans roster are actually getting opportunities even though they feature a stacked receiving corps.

The Houston Texans have quality top depth in their receiving corps that goes four men deep with Randall Cobb, Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller, and Kenny Stills.

How would a young receiver, or a wideout on the bubble, ever get a chance to make his case for the coaches, especially in a training camp that lacks preseason games?

According to coach and general manager Bill O’Brien, the top four receivers are having their reps managed throughout camp. As a result, it gives the younger receivers a shot to catch the coaches’ eyes.

“You look at a guy like Chad Hansen, he’s had a really good training camp,” O’Brien said. “He’s in the hunt here. You look at a guy like Stevie Mitchell, who had a touchdown catch [Monday]. Isaiah Coulter and Tyler Simmons — they’re coming along, they’re working hard, they’re trying to get better.”

Hansen is 25 years old and is four seasons removed from being the New York Jets’ fourth-round pick in 2017. However, he is “young” in terms of his actual reps; seeing just nine catches for 94 yards in the 15 games he played all in his rookie year. The 6-2, 202-pound wideout has not given up on himself, and worked out with Deshaun Watson in California.

Coulter, the club’s fifth-round rookie, and Simmons, their undrafted rookie, don’t have the benefit of preseason to learn the speed of pro football. Every rep they can get in training camp will slowly build their NFL experience, save for playing in actual games.

They’re a long way off, though,” said O’Brien. “It’s just hard for a rookie right now.”

The opening up of reps also allows for an interesting three-way battle between Mitchell, DeAndre Carter, and Keke Coutee. The three can compete against each other at receiver, but Carter and Coutee also have the ability to extend their battle for a roster spot by carrying over in punt return duties.

Said O’Brien: “Keke Coutee has had a really good camp. DeAndre Carter is a very solid player. It’s a very competitive position. It’s going to be a tough conversation relative to how many you would keep on the 53. All those guys are working really hard.”

Houston is evaluating their depth at receiver, and whoever makes the 53-man roster at that position will have been tested throughout training camp and ought to be ready to contribute.

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