Tag: Texans 2021 training camp

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 DE Whitney Mercilus says he loves, prays for Deshaun Watson ‘everyday’

Houston Texans defensive end Whitney Mercilus expressed his continued support for quarterback Deshaun Watson after day three of training camp.

Houston Texans defensive end Whitney Mercilus showed support for quarterback Deshaun Watson after the third day of training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center.

Mercilus was presented with the question of how the team is able to compartmentalize the complex situations with Watson and continue with their preparations for the 2021 season.

“With Deshaun, that’s my guy,” Mercilus said. “I love him to death. Hate what’s happened to him, and praying for him everyday honestly. And, man, you know, everything is going to sort itself out. God got it. I know that for a fact.”

The Texans are in the midst of cultivating their identity as they work through the first week of training camp. Watson was absent for the entire eight-week offseason program, including 10 organized team activities sessions, and his trade request from late January is still in effect.

Regardless of how the organization and Watson see one another, Watson and his current teammates still have a level of admiration and respect for each other.

WATCH: Texans WR Anthony Miller displays quickness, speed on day 3 of training camp

Houston Texans receiver Anthony Miller displayed his speed and quickness in a video captured by the team’s media department.

It didn’t take long for receiver Anthony Miller to display the talents that attracted the Houston Texans enough to trade with the Chicago Bears.

The 5-11. 199-pound wideout on his third day of camp displayed his quickness and his speed to get open in individual portion and catch a pass.

The move was part of what receiver Brandin Cooks said makes Miller shifty.

“First of all, his mentality, it’s nasty,” Cooks said. “He’s a guy that he may be small but at the end of the day he got such a big chip on his shoulder, he going to come to work every day and he’s got a lot of speed there in the backfield.”

Miller caught 134 for 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Bears through 47 games, 17 of which he started.

Texans host C Austin Reiter, WR Jonathan Adams for workouts

The Houston Texans have brought in center Austin Reiter and receiver Jonathan Adams for workouts.

The Houston Texans are taking a look at what they could add to their offensive line and receiving corps.

According to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790, the Texans worked out center Austin Reiter and receiver Jonathan Adams.

Reiter started 32 of his 42 games with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2018-20 and started every game of the team’s successful Super Bowl LIV run.

Adams is an undrafted free agent who played his college ball at Arkansas State. Adams caught 79 passes for 1,111 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final season with the Red Wolves in 2020.

The evaluation of available talent is part of general manager Nick Caserio’s philosophy to create constant competition.

“The goal for training camp is for everybody to establish a level of performance,” Caserio told reporters on July 28. “We’re not going to predetermine everything. Nobody has a defined role. We’re going to go out there and let the players kind of take care of themselves, and that will sort itself out.”

[listicle id=61930]

LOOK: Texans WR Brandin Cooks, QB Deshaun Watson all smiles for day 3 of training camp

Houston Texans receiver Brandin Cooks was having a good time walking with quarterback Deshaun Watson to day three of training camp.

Fact: Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has not rescinded his trade request.

Fact: the players don’t want to talk about the Watson situation either — at least, not with the media.

However, there is more than what is being said going on between Watson and the Texans players, who are still technically teammates.

In a photo tweeted by Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790, Watson and receiver Brandin Cooks were seen sharing smiles as they walked over to the practice fields at Houston Methodist Training Center for day three of training camp. Thus far, Cooks has been a full go while Watson has been curtailed to scout team safety.

Cooks wouldn’t talk about Watson after the first day of training camp.

“I’m not answering those questions,” said Cooks. “I’m not. I know he wouldn’t want me to comment on that so I’m going to leave that alone. I’m going to leave that alone.”

Texans RB Phillip Lindsay admits he has a chip on his shoulder

Houston Texans running back Phillip Lindsay says that he has a chip on his shoulder heading into his fourth NFL season.

Phillip Lindsay is no different than most of his teammates on the Houston Texans: he has something to prove in 2021.

The two-time Pro Bowl running back is on his second NFL team to start his fourth season in the league. The undrafted free agent from Colorado appeared to have it made with the Denver Broncos until 2020 derailed his progress with injuries.

“I have a big chip on my shoulder,” Lindsay said after day two of training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. “I definitely did. For me, I feel like I’m always being disrespected, you know. And for me, I’m going to go out there and I’m going to show it. In my head, I’m the baddest dude there is, period.”

For Lindsay, his declaration that he is the “baddest dude there is” isn’t a statement of exclusion; he believes fellow running backs Mark Ingram, David Johnson, Rex Burkhead, Scottie Phillips, Dontrell Hilliard, and Buddy Howell are bad dudes, too. Lindsay’s bad dude mindset is more about the team than it is his own redemption story.

“It’s not just about me,” said Lindsay. “It’s about our team. And that’s all I care about. So as long as we’re winning games and stuff like that, things will come. Accolades will come as time goes on, but it’s about team. It’s about winning.”

The Texans have an uphill climb when it comes to winning with the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts reloading while the Jacksonville Jaguars are successfully rebuilding. The former 4-12 club from a season ago is a favorite among pundits to round out the power rankings and also to finish with a top-3 pick in the 2022 NFL draft. However, it may take a whole bag of chips on the shoulder of Lindsay and his teammates across the roster to get the team ready to compete under first-year coach David Culley.

[listicle id=62050]

Texans C Justin Britt says Tyrod Taylor is ‘a good leader’

Houston Texans center Justin Britt says that quarterback Tyrod Taylor has led the team well during his short time with the organization.

The Houston Texans can always use a good leader.

According to center Justin Britt, the Texans have one under center in former Pro Bowl quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Britt took time with the media after the second day of training camp practice at Houston Methodist Training Center.

“He’s a good player, good guy, a good leader,” Britt said. “Someone who also he went through — I feel like he’s had the short end of the stick the last few years in his career and he’s hungry.”

Taylor has three seasons worth of hunger to be back under center full-time. In 2018, Taylor went 1-1-1 as a starter for the Cleveland Browns before injuries forced coach Hue Jackson to turn to then-rookie Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. After backing up Philip Rivers with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019, Taylor seemed to have his chance in 2020 until another injury bounced him out after the season opener. First-rounder Justin Herbert took over and hasn’t looked back.

Enter Taylor in Houston — brought in perhaps to backup Deshaun Watson in a fanciful alternate reality where the three-time Pro Bowler has a harmonious relationship with the franchise, but in all actuality is going to be the Texans’ Week 1 starter at this rate.

Taylor’s presence is part of the roster’s overall mixture of players who want another shot at longer tenures with NFL teams.

“I think we have a team full of hungry guys,” said Britt. “I think they brought in a lot of really good players and pieced together a really good roster and it’s up to us to come out here and compete, hold each other accountable, control what we can control and just be ready to go.”

The last time Taylor started a full season was in 2017 when he led the Buffalo Bills to their first playoff appearance since 1999.

[listicle id=62050]