Tag: Texans cornerback

Texans cornerbacks placed among Pro Football Focus’ top-32 for Week 1

The Houston Texans had three cornerbacks appear on Pro Football Focus’ top-32 list for Week 1.

There were favorable happenings for the Houston Texans in their Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Although being squelched 25-9 and beginning another rebuilding season with an 0-1 mark invites its own pessimism, the Texans had a few positive trends develop on the field at M&T Bank Stadium.

Would you believe three of the best cornerbacks across the league were in Texans uniforms in Week 1?

According to John Kosko from Pro Football Focus, the top cornerback was Tavierre Thomas, who earned a 91.2 coverage grade from the analytics firm.

Thomas locked it down vs. the Ravens, recording four pass stops, including one tackle for a loss. Not only was he excellent on targeted passes, where he allowed -0.308 expected points added (EPA) per target, but Thomas was the eighth-best cornerback at preventing separation on all pass plays.

Steven Nelson came in at No. 8 overall with an 84.9 coverage grade. Considering the 30-year-old had an interception and a pass breakup, it would be hard to argue Nelson not being somewhere around the top-10.

Second-year Derek Stingley made the list, but had an interesting placement at No. 24 with a 65.0 grade.

Stingley looked more like the LSU freshman version of himself in Week 1, as he allowed just one catch for 20 yards and forced an incompletion while allowing the fourth-best separation rate of the week.

If the Texans are able to consistently take care of the boundaries and add tight slot coverage, it won’t be hard to find once the offense starts scoring points and opponents have to play catch-up.

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CB Desmond King thanks Texans after being cut

Cornerback Desmond King thanked the Houston Texans for the past two seasons after being cut Aug. 28.

For Desmond King, the adventure won’t continue with the Houston Texans.

The former Pro Bowl cornerback was among the Texans’ cuts Monday. King took to X (formerly Twitter) to express gratitude for the city and fan base.

“THANK YOU HOUSTON,” King tweeted.

According to safety Jimmie Ward, King was one of the defensive backs who caught his eye when he signed with the Texans.

“They really impressed me when I got here,” Ward told reporters July 27. “‘Des’ King in the nickel —like, the dude is so athletic. I think he wears like a three-X glove. I knew he was good.”

King generated 127 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, five interceptions, 14 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries through 33 games for the Texans, 25 of which he started.

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WATCH: Texans CB Derek Stingley grabs interception in joint practice with Dolphins

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley demonstrated his prowess for interceptions against the Miami Dolphins in day 2 of joint practice.

Steven Nelson encapsulated where cornerback Derek Stingley is heading into his second season.

“Flying around, showing his ability [and] what they drafted him for,” Nelson told reporters Aug. 7.

Stingley showcased his nose for the football in Thursday’s joint training camp practice between the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins. In video from Texans Wire alumnus Cole Thompson, the former 2022 first-round pick shaded his man and was in perfect position to grab an errant pass.

Although limited to nine games, Stingley demonstrated an ability to take the ball away with one interception. Houston is hopeful the LSU product is more prolific in his second year.

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Texans CB Shaquill Griffin sees WR Robert Woods’ influence on young wideouts

Houston Texans cornerback Shaquill Griffin faced Robert Woods twice in the NFC West, and sees some of his same moves permeating through the WR corps.

Shaquill Griffin and Robert Woods go way back.

From 2017-20, the Houston Texans cornerback and receiver faced each other as foes in the NFC West. Griffin played for the Seattle Seahawks while Woods suited up for the Los Angeles Rams.

It is why when Griffin was asked which receivers had performed well through a week and a half of training camp, all the former Pro Bowler could think about was Woods, the “savvy vet.”

“I got the chance to go against him twice a year when I was with Seattle and for him to continue to show up and be that leader for those guys you could tell they’re picking up a lot of the things that he does,” Griffin said.

Woods tore his ACL after nine games in 2021 when the Rams eventually won the Super Bowl. The former Buffalo Bills 2013 second-rounder spent 2022 with the Tennessee Titans, but hardly produced anywhere near his days in Los Angeles — 53 catches for 527 yards and two touchdowns.

Nevertheless the younger wideouts on the roster — John Metchie, Tank Dell to name a couple — still know Woods’ 142 career games give him credibility on playing the game consistently. Griffin is facing some of Woods’ moves as they permeate throughout the receiving corps.

“Even at the top of his route being able to use his hands and hand play to get off and create separation, I’m starting to see the guys do the same move that he’s doing, so I can tell that he is taking it upon himself to make sure that the young group of receivers is starting to step up in a major way.”

The Texans’ receiving corps doesn’t have a household name, which allows the unit to fly under the radar. However, names will emerge if the corps is able to play with any consistency as Woods as shown throughout his 11-year career.

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Breaking down the Texans’ new deal with CB Steven Nelson

The Houston Texans reworked the last year of cornerback Steven Nelson’s contract.

The Houston Texans reworked the final year of cornerback Steven Nelson’s contract on Thursday.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans upgraded the contract for Nelson and will pay the nine-year veteran a maximum value of $6.5 million. The former Kansas City Chiefs 2015 third-round pick was slated to make $4.5 million for 2023.

Nelson has flashed with a few takeaways throughout team portion of camp, but his advice to younger players has also been a benefit for the Texans.

“Steven Nelson has been a big brother to me,” rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud told reporters July 30. “He took me under his wing and showed me some things.”

Last season Nelson generated 52 combined tackles, 1.0 sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, an interception, a forced fumble, and seven pass breakups through 15 games, all of which he started.

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CB Steven Nelson reports to Texans training camp

Cornerback Steven Nelson, who is at odds with the organization with his contract, reported to Houston Texans training camp.

The Houston Texans and cornerback Steven Nelson have had a tense offseason.

The 30-year-old is in the final year of a two-year contract with the Texans, and hasn’t exactly kept his disdain for management well hidden. Social media posts from Nelson’s accounts suggest a variety of interpretations regarding his views on general manager Nick Caserio and the state of his contract.

Houston has similarly positioned the team to absorb any issues with Nelson by signing former Pro Bowl cornerback Shaquill Griffin and also working out former Denver Broncos cornerback Ronald Darby ahead of camp.

Nelson was available for camp Wednesday morning and took part in practice at Houston Methodist Training Center. According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans and Nelson have had “dialogue” regarding his contract.

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Report: Texans work out former Broncos CB Ronald Darby

The Houston Texans are working out former Denver Broncos cornerback Ronald Darby ahead of training camp.

The Houston Texans may want yet another veteran cornerback opposite second-year Derek Stingley.

According to Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network, the Texans are working out former Denver Broncos cornerback Ronald Darby, who is recovering from a torn ACL that limited him to five games in 2022.

Cornerback figures to be a hotbed of competition for the Texans throughout training camp. Steven Nelson, who is entering the final year of his contract, is incumbent with 15 starts last season. The Texans also signed former Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin to foment competition opposite of their former 2022 No. 3 overall pick.

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Texans CB Derek Stingley is starting to see entire field ‘at a faster rate’

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley says that he is starting to see the whole field and at a quicker rate as he transitions to year two.

The NFL is fast paced, and a rookie can get lost in the flow of a 60-minute game.

Derek Stingley showed promise in his rookie season. The former Houston Texans 2022 first-round pick collected 43 combined tackles, 1.0 sack, five pass breakups, and an interception through nine games. A hamstring injury nixed Stingley’s playing time starting in Week 10, and the former LSU product never saw the field for the rest of the season.

As Stingley enters his second season, the young cornerback is starting to have better perception when it comes to the speed of the game.

“Oh, I feel like I’ve improved and I’m seeing the whole field at a faster rate,” Stingley said via Aaron Wilson of KPRC-TV. “I could kind of see it last year and in the years before that, but Year One to Year Two, you can see the pace a little bit more. Nothing’s really unexpected. Nothing really catches you off-guard anymore. I mean, it’s nice.”

Among the 2022 class, fellow first-rounder Ahmad Gardner of the New York Jets and the Seattle Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen, who led the NFL in interceptions, garner more attention nationally. Nevertheless there are some former Pro Bowlers who believe Stingley should be able to assert his dominance and make a name for himself soon.

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CB Shaquill Griffin ready to thrive in the Texans’ defensive system

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin is ready to play at a high level in the Houston Texans’ defensive scheme led by coach DeMeco Ryans.

It wasn’t long ago that Shaquill Griffin was one of the more coveted corners in the NFL.

After the Seattle Seahawks drafted Griffin in 2017, the third-rounder entered 2021 as one of the better available free agent defensive backs. His time with the late-stage Legion of Boom had seen Griffin blossom into an every-down starter for the Seahawks and he was even selected as a Pro Bowler in 2019. Griffin’s career high three interceptions during the 2020 campaign set him up nicely to cash in on the open market and it didn’t take much time at all.

The then 25-year-old corner signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars to kickoff 2021 free agency. His contract was part of a concerted effort by new coach Urban Meyer to turn the team around with rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence and it would also signal his first time as a featured corner.

Unfortunately, Griffin’s tenure was nearly as rocky as the coach that coveted him.

Griffin started 14 games in 2021 but saw career lows in tackles, passes defended, and interceptions. His follow-up campaign in 2022 under new head coach Doug Pederson was then marred by injuries, with Griffin only playing in five games this past season. He was ultimately cut by the Jaguars as a cap casualty.

Now, right back where he started in a position where Griffin needs to prove himself, he saw the new look Houston Texans and the new staff under DeMeco Ryans as a great place to re-write his script.

“Some other teams that kind of showed interest, definitely it was Minnesota,” Griffin told the media in reference to how he chose Houston over other potential suitors. “I talked to Jacksonville again, talked to Washington, talked to a couple other teams, but the only visit I really took was here to Houston, and then once I got here, I felt the energy.

“Kind of felt like I was going to be at home here. I love the system they were already running, I was already familiar with the system that they had. So, I kind of based my decision off something that I knew I would be able to get in and start and move fast right away.”

Griffin’s choice of Houston is not insignificant. Minnesota and Jacksonville are considered high-end playoff contenders in their respective conferences entering the 2023 season. Washington lacks the perimeter corner talent that the Texans currently have between second-year corner Derek Stingley and veteran Steven Nelson.

He’s not the first veteran to highlight the excitement of the Texans’ new system under Ryans. Ryans piloted the league’s best defense in San Francisco last season, winning AP Assistant Coach of the Year, and his corners were some of the major beneficiaries under the scheme. Under Ryans, Griffin will be allowed to be more physical and the scheme should highlight the strengths that made him a Pro Bowl caliber player previously in Seattle.

In San Francisco, Ryans ran predominantly Cover 3, the same coverage scheme Griffin excelled under in Seattle, and blended it with Cover 6 concepts made popular by Vic Fangio to create one of the league’s most difficult defensive systems to prepare for. That unique twist, while still being very familiar to the Seattle defense, is something Griffin has quickly come to enjoy since arriving in Houston.

“I feel like the change-up excites me the most,” Griffin said. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of stuff in our bag to be able to change things up, especially to be able to adapt to any situation. But, number one would be, being in Seattle, I’m definitely familiar with that whole process on how they run their system. So, that kind of makes a lot of things in adjusting really easy for me. So, I love that part.”

The defensive secondary will be one of the strengths of the 2023 Texans. Griffin’s presence alongside Stingley, Nelson and great slot corners like Desmond King and Tavierre Thomas should allow for phenomenal creativity in the secondary. Safeties Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward will be scheme interchangeable and can likely make the picture even more difficult for offenses.

Griffin will look to compete for the starting job opposite Stingley and can provide key depth during the season at a position group that struggled to stay healthy during the 2022 campaign. A return to Pro Bowl caliber play could spark a defensive resurgence under Ryans much faster than is expected nationally.

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Shaquill Griffin says Texans have ‘young, starving guys’ in the secondary

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin says that the Houston Texans secondary has “young, starving guys” on the backend.

Unproven though they may be, the Houston Texans’ secondary is talented on paper.

Peppered with high draft picks and tested veterans, the team should be in good hands as its ball-hawking safeties and cornerbacks patrol the defensive backfield for errant throws and lame ducks.

One of the fresher faces in the unit is former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who looks to play a key role in the Texans defense. Griffin spoke to the media about his impression of the secondary on Wednesday after Houston’s practice session, telling reporters about the potential he sees.

“We’ve got some young, starving guys right now,” Griffin said. “You’ve got a person who’s going to come out here and give everything they have. And there’s not too many times where you have a whole secondary that’s willing to help each other, that’s willing to grind it out, that’s willing to compete in every single day, especially in this Texas heat.

The eight-year pro ended his comments with a particularly inspired thought on how players in the unit are feeding off of each other, spreading an infectious energy that is sure to benefit the Texans when the regular season starts in September.

“These guys are hungry,” Griffin said, “and I love that because the type of energy they bring is so contagious, and that’s the type of secondary that you need to bring this defense along.”

As new coach DeMeco Ryans’ scheme is predicated upon an attacking defensive front, the secondary could have its chances to make big plays.

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