Tag: Texans receiver

What is the timeline for Texans WR John Metchie to produce?

Houston Texans WR John Metchie has proven he can’t be kept down. Still, how long until he can produce in the passing game?

It never has been a question of if John Metchie will be kept down, but a matter of how long.

The Houston Texans’ 2022 second-round receiver made the active roster and is eligible for his first career game Sept. 10 against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Although Metchie’s fierce determination to overcome leukemia during his rookie season has become a staple of time in Houston, the former Alabama wideout still has yet to play in a game.

General manager Nick Caserio laid out for reporters Aug. 30 what a timeline for Metchie looks like to work into the vision the club had for him.

“I would say a player like that, there is probably a chance that he’s going to be a little bit better six to eight weeks down the road than maybe he is now,” Caserio said. “Just when you miss that amount of time — it’s just like your team. You’re really evaluating your team the first four weeks. You kind of sort of hope you know what you have, but you’re really not sure and then you get to week or five and it’s like you have more information.”

Even though Caserio approached the realistic regarding Metchie, even the Texans’ front office boss couldn’t help but touch on the receiver’s fundamental quality.

Said Caserio: “His work ethic and just his ability to fight through something that probably not a lot of people could fight through with a great attitude.”

Metchie caught 96 passes for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season at Alabama.

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Houston Texans 53-man roster: Who made the cut?

Take a look at who made the cut for the Houston Texans.

The Houston Texans made it to 3:00 p.m. Central Time with their roster under 53 men, meeting the NFL’s deadline.

Here is a list at who the Texans decided to keep on their 53-man roster at the deadline. It is worth mentioning the Texans have to wait until 12:00 p.m. on Aug. 30 before they can construct their practice squad. The way the roster looks today may not be the final version when they enter Week 1 as there is still tinkering with injured players that must be finalized.

Nevertheless here is how the Texans made their way from 90 players in the offseason to 53 at the end of preseason. The list is unofficial.

Tank Dell had highest PFF grade for Texans receivers in preseason Week 1

Houston Texans rookie Tank Dell had the highest Pro Football Focus grade among Houston receivers in their 20-9 win over the New England Patriots.

Tank Dell would have been readily identifiable as the best Houston Texans receiver in their 20-9 preseason win over the New England Patriots Aug. 10, but now the experts agree.

According to Braxton Howard from Pro Football Focus, Dell had the highest grade from the analytics site at 83.8.

If you watched Dell during his time at Houston, his quick emergence should not surprise you. He immediately showed his electric ability on his 31 snaps. He played 27 of those snaps from out wide. He was fed eight targets and responded with five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Dell’s double-clutching his lone touchdown catch was key to improving both his stats and grade on the evening.

The third-round receiver’s grade was the 11th-best across the league last week.

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Texans WR Tank Dell developing as a run blocker

Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell is cultivating his skills as a run blocker on the perimeter.

Versatility is the biggest trait coaches are looking for in the NFL.

With going from 90-man training camp rosters to 53 for the regular season, coaches are looking for players who can fill multiple roles. The same pressure is present during game weeks when coaches have to determine the best 46 players who can help win the game.

The Houston Texans know Tank Dell can catch, but the third-round receiver wants the team to know he can also be an asset as a run blocker.

Robert Woods told reporters Thursday that the 5-8, 165-pound wideout is working on his physicality to provide the Texans with a viable option in run blocking.

“I don’t think you guys are really seeing what he does in the run game as well,” Woods said. “Always fronting up and being the guy who — making sure his defender doesn’t make the tackle. Which is really good for a receiver — a young receiver and a receiver of his size.”

Dell caught 109 passes for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns through 13 games for the Houston Cougars last season. No doubt the Texans hope Dell’s college production translates to the pro game, but he will give them as many other perks as possible.

“Being able to be involved in the run game and not only be a pass receiver, I think that’s really good for our offense and for his career, being so young,” said Woods.

Having a receiver willing to block in the Texans’ new offensive scheme is beneficial given offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s deployment of the West Coast Offense. With the objective to give the ball to playmakers in space, having a receiver who can hold a block on the perimeter can be key to springing chunk plays in the run game.

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Texans WR Tank Dell displays gigantic work ethic

The one aspect to Houston Texans rookie Tank Dell’s physical presence that isn’t diminutive is his work ethic.

HOUSTON — Tank Dell only has 15 training camp days and one preseason game worth of NFL experience. Yet, the rookie receiver has the work ethic of a 10-year veteran.

One place to find Dell is after practice at Houston Methodist Training Center. The wideout is either catching passes from the JUGS machine or collaborating with teammates John Metchie and Derek Stingley on anything from route running to defensive schemes.

During Wednesday’s joint training camp practice with the Miami Dolphins, Dell showed that his hard work is paying off by scoring three touchdowns in four team drills. All three came in the red zone from fellow rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

“Oh, Tank Dell, he’s electrifying,” said rookie edge rusher Will Anderson after practice. “He can make anybody miss. Great feet, can go up and get the ball fast; he’s just a one-of-a-kind type guy. He works really hard, and he’s always out here on the JUGS every day, and as our receiver, I think that’s a big thing to do. He just shows and proves why he belongs.”

The former Houston Cougars receiver had a game-high 65 yards on five catches and a touchdown in Houston’s 20-9 preseason win over the New England Patriots Aug. 10.

Many critics are concerned about Dell’s size against some of the league’s bigger linebackers and defensive backs. Nevertheless the third-rounder’s route-running ability and speed will make it difficult to land a hit on him, as he is outstanding in open space.

Dell is also very competitive and was waiting on the Dolphins to come into town to showcase his abilities.

“I need them to see what type of player they will be going against on Saturday,” Dell said to the Texans Wire on Sunday. “They have some very good receivers over there in Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle, and I just want to showcase my skills as well and do whatever my team needs me to do to be successful.”

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WATCH: Texans WR Tank Dell makes circus catch for first touchdown

Houston Texans rookie wideout Tank Dell had a unique way to corral the football for his first preseason touchdown versus the New England Patriots.

Leave it to a former Houston Cougar to bring the excitement to a preseason game.

On a first-and-goal from the 6-yard line with 0:12 to go in the second quarter, Houston Texans receiver Tank Dell caught a touchdown pass that was nearly broken up — only because Dell failed to cradle the ball on the first try.

As Dell lofted the Davis Mills pass just outside his reach, two New England Patriots defenders failed to contact the ball, which landed right back in Dell’s grasp for Houston’s first touchdown of preseason.

The Texans picked Dell in Round 3 of the draft to bolster their receiving corps.

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WATCH: Texans WR Tank Dell connects with QB Davis Mills against the Patriots

Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell caught a pass from Davis Mills against the New England Patriots in preseason.

Tank Dell did not want to leave the Bayou City, but wanted to continue his football career after playing for the Houston Cougars.

The third-round receiver demonstrated a measure of his talent Thursday night against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Houston Texans wideout caught a 15-yard pass from quarterback Davis Mills on a first-and-10 from the Texans’ 20-yard line with 7:01 to go in the second quarter.

Dell told reporters Aug. 1 that his role in the Texans’ offense was to do whatever was asked of him.

“I don’t really know too much,” said Dell. “I just go out there and practice. I go out there and whatever they ask me to do, I do it at 100%, so I don’t really know too much about that.”

Dell demonstrated his presence for a quick 15 yards against the Patriots.

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Texans WR Xavier Hutchinson embracing special teams for first time

Houston Texans rookie receiver Xavier Hutchinson is embracing special teams despite having never played in the transition phase of the game.

Xavier Hutchinson knew as much about special teams as the numeral on cornerback Desmond King’s new jersey.

“Absolutely zero in college, I won’t even lie to you,” Hutchinson said.

However, the Houston Texans’ sixth-round receiver was a quick study and understood the sure way to make the team would be on special teams. As prolific as Hutchinson was at Iowa State last season with 107 catches for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns, it wasn’t enough to unseat Robert Woods and Nico Collins for playing time.

Although Hutchinson has been enthusiastic about playing special teams, the beginning hasn’t been easy.

“Obviously, I’ve taken my lumps with it. I’m learning something very new to myself, but to have [special teams] coach Frank [Ross] and everybody — some of the veterans who have played it at the highest level just always giving back into me and just teaching me the little, small things, it’s made it a lot easier,” said Hutchinson. “But I’m very excited about it though. I’m excited to see what I can do on [special teams], and excited to see if that can be a part of me helping the team out.”

Part of what has made the transition challenging for Hutchinson are some of the techniques. For instance, lining up to run a pattern involves a different set of footwork and explosion than bursting downfield as a gunner on special teams or staying in to block.

“I think it’s just the technique, honestly,” Hutchinson explained. “Like, the get-offs, being in a new stance that I’m not normally in ever. Just those little, small things.”

While Hutchinson had doubts about his ability to contribute in the transition phase of the game, the 6-3, 210-pounder has nevertheless discovered commitment pays off.

Said Hutchinson: “It’s really not as hard as it seems, you just really have to be committed to it and you have to care. So, you know, that’s really about it, to be honest with you. You just have to have some type of dog in you to want to compete and want to be out there on special teams.”

Hutchinson figures to be a part of the Texans’ special teams units as Houston kicks off their preseason slate Aug. 10 against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

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Texans’ Noah Brown says Robert Woods is ‘ultimate veteran’ in WR room

Houston Texans wideout Noah Brown says Robert Woods is the paragon among veterans in the receiver room.

The Houston Texans have committed resources to having younger wideouts in Nico Collins, John Metchie, Tank Dell, and Xavier Hutchinson. However, the club also made a point in free agency to add veterans.

Houston signed former Dallas Cowboys receiver Noah Brown and ex-Tennessee Titans receiver Robert Woods in free agency in March.

Brown, 27, has played in 66 career games since entering the NFL as a 2017 seventh-rounder. The title for elder statesman clearly goes to Woods with his 142 career games since 2013 divvied up among three teams: Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and the Titans.

“He is the ultimate veteran,” Brown told reporters Aug. 8.

Why having the “ultimate veteran” in Houston’s receiving corps helps is because of the composition of younger receivers. With Woods serving as the paragon of consistency, it can give the Texans’ younger wideouts an example to follow.

“I think he’s never out of his spot,” said Brown. “He’s always in a position where he’s able to help others, and he’s got a great feel for the offense. Even if he says nothing, watching him run his route and how he executes concepts, I think there’s a lot to learn from him.”

Woods caught 52 passes for 572 yards and two touchdowns through 17 games with Tennessee last year, 15 of which he started.

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Texans work out WR Drew Estrada among 3 other players

The Houston Texans worked out receiver Drew Estrada along with another wideout, a running back, and a quarterback.

Talent acquisition never stops for the Houston Texans, and the workouts continued Tuesday.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans worked out former Baylor receiver Drew Estrada along with three others.

Estrada was part of the Texans’ offseason and training camp last year, and made Houston’s practice squad. The club placed Estrada on injured reserve on Oct. 27 and then released him the next day. The Texans signed Estrada to a reserve/future contract at the end of the season, but waived Estrada with an injury designation on May 4.

Houston also worked out receiver Derrick Dillon, who spent time with the New York Giants from 2020-21 as a member of their practice squad. Dillon was also on the Cleveland Browns’ training camp roster in 2022.

The workouts come as the Texans placed undrafted rookie wideout Jesse Matthews on injured reserve with a torn ACL.

The Texans also worked out former Fordham quarterback Tim DeMorat, who went undrafted and spent time with Washington following the 2023 NFL draft.

Houston also worked out former Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, and Denver Broncos running back Devine Ozigbo.

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