Tag: Texans receiver

Texans WR Noah Brown says Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson are ‘a lot more polished’ than expected

Houston Texans receiver Noah Brown says rookies Tank Dell and Xavier Hutchinson have shown to be “a lot more polished” than typical youngsters.

The Houston Texans committed resources to receiver in the 2023 NFL draft.

The Texans spent a third-round pick on former Houston Cougar Tank Dell, and then fortified the position with sixth-rounder Xavier Hutchinson from Iowa State.

Prior to the draft, Houston also signed veteran wideout Noah Brown in free agency along with Robert Woods to inject experience among the corps.

Through a month and a half’s worth of the offseason program, Brown has seen enough from Dell and Hutchinson to assess their helpfulness to the offense.

“They’ve come in and really put themselves to work,” Brown told reporters June 13. “They’re a lot more polished than you would expect for a rookie coming in.

“Tank, and the way he plays much bigger than his size. Hutch [Hutchinson] is a big guy who plays big. I think they can help us in a lot of ways.”

Dell has the prospect of filling a Wes Welker type of role in the offense. The 5-8, 165-pounder caught 109 passes for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Cougars last season.

Hutchinson reportedly fell due to substandard workouts, not necessarily on-field production. The former Cyclone caught 107 passes for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns last year.

Brown’s advice for the younger receivers on the roster is to mind the “little things,” as a former basketball coach told Brown during his formative years.

“I had a basketball coach when I was younger tell me to be great at the things that happen often in the game,” said Brown. “That was basketball-wise, but it applies to football, too. There’s only one rock, one person to carry it — be good at running your route to get the other person open, block, special teams, things like that. Little things that can sneak you on the field so now you’re playing meaningful reps.”

Brown caught 43 passes for 555 yards and three touchdowns through 16 games for the Dallas Cowboys last season, 13 of which he started. The on-field work was welcomed after the former 2017 seventh-round pick spent the first five seasons of his career being great at blocking and special teams.

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WR Noah Brown picked the Texans for ‘new, fresh opportunity’

After spending the first six seasons of his career in the same place, receiver Noah Brown decided to sign with the Houston Texans for a fresh start.

Noah Brown won’t even have to change his driver’s license as he continues his career in a new NFL city.

The former Dallas Cowboys 2017 seventh-round receiver played 66 career games for his original draft team over the span of six seasons. However, Brown signed with the Houston Texans in free agency to continue developing his career.

“Some of the things that went into being here — it was just a new, fresh opportunity,” Brown told reporters after mandatory minicamp June 13. “I was in Dallas for six years. I feel like I built a solid foundation of what I can do in this league there.”

Brown showcased as a special teamer with 640 special teams snaps for the first five seasons in Dallas. Once receiver Cedrick Wilson departed in free agency 2022, Brown was able to ascend into the third wideout role where he caught 43 passes for 555 yards and three touchdowns last season — all career highs.

The former Ohio State product sees a similar prospect to continue that streak on offense with the Texans.

Said Brown: “I feel like this is an opportunity to expand upon on that, a team I feel like I can help out. We got a great young quarterback in C.J. [Stroud], another quarterback in Davis [Mills]. I’m looking forward to working with both of them.”

The Texans also signed Robert Woods in free agency along with drafting third-rounder Tank Dell. Third-year Nico Collins also figures to be a part of Houston’s plans in the passing game.

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Texans’ receiving corps pulling up the rear in Pro Football Focus rankings

The Houston Texans’ receiving corps is the worst in the NFL according to the latest rankings from Pro Football Focus.

One of the challenges of completing a rebuild is working with known quanitities.

In the Houston Texans’ case, their receiving corps consists of familiar receivers that have reached their potential in other cities and are trending downward in their careers, as is the case for receiver Robert Woods. The Texans could also have wideouts who were fifth options elsewhere and are looking for a better spot atop the depth chart with another team, as is the case with Noah Brown. The Texans also have young receivers who haven’t met their potential in third-year Nico Collins.

According to Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus, the Texans have the worst receiving corps in the NFL heading into the June summer break.

The Texans bring up the rear in these rankings with no go-to player in the passing game on their roster. I like Robert Woods as a WR2 or WR3, but not as a WR1. I also like Noah Brown, but not as a WR2. The same can be said for Nico Collins.

John Metchie III could be a good player for Houston, but there is a big unknown with him missing all last season. They did sign tight end Dalton Schultz in free agency, which was a good signing. But his presence raises the floor more than it elevates the ceiling. It’s still very much a rebuilding offense in Houston.

What could elevate the perception of Houston’s receiving corps is the production from youngsters such as Collins, Metchie, and third-rounder Tank Dell. Woods, Brown, and Schultz are figured out in terms of production. However, there is a bit of the unknown with Collins, Metchie, and Dell, and all it takes to helps Houston’s perception is for that trio to take the reins as the studs of the position group.

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Noah Brown says Texans receivers are prepared to ‘do the dirty work blocking’

Houston Texans receiver Noah Brown says his position group is fully prepared to engage in the “dirty work” on offense.

Arguably the most finesse skill position in the NFL is receiver. The position is one that has flourished in the era focused on player safety.

The perception is all receivers do is go into the pattern and catch passes. The reality is a little dirtier.

Noah Brown peeled back the curtain at Houston Texans mandatory minicamp Tuesday and revealed new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has a predilection for getting his receivers involved in blocking and setting the edge.

“I think coach Slowik places an emphasis on everybody blocking, everybody being physical,” Brown said. “Sometimes that is slept on in the wide receiver position, but I think it’s been a great emphasis here. I think not just me, but everybody in our room is prepared to go in there and do the dirty work blocking.”

Brown’s entry into the league was as the Dallas Cowboys’ 2017 seventh-round pick. Running back Ezekiel Elliott lobbied Dallas to take his former Ohio State teammate for Brown’s ability to run-block.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve been in an offense where blocking is not valued by the wide receivers,” said Brown.

The 6-2, 225-pounder provided the Cowboys with 43 catches for 555 yards and three touchdowns through 16 games last year, 13 of which he started. Even when Brown’s role shifted more from special teams and run-blocking to catching passes, he never shied away from blocking.

Said Brown: “I think sometimes you see wide receivers put more of an emphasis on it personally or take pride in it a little bit more. But I think everywhere I’ve been, it’s been coached. I think that’s part of — if you’re a wide receiver, you want the guy across from you to feel you on every rep. That’s a run play, pass play, whatever it is.”

If Slowik has his way, opponents will feel Texans receivers up close on run plays, not just in the secondary on passing downs.

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Texans WR Nico Collins acknowledges challenge of playing all 17 games

Houston Texans receiver Nico Collins knows it is a challenge to play a complete 17-game season, but nevertheless has such a goal in mind.

Nico Collins has yet to play a complete season since entering the NFL as a third-round pick in 2021.

The feat has gotten slightly harder since Collins’ rookie season when the league added a 17th game. With the regular season becoming even more of a long march through the calendar, teams are being deliberate with how much exposure they give their banged-up players.

Nevertheless Collins desires to be available for all 17 games for the Houston Texans in 2023.

“Being there for the team, ballin’ out, making plays,” Collins told reporters June 6 after organized team activities. “Most definitely, that’s my goal. That’s everybody’s goal, to stay healthy throughout 17.”

Collins has logged 14 games and 10 games in each of his first two seasons. The former Michigan product’s season was over after Week 12 as he was placed on injured reserve.

“Finishing the season on IR, that’s not anybody’s plan,” Collins said. “You want to finish the whole games of the season with your team. I was on IR, so, I took it as just ‘get healthy.’ Just continue to get healthy.”

With the changes to the Texans’ receiving corps, Collins is de facto one of the top targets in Houston’s offense. If Collins is able to give the Texans 17 games, it should be a boon to their passing game.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans downplays reunion with WR DeAndre Hopkins

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans downplayed the concept of the franchise having a reunion with DeAndre Hopkins.

A possible reunion between the Houston Texans and receiver DeAndre Hopkins has kept June from being a slow news month.

The former Texans No. 1 wideout was released last week by the Arizona Cardinals and quickly became the hottest topic in the NFL. The veteran receiver is coming off two of his worst career years and a PED-related suspension, however he’s still considered one of the premier targets in the league and a potential key addition for any team.

Shortly after his release was official, news broke from Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle that Hopkins was interested in a potential reunion with his former team in Houston. It was a development that many considered surprising despite Hopkins’ ties to the area.

The news ran somewhat contrary to previous reports that Hopkins was targeting a title contender and his own public appearances on podcasts where he had stated his desire to play with established star receivers such as Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. For a fanbase rabid for wins and a potential elite target for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, it quickly spread like wildfire.

On Tuesday, Houston coach DeMeco Ryans was finally available for the media to ask about the heavy rumors regarding the former Texans All-Pro. Ryans spoke of the possibility in a very similar, non-committal fashion as when there were reports of former Texan Jadeveon Clowney’s’ own interest and was intentional to note he had not met with Hopkins.

“With any player, like good players, they come up all the time.” Ryans said of Hopkins availability in free agency, “Nothing is off the table for us and we’ll explore all options. For me, personally, I have not spoken with anyone.”

Ryans words were in line with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport who appeared on the Pat McAfee Show later that afternoon to quell any fires around Houston saying, “He’s been training in Houston but he did not visit the Texans.”

Hopkins is expected to take his time when deciding on a new team. There’s no rush for him to join any organization and there will certainly be multiple teams interested in the 31-year-old receiver. Meanwhile, Houston may be content to run with their group that features veteran Robert Woods and younger receivers Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and John Metchie.

A return to the Texans may not be impossible for a player that once felt destined to break Andre Johnson’s franchise records. In the meantime, it appears that Houston fans shouldn’t hold their breath over the possibility.

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Texans WR Tank Dell picked to be ‘under the radar’ star in 2023

CBS Sports considers Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell to have the makings for an “under the radar” star in 2023.

If one were to ask Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, then Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell has the makings to be a bright object in the night skies of the NFL.

Bregman isn’t the only one to see the potential Dell possesses.

According to Tyler Sullivan from CBS Sports, Dell made his list as the candidate from the Texans who can be a star in 2023.

The Texans selected Dell in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Houston, and the wideout has reportedly been opening eyes throughout OTAs. He’s been working with the second-team offense, but if he continues to shine, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him push for some reps with the starters. Houston doesn’t have an array of pass-catching talent on the roster, which makes Dell’s ascent as a rookie even more plausible. During his final collegiate season, Dell hauled in 109 catches for 1,398 yards.

The consideration is interesting given the fact Dell has not played a down as a pro, and the Texans are still a roster with unknown veterans. While Houston fans are familiar with Nico Collins — and maybe some diehard Michigan fans — the rest of the football world is not. Collins is as much under the radar as Dell.

Nevertheless the 5-8, 165-pound wideout represents an opportunity for the Texans to infuse speed on the perimeter into their offense. Dell caught 109 passes for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns in his final season with the Houston Cougars. If Dell is able to generate a healthy fraction of that production as a rookie, it should get him out from under the radar — so long as the Texans are commensurately winning and recovering the rebuild.

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Texans OC Bobby Slowik says WR Tank Dell is adjusting to learning curve

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik says rookie wideout Tank Dell is adjusting to the new offense.

Tank Dell has impressed the Houston Texans with his work ethic since the 2023 NFL draft.

The third-round receiver has had to play catch-up throughout the spring as he transitions from the pre-draft process to integrating into an NFL offense. Dell’s relentlessness in picking up the Texans’ playbook has earned respect from offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who recognizes the challenges Dell faces coming from the Houston Cougars.

“The first thing that jumps off about all these guys is just they come in and they’re hungry and they are come in ready to work,” Slowik said after organized team activities on May 31. “Tank comes from a very different offense at Houston, very, very productive, efficient, but it’s just a different style to what we’re really doing here.”

Dell caught 109 passes for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns with the Cougars last season. As the Texans’ offense is more West Coast with a penchant for establishing the run, Dell has had to meet the expectations of a receiver playing in such a system.

Said Slowik: “There’s a bit of a learning curve, and when he’s out on the field, he doesn’t blink. I don’t think anyone has noticed how big of a leap it is because he’s been on it, and he’s been working.”

Dell has also been working as a returner on special teams in the Texans’ offseason workouts.

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Texans special teams coach Frank Ross says Tank Dell has a certain quickness

Houston Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross says that rookie wideout Tank Dell brings a type of quickness to the return game.

Special teams has surprisingly been one of the Houston Texans’ better units over the past two seasons.

Special teams coordinator Frank Ross has had the Texans finish ninth in yards per kickoff return and 13th in yards per punt return last season. In 2021, the Texans dipped to fifth-worst in yards per kickoff return, but were tied for 10th-best in yards per punt return.

The Texans’ return units may have a new weapon on their hands in third-round receiver Tank Dell. As a punt returner last season for the Houston Cougars, Dell fielded nine punts for 153 yards and a touchdown.

No doubt the Texans are hoping to cultivate Dell’s receiving abilities, but having the 5-8, 165-pound wideout provide playmaking ability in the return game would give Houston a needed edge.

Ross told reporters May 31 during organized team activities that Dell has a natural instinct to be an effective returner.

“There’s a God-given athleticism element, of course, where guys know how to just not spend too much time decelerating or it’s just easier for guys to run as a smaller guy,” said Ross. “He’s got that quickness, that suddenness that hopefully he can translate to when he’s out there live with the ball in his hands.”

The most important aspect Dell, and the other Texans returners, will need to nail down is ball security.

Said Ross: “The ball can’t be on the ground, so whoever is back there handling it, security is number one. Get the ball back for our offense, start a drive. And then anything past the first down is bonus. When we get a chance to take it, we’ll try and do that as many times as possible.”

The Texans have had two lost fumbles on punt returns since 2021.

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Texans should aggressively pursue DeAndre Hopkins

The Houston Texans could give legitimacy to their receiving corps with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.

The Houston Texans are coming off their best off-season in years.

The franchise hired former Defensive Rookie of the Year and franchise favorite DeMeco Ryans as their sixth full-time coach, spent over $40 million in free agency, and selected quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson second and third overall in the 2023 NFL draft.

They have their franchise cornerstones on offense and defense and a caliber of coaching staff that inspires far more confidence than either David Culley or Lovie Smith did. However, despite all this improvement, there is still an overarching narrative that the Texans are not ready to yet compete for the AFC South and that the roster needs even greater improvements. There is even one specific weakness that detractors point to.

The Texans desperately need a No. 1 wide receiver on their roster.

Robert Woods’ best days are behind him, Nico Collins is still firmly in the project territory, and both John Metchie and Tank Dell likely lack the necessary physical skillset to consistently win on the perimeter in the NFL. It’s a solid receiving group but one that lacks a truly premier option to win against NFL secondaries.

The attention has largely been focused on the 2024 offseason with the possibility Houston could either use Cleveland’s first round pick on a pass-catcher or their ample cap space to sign or trade for one during the early stages of that offseason. Of course, that would still leave Houston without a strong receiving option for Stroud’s debut season. It begs the question: what if Houston could skip the line?

Enter former Texans star DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins was cut by the Arizona Cardinals this on May 26 in a bit of a shocking move. The former star wideout had 1,407 receiving yards during his first season with the NFC team but never played more than 10 games in either 2021 or 2022 while his production absolutely suffered between his own injuries and that of Kyler Murray.

Would there be any merit to potentially reuniting Hopkins with his old team? On the surface, it could make a ton of sense for Houston.

While on the field last season, Hopkins was still one of the best receivers in football. The Cardinals still attempted to run their offense through the wideout with a ridiculous 94 targets in nine games last season. Unfortunately, it would be the lowest yards per target of his career at 7.5 with the atrocious backup quarterback play in Arizona.

Hopkins would immediately provide Houston with the best receiver on their roster and a player who can win on third-and-long situations in a way that the rest of the team could not. His elite catch radius, route running, and overall attention he demands from the defense would help the entire offense in a few ways.

Running backs Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary would be friendlier looks in the run game, akin to the boost Josh Jacobs received with the Las Vegas Raiders last season when Davante Adams arrived. Woods, Collins, and Dell would all be able to thrive seeing a corner one spot inferior on the depth chart than previously projected. Life would also become a lot easier for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

As things currently stand, Slowik is going to be asked to proverbially only “eat what he can kill” during passing downs. The team has no true burner and is relying on exceptional route running and schematics to win from their current group of players. Hopkins presence would provide some easy first down looks and a player that could be trusted with confidence to win in one-on-one situations. Almost like having frozen food in the freezer for Slowik to prepare if the rest of the offense is having a bad day offensively.

It then could not be understated how much the move could potentially aid the development of Stroud.

In the past five seasons, there are a myriad of examples of quarterbacks taking a huge leap forward when premier receiving talent was added to the roster — Dak Prescott with Amari Cooper, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Kyler Murray with DeAndre Hopkins, Tua Tagovailoa with Tyreek Hill, and Jalen Hurts with A.J. Brown this past season.

Each of those quarterbacks entered the year as one caliber of quarterback and exited on an entirely different tier, with a renowned sense of confidence from their teams, after acquiring great receiver play. Skipping straight to this step would allow Stroud to operate with confidence in difficult passing downs while he grew comfortable with the rest of the playbook.

The non-football items become a little more difficult in the Hopkins discussion.

Hopkins has expressed a desire to join a team capable of competing for the Super Bowl and has said he would prefer to avoid rookie quarterback play. That likely leaves Houston far out of play. However, it’s also well reported that Hopkins would like to cash in on another pay day. That would leave the Texans as one of a handful of NFL teams that could make a legitimately enticing offer.

Would Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio be willing to invest serious financial resources towards a player on the back half of his career and one that has never been invested in practicing? That wouldn’t seem to go with the general methodology. It may be possible to ignore it within the context of needing to aid Stroud as they hope he becomes the future of the franchise.

There’s a scenario where an Odell Beckham-like deal, who received one-year and $15 million worth up to $18 million with incentives, could be beneficial for both parties. Even a two year deal where Hopkins can come off the books in 2025 as Houston transitions to true Super Bowl aspirations and has had time to find a younger option to play the No. 1 receiving role.

Who knows if the receiver would even be interested in returning? As long as he’s posting cryptic stories on his Instagram and remains available in the free agent market, it may not be the worst idea for Houston to inquire about his services.

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