Tag: Texans receivers

Texans C Justin Britt testifies to WR Brandin Cooks being a ‘real underrated player’

Houston Texans center Justin Britt says that receiver Brandin Cooks is a “real underrated player” after seeing him since offseason workouts.

Houston Texans center Justin Britt has been around underrated players for his entire career.

Britt played the first 87 games of his career with the Seattle Seahawks, where it appeared quarterback Russell Wilson wouldn’t get his just due as an elite quarterback despite leading the NFC West club to two consecutive Super Bowl appearances — and a win — from 2013-14.

The same pattern is apparent in Houston where Britt signed in the offseason. The 6-6, 315-pound interior offensive lineman believes the Texans have an underrated player among their perimeter players on offense in wideout Brandin Cooks.

“I think Cooks is a real underrated player,” said Britt. “After seeing him during camp, the past couple weeks, he’s a really good wide receiver. He’s really fast, explosive, competitive and aggressive.”

Cooks isn’t the only player on the Texans’ offense that can make for explosive plays despite not being a household name across the rest of the AFC South.

“I think [tight end] Pharaoh (Brown) is a presence, that without him, we’d miss him for sure,” said Britt. “I think bringing [receiver] Danny (Amendola) in here was a big lift for us, and we can’t wait to get him back. [Receiver] Nico (Collins), he’s going to be a really good player. You can go on and on. [Receiver] Chris Conley. I just think this team, offensively, defensively, but being an offensive player, I think offensively we have a lot of guys who have seen a lot of ball, played a lot of ball and know what they’re best at.”

Despite the Texans’ underrated talent, they sit at 1-2, second place in the division behind the 2-1 Tennessee Titans.

“We’ve just got to find a way to play four quarters what we want, and just sustain it and keep it going,” Britt said.

Houston can find a way against the Buffalo Bills, their Week 4 opponent, who they face on the road at Highmark Stadium with a 12:00 p.m. Central Time kickoff on Sunday.

Texans vs. Panthers Monday injury report: An estimation of participation

The Houston Texans released their first injury report of Week 3 as they gear up for the Carolina Panthers, and the report was an estimation.

The Houston Texans released their first injury report of Week 3 ahead of their encounter with the Carolina Panthers Thursday night at NRG Stadium.

The Texans did not have practice on Monday, and the report is merely an estimation of what participation would have been like if they had practice.

Receiver Danny Amendola (thigh), receiver Nico Collins (shoulder), cornerback Terrance Mitchell (concussion), quarterback Tyrod Taylor (hamstring), and quarterback Deshaun Watson (not injury related) were listed as non-participants.

The Texans only had two two players listed as limited: linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (knee) and safety Justin Reid (knee).

For Carolina’s injury report, check out the Panthers Wire.

Texans WR Danny Amendola out against the Browns with a hamstring injury

Houston Texans receiver Danny Amendola is out against the Cleveland Browns with a hamstring injury.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans’ most prominent battle on Sunday has not been against the Cleveland Browns but versus the injury bug. According to Texans’ PR, wideout Danny Amendola is out with a hamstring injury and will not return to the game. At the time of his injury, Amendola had one reception for nine yards.

Amendola is the second wide receiver to go down against the Browns, and fifth Texan overall. Houston lost rookie Nico Collins early in the first quarter due to a shoulder injury. Collins has also been ruled out for the rest of the game.

In addition to the two receivers, the Texans also loss quarterback Tyrod Taylor and Eric Murray. All-Pro left tackle Laremy Tunsil went down with a minor leg injury left in the second quarter but returned to the game.

Texans WR Chris Conley says the Jaguars are a different team

Houston Texans receiver Chris Conley says the Jacksonville Jaguars are an entirely different team than when he played with them in 2020.

It can be argued no one on the Houston Texans’ roster has seen more of the Jacksonville Jaguars on the inside than receiver Chris Conley.

The former Kansas City Chiefs 2015 third-round pick spent 2019-20 with the Jaguars. In his 31 games, 18 of which he started, Conley caught 87 passes for 1,246 yards and seven touchdowns.

That was with Doug Marrone as the coach and a quartet of Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew, Mike Glennon, and Jake Luton throwing the football. The Jaguars now have Urban Meyer on the sidelines and rookie Trevor Lawrence under center.

Conley says Jacksonville is a new team, but that is also part of the annual changes in the NFL.

“I think every team every year is a new team regardless of coaching staff and player changes,” Conley said. “You see how the team is different here this year. You see how we’ve had coaching staff and personnel changes. The Jags will definitely be a different team. They have some core players that they return, but every year a team has a new identity.”

D.J. Chark is a core player at receiver that will give Lawrence a playmaking target. The Jaguars also have second-year running back James Robinson in the backfield, and defensive end Josh Allen is a threat to come off the edge.

Conley isn’t going about the halls of NRG Stadium hawking his insights into the Jaguars; the 28-year-old is trusting the coaches.

Said Conley: “If they ask me questions, I’ll do my best to answer them, but at the end of the day, that’s the reason why they’re coaches. They’ve been scouting this whole time. They’ve been watching every rep that they’ve had. If there’s anything I can shed light on, I’ll try to do that. I feel like they have a solid plan in place already, and I’ll just do whatever I can to help and be ready to play.”

The Texans are counting on Conley to provide a deep threat for new starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor as rookie coach David Culley seeks his first career win.

Texans WR Brandin Cooks’ biggest role may be as a mentor

Houston Texans receiver Brandin Cooks has had some success in the NFL, but his next opportunity for success may come as a mentor in 2021.

Brandin Cooks has been consistent in his prior seven NFL seasons.

The former New Orleans Saints 2014 first-round pick has generated five 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and most of those have come in his first season with a new quarterback: 2017 with Tom Brady, 2018 with Jared Goff, and 2020 with Deshaun Watson.

Cooks will be challenged in 2021 as it appears the Texans will be going with Tyrod Taylor as their starting quarterback. In his three seasons as the Buffalo Bills’ full-time starter from 2015-17, the Bills had one receiver go over 1,000 yards: Sammy Watkins with 1,047 in 2015. It was also Taylor’s lone Pro Bowl selection of his career.

The Texans’ passing game will be challenged, but it doesn’t mean that just because Cooks and the aerial attack is grounded, the 27-year-old can’t be a resource.

Along with wideout Chris Conley, Cooks has taken on the role as a mentor for third-round rookie Nico Collins.

“That relationship has been great,” Cooks said. “That whole room, we all listen to one another but for a young guy like Nico coming into his game, leaning on some of us veterans has been huge. We just try to give him a little bit here and let him just be who he is and not overwhelm him with information.”

Coach David Culley appreciates Cooks taking the time to give Collins advice.

“Brandin’s been around a little bit, he’s been on a view teams, he has been productive on every team he’s been on, I am very glad to have him,” Culley said. “I think he is a great mentor for our young guys, not just at wide receiver but on our football team with the things you just said about how he goes about goes about his business not just on the football field but as a human being. He loves to play.”

Cooks produced 1,150 yards and six touchdowns on 81 catches through 15 games last season with the Texans.

Texans to cut WR Taywan Taylor

The Houston Texans are cutting former Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns receiver Taywan Taylor.

The Houston Texans are trimming the excess in their receivers room.

According to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790, the Texans are cutting receiver Taywan Taylor, who the club signed to a one-year contract in May during the club’s offseason program.

Taylor was originally a 2017 third-round pick for the Tennessee Titans. After spending two seasons with the AFC South club, Taylor played for the Cleveland Browns.

In Taylor’s four seasons to date, the 5-11, 203-pound wideout has caught 53 passes for 697 yards and two touchdowns through 35 games, 10 of which he has started. Taylor also has three career kickoff returns for 53 yards, all of which came in the 2019 season in Cleveland.

Houston Texans 2021 player profile: WR Nico Collins

Rookie third-rounder Nico Collins from Michigan provides size and speed to the Houston Texans’ receiving corps.

The Houston Texans drafted former Michigan receiver Nico Collins in the third round (No. 89 overall) of the 2021 NFL draft.

Collins opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. However, the Clay-Chalkville Alabama High School product had put together an impressive enough resume with the Wolverines that the Texans traded up to acquire him.

Here is a look at the 22-year-old who has the makings to take over as the Texans’ number one receiver in the future.

 

Position: Wide receiver

Age: 22

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215 pounds

Hometown: Pinson, Ala.

High School: Clay-Chalkville High School (Alabama)

College: Michigan

Draft: 2021, Round 3, No. 89 overall

Acquired: 2021 NFL draft

Texans’ Brandin Cooks says WR Nico Collins ‘doesn’t look like no rooke to me’

Houston Texans receiver Brandin Cooks says that third-round receiver Nico Collins from Michigan does not have the demeanor or bearing of a rookie.

The Houston Texans traded up to draft Michigan receiver Nico Collins in Round 3 of the 2021 NFL draft.

Through organized team activities, the 89th overall pick has impressed one of the veterans in the receiving corps. Wideout Brandin Cooks’ summary of Collins is that he is mature beyond his years.

“How I feel about Nico, I mean this guy doesn’t look like no rookie to me,” Cooks told reporters on a Zoom call on May 27. “You talk about a guy who’s out there that’s coachable and able to pick up things pretty fast. You love to see that from a young guy. The guy’s explosive, natural hands. I look forward to continuing to work with him and seeing him grow.”

Collins opted out of the 2020 season, his last year at Michigan. In 2019, Collins caught 37 passes for 729 yards and seven touchdowns through 12 games.

Cooks also sees an opportunity in Collins to repay all of the mentoring that older veterans throughout his career have given to him as a former New Orleans Saints 2014 first-round pick from Oregon State.

Said Cooks: “I love it just because I had a guy — guys, I should say — that looked after me coming up and so all I’m trying to do is repay that and pay it forward in guys like Nico and the young guys.”

The Texans’ situation at quarterback may need some work, but the receiving corps could have the work ethic and demeanor to help out the Texans’ passing game.