Tag: Texans roster

Texans activate C-G Juice Scruggs to active roster

The Houston Texans have activated second-round guard-center Juice Scruggs.

The Houston Texans will take a look at what another rookie can do for their offensive line.

The Texans announced Saturday they have activated center-guard Juice Scruggs from injured reserve and will make him available for Sunday’s Week 12 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium.

Scruggs had been on injured reserve with a hamstring injury to start the season. Houston relied on sixth-rounder Jarrett Patterson for the first six games and veteran Michael Deiter for the past four.

The Texans also used their two standard elevations on cornerback Desmond King and receiver Steven Sims.

Houston also waived linebacker Garret Wallow from the practice squad.

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Texans QB C.J. Stroud names biggest trait he hopes teammates sense

Quarterback C.J. Stroud expounded on how he would like his Houston Texans teammates to view him on initial impression.

C.J. Stroud doesn’t like to force things. The rookie quarterback has been successful allowing things to come to him.

That isn’t to say passivity has been Stroud’s calling card either. The No. 2 overall pick has shown initiative with his play and provided a definition of what opponents can expect when No. 7 is under center.

Similarly the rookie has emphasized in the locker room inside NRG Stadium traits that he hopes teammates pick up quickly when interacting with Stroud.

“The main thing I want to be is somebody they can trust, a trustworthy person, and somebody who they know they can trust through thick and thin,” Stroud told reporters Nov. 15. “I think that’s where it starts and ends for me, because you can put 50 categories in that word ‘trust’ on what they trust you for. So, for me, that’s probably the biggest thing.”

Stroud knows the quarterback position engenders leadership. However, the former Ohio State product doesn’t want his teammates to follow him because his position demands it.

Said Stroud: “I don’t want to ever force myself on anybody or make it feel like just because I’m the quarterback, you guys have got to follow my lead. I want it to be natural and thorough, and I feel like I’ve done that a little bit, but I’m still trying to keep that going. So, it’s been amazing just having them have my back through everything, and every time I address the team or have something to say, they always listen.”

Through nine games, Stroud believes he is, “building it” and that the results thus far have been, “been pretty cool to see.”

Houston gets back in action Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium for Week 11.

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WATCH: DeMeco Ryans gives Texans ‘Victory Monday’ following win over Bengals

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans gave his team “Victory Monday” following their 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

The only thing that could be better than beating a conference behemoth would be a day off.

That is precisely what coach DeMeco Ryans granted the Houston Texans following their 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals Nov. 12 during Week 10 at Paycor Stadium.

What more could Ryans ask of his defense after they limited the Bengals to 380 total yards and 20 first downs? What more could Ryans ask of his offense, which posted 544 yards and had his rookie quarterback throw for 356 yards?

The Texans’ first practice of the week is Wednesday as they gear up for the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 at NRG Stadium.

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Texans score A-minus grade in CBS Sports’ mid-season evaluation

The Houston Texans picked up an A-minus grade in the midseason evaluation of 2023 from CBS Sports.

Week 10 is a comfortable enough time to know just what a football team presents. Enough time for units to form cohesion has passed and enough injuries have hit to allow rosters to truly set.

According to Jeff Kerr from CBS Sports, the Houston Texans have turned in an A-minus in the outlet’s recent grading of all 32 teams.

Mired in a long rebuild, this was supposed to be the transition year upward with a rookie quarterback in C.J. Stroud and first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Stroud is arguably a top-10 quarterback in the league already and has the Texans offense as a top-10 unit. He’s thrown just one interception while being responsible for the Texans winning games. Ryans has the defense on the upswing, too, even with rookie Will Anderson not making an immediate impact in the pass rush.

While Anderson may not have enough sacks with just 2.0 to show through eight games, the No. 3 overall pick is making his presence felt with nine quarterback hits, ranking third-most on the team. The beneficiary of Anderson’s presence is fourth-year defensive end Jonathan Greenard, who leads Houston with 6.0 sacks, primarily due to the attention Anderson commands.

Where Stroud is helping the Texans most is with his ball security. To date, the No. 2 overall pick leads the NFL with fewest interceptions — one — among quarterbacks who have started since Week 1. Nevertheless prolific games such as Stroud’s 470-yard, five-touchdown outing in Week 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reinforce that the Texans chose wisely when evaluation the quarterback class.

Houston gets back in action Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at Paycor Stadium against the Cincinnati Bengals for Week 10.

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Texans’ DeMeco Ryans to handle ‘coaching piece’ of trade deadline

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans knows his role as the NFL trade deadline approaches.

The NFL trade deadline is 3:00 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

The Houston Texans may not be among the teams looking to swap tricks for treats as the needs across the roster are relatively filled, or too precious to actually address. Don’t look for any franchise to trade their interior offensive linemen.

Nevertheless the Texans are still open to offers and have their feelers throughout the other 31 front offices.

DeMeco Ryans is going through his first trade deadline as coach, and outlined just what type of role he has as the deadline passes.

“When it comes to the trade deadline, [general manager] Nick and his scouting staff have done a really good job of looking at guys all throughout the year,” Ryans told reporters Oct. 30. “So, they handle that, we handle the coaching piece of it. If there are opportunities to make our team better, we always look at all opportunities.”

The opportunities for Ryans and his team may come in actual game experiences. Houston looks to prevent their second losing streak of the season as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium.

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Texans release CB D’Angelo Ross

The Houston Texans have released cornerback D’Angelo Ross.

The Houston Texans are parting ways with a veteran cornerback.

The Texans announced Monday they have released D’Angelo Ross from their active roster.

The former 2019 undrafted free agent played two games for the Texans. Ross was on the field for 35 special teams snaps across two games against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5 and the New Orleans Saints in Week 6.

The 26-year-old previously played for the New England Patriots from 2019-21 and then spent time with the Miami Dolphins in 2022 as a member of their offseason roster. Ross joined Houston in late November as a member of the practice squad and later signed a reserve/future contract at the end of the season.

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GM Nick Caserio won’t rule out Texans being buyers at trade deadline

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio won’t rule out the possibility of the team acquiring a player before the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

The Houston Texans’ 3-3 record is largely attributed to its homegrown talent manifesting on the gridiron. Any holes that exist can be filled with injured players returning or with more resources in the offseason.

Nevertheless general manager Nick Caserio won’t rule out the possibility of the Texans acquiring a player ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

“We’re going to look at our team, figure out is there an opportunity to add a player that we think can help us,” Caserio said Oct. 17. “If there is, great; we’ll pursue it. If there’s not, then we won’t. Like, we feel comfortable with the players that are in the building, that are on the team.”

Even seven weeks into the regular season, the Texans don’t simply look at their active roster, but their football personnel as a whole, including the practice squad.

” It’s really one through 70 or one through 69, however many players are in the building,” said Caserio. “So focus on those players, and if there’s somebody externally that we think can come in here and really have a defined role and have an impact, then we’ll certainly look into that. If there’s not, then we won’t.”

Moves aren’t made simply off draft picks. Houston has the 15th-most salary cap space in the NFL at a little over $7.7 million. The team would have to work in the incoming player’s contract, not only with the 2023 figures, but project them into the fluid 2024 cap situation.

Said Caserio: “There’s always a financial component to this, as well. There’s a certain cost associated with a contract that you take on. So how much are you paying for that player, what’s the cost, can you fit them under the cap. We have, I would say, a pretty good working budget for the duration of the year, so we can take on a certain level of contract, but if it’s more than that, then, okay, we cut half the team or have to do a bunch of cap manipulations, which you just push everything out to future years. It’s not a good way to run a team, not a good way to run a business.”

Taking the role of sellers at the deadline may have been an option in the past, but Houston still has an opportunity to make a positive statement in the last 11 games.

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Texans’ depth has kept team afloat at 3-3

The Houston Texans’ depth has been one of the reasons the club has held forth with a 3-3 record heading into the bye week.

The Houston Texans have been beneficiaries of the unlikely through the first six weeks of 2023.

Normally rookie quarterbacks have learning curves they must negotiate as they acclimate to the pro game. C.J. Stroud has hit the ground running and ranks eighth in the NFL among qualifiers with a 96.4 passer rating.

Similarly challenges to a team’s depth can curtail any progress and mar a record, rendering a team fighting uphill the rest of the season. Instead the Texans have dealt with injuries to the offensive line and secondary adeptly as the club collected a 3-3 record going into the bye week.

“I think what we’ve tried to do is just build up as much depth across the roster as much as possible, understanding that we’re probably going to need everybody at some point,” general manager Nick Caserio said Oct. 17. “You really don’t know when. We probably were hit harder at some positions relative to others, from training camp and through the early part of the season, which was I’d say the fall process and some of the players that we did there around the cut and right before the end of training camp there.”

Houston was ready for attrition in the secondary with waves of defensive backs. As snaps were lost from cornerbacks Derek Stingley, Tavierre Thomas, safeties Jimmie Ward, and Jalen Pitre, the Texans were able to count on Shaquill Griffin, Grayland Arnold, and Eric Murray to fill their roles.

The offensive line was more nuanced as Houston lost two of its starting center prospects, starting left guard, and starting tackles. For a team hoping to field Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green, Juice Scruggs, and Tytus Howard, the Texans went with Josh Jones, Kendrick Green, Jarrett Patterson, and George Fant by Week 4.

Somehow Stroud managed to stay upright, and the Texans are in the thick of the AFC South race as they are a game out from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Can’t feel sorry for yourself,” said Caserio. “You just have to embrace the challenge and just try to come up with solutions. Our job is to fix problems and find solutions. Sometimes it’s players, sometimes it’s scheme. There’s a myriad of things that could possibly come up. I think the players that we’ve brought in, we brought them in because we thought they could help us, and maybe some have played maybe a little bit more than others, but that’s the NFL.”

Houston gets back in action Oct. 29 in Week 8 at the Carolina Panthers.

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Nick Caserio’s plans for Texans starting to come to fruition

After six weeks into 2023, it is apparent Nick Caserio’s plan for the Houston Texans is finally starting to take shape.

When former head coach Lovie Smith was fired from the Houston Texans after just one year of service like his predecessor David Culley, general manager Nick Caserio held himself personally responsible for the culture that had developed around the franchise.

“I think we’re all disappointed about where we are currently,” Caserio told reporters attending the press conference to announce Smith’s departure. “I don’t want to speak for anybody other than myself. I’m certainly disappointed in where we are. I take as much responsibility in where we are, and I’m accountable to everybody in this building. Quite frankly, I’m probably more disappointed in myself more than anybody, but I’m also excited about the opportunity we have in front of us.”

The final 13 words Caserio spoke in that sentence were hollow at the time to the fans and media members in attendance.

How could there be any optimistic outlook on a team that had won a combined seven games in the last two seasons on his watch? Should there be naive belief in a general manager who hired two coaches who had failed? Even if you look at the personnel choices made during the draft and free agency, by every metric, success was not an outlook many could see under Caserio’s leadership.

Yet, during all of the chaos and confusion surrounding the team, he had a plan in mind, and all he needed was another chance to prove that he could get the organization trending upward toward its goals of being a good NFL franchise. Many believed that this would be the last opportunity to get it right before the franchise moved towards replacing him. Caserio doesn’t get rattled very quickly, and that may be a character trait he picked up during his tenure with the New England Patriots and from head coach and general manager Bill Belichick.

One of his first moves was hiring former Houston Texans linebacker and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, one of the hottest names in the head coaching searches this past off-season. Caserio pitched his vision for the team to Ryans, and he was all in for helping the organization that took a chance by drafting him out of the University of Alabama.

“Outstanding,” said Caserio when asked on Tuesday about the job Ryans has done so far this season. “Any superlative that you have, I mean, applies to him. I said it earlier: as great of a coach as he is, he’s an even better person and a human being. I think his consistency his sincerity on a day-to-day basis are real. His energy is real. He probably wishes he could still play. But that, I would say, emotion, that juice, that permeates the building, and the players feel that, and it’s real.”

With Ryans on board, Caserio knew that the next most significant task was ensuring they drafted the right quarterback to lead the franchise with the second overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Six games into the season, he is a genius by drafting former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Caserio, 47, was not done selecting cornerstone pieces for the Texans during the draft. He gave up a lot of future picks to the Arizona Cardinals for the right to select one of the best edge rushers in college football last season in Will Anderson out of Alabama.

The additions of rookies Tank Dell, Henry To’o To’o, Dylan Horton, and Jarrett Patterson, all of whom have contributed this season, have helped Houston match their win total (3) from last season as they head into the bye week with a 3-3 record. Caserio was not only successful in this year’s draft, but he hit home runs for the team in the free agency market by signing key contributors on both sides of the ball, such as wide receiver Robert Woods, tight end Dalton Shultz, defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins and safety Jimmie Ward.

Still, with the early success that the team has had, he refuses to take the credit for what is being built at NRG Stadium.

“There’s a lot of people that deserve a lot of credit,” said Casserio. “I’d start with the coaches and what they’ve done, and the players is ultimately, we try to bring in the players that have the right mindset, they have the right qualities that we think can help our football team others. But I think DeMeco and the coaching staff deserve a tremendous amount of credit for what we’ve done and where we are. I think there’s a lot of other people that certainly deserve credit for the performance of the players and what they’ve done to this point.”

As a forward thinker who prides himself on always seeing what is in front of him instead of what was left behind, Caserio acknowledges that the past helps dictate the future but doesn’t believe that dwelling on it is productive.

“Last year doesn’t really matter,” he answered when asked about the improvement of this year’s team. “What’s happened in the past doesn’t really matter. I think the players that have come in here, some weren’t even here. It doesn’t really matter what happened last year.

“That’s for you guys [Media] to go back and research and spend time on. We’re focused on the future, focused on the present, focused on moving forward, focused on this football team and what we can do to make ourselves better this week.”

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Texans poised to take next step with QB solved

The Houston Texans have solved the QB conundrum part of the rebuild. Now the organization can focus on taking the next steps.

Solving quarterback is both the easiest and challenging part of executing a complete rebuild in the NFL. The easy part stems from an organization being so terrible as to amount enough draft capital to take a young signal caller. The challenging part arises from determining whether that young passer will pan out.

Take a look at the quarterbacks from Nick Caserio’s first draft as general manager in 2021. If Zach Wilson was so convincing, the New York Jets would not have traded for Aaron Rodgers. Trey Lance isn’t even with the San Francisco 49ers. Justin Fields may be keeping the seat warm for Caleb Williams in Chicago, and Mac Jones may not even be the best quarterback on the New England Patriots’ roster. The only team that got it right were the Jacksonville Jaguars with Trevor Lawrence, all due to their picking No. 1 overall.

Albeit the Texans are six games into the C.J. Stroud era, it is safe to say the organization has found their quarterback and are further ahead than the Jets, Bears, and Patriots. The No. 2 overall pick is fourth in the NFL with 1,660 passing yards, tied with Sam Howell and Justin Herbert for the ninth-most passing touchdowns with nine, and has the eighth-highest passer rating at 96.4.

It isn’t so much Stroud is impressive as a rookie, but rather he is stable. The personnel and scouting department don’t have to devote as many resources to fixing under center because Stroud’s play has it locked down.

Having a stable quarterback also allows the offense to grow. Instead of working with a new signal caller annually, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik can expect the same player under center, which will speed things up considerably during the offseason workouts.

Stroud and the Texans still have 11 games to fascinate Houston sports fans. However, there is a greater opportunity in 2024 now that the Texans have found their starting quarterback.

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