Tag: Texans secondary

Texans credit system versatility for fitting in new cornerbacks

Houston Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel cites versatility as a defense for letting Gareon Conley and Vernon Hargreaves fit in.

In Week 1, the Houston Texans’ secondary lacked two prominent names currently in their Week 14 roster, Gareon Conley and Vernon Hargreaves.

Both first-round picks, Conley (2017) and Hargreaves (2016) were discarded by their old teams — the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively — and found themselves in Houston shortly after, via trade and release, respectively.

The Texans’ schematic versatility has allowed each to see consistent playing time with their new team.

“I’m not sure because I haven’t studied them that much in the systems they were in, but I think that the versatility of our system helps them because we do a couple of different things and put them in a couple of different positions. So, I think that has helped them perform,” said Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel on Thursday.

Before rushing both into the system, Crennel had to experiment with them in practice to prep them for the Texans’ defense.

“Probably a little bit more in practice than in the game,” said Crennel. “You look at them and see if they’re better press man, off man, zone guys, and what can they do. As you get a feel for what they can do, then you can ask them to do more, and particularly as they learn the system and understand what’s required from the position by the defensive call. Then when they have success, you feel good about it and you keep calling it.”

Conley and Hargreaves had made plays for the Texans defense.

In four games, Conley, an Ohio State product, has 14 combined tackles and six pass deflections while allowing a 50% completion rate when targeted, per Pro Football Reference.

Meanwhile, Hargreaves, a Florida product, is adjusting to a position change from outside cornerback to inside cornerback. In doing so, he has 11 combined tackles and two pass deflections.

Conley and Hargreaves are playing to stay in Houston. Crennel’s flexibility and versatility as a defensive mind could pay dividends in their efforts to do so.

Vernon Hargreaves feels like he could be with the Texans long-term

2016 first-round selection cornerback Vernon Hargreaves feels like he could be with the Houston Texans long term.

A Florida native, former Florida Gator and Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Vernon Hargreaves should feel foreign in Texas. Yet, the newest member of the Texans secondary feels at home in Houston.

“It’s great. It’s hard to put it into words,” Hargreaves said on Thursday. “It feels good that they want me here. It feels good that I’m playing better. I think I fit in. We’ll see how the season ends, but I feel like I could be here for the long term.”

A first-round pick in 2016, Hargreaves wore out his welcome with the Buccaneers, leading to a release on Nov. 12. The Texans picked him up off waivers.

In two games, including one start, with the Texans, Hargreaves has recorded 11 combined tackles and two pass deflections. According to Pro Football Reference, he has allowed a 117.2 passer rating in coverage. Most of his snaps have come as a nickel cornerback.

Hargreaves is, essentially, auditioning for a spot with the Texans in 2020. With four games left in the regular season, the 24-year-old must show he is worth that $9.594 million fifth-year option for next year. If not, Houston can cut him with no dead cap, if he does not sustain a serious injury.

“We’ll see how it works out. It’s going good right now, and I’m happy,” said Hargreaves.

Johnathan Joseph acting as a coach for young Texans cornerbacks

Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph doesn’t just play for the team, he also coaches up the younger players on the roster.

Officially, the Houston Texans have three coaches teaching the cornerbacks — defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, secondary coach Anthony Midget and assistant secondary coach D’Anton Lynn. Unofficially, there are four.

Cornerback Johnathan Joseph, 35, acts as a pseudo coach for the Texans’ young cornerback group, which includes Gareon Conley, 24, Vernon Hargreaves, 24, and Lonnie Johnson, 22.

“It’s good,” said Crennel on having Joseph in the room for young cornerbacks. It’s like having a coach in the locker room that when I’m upstairs watching videotape, he’s downstairs talking to them about technique and about his study habits and the things he looks for and looks at, and that helps those guys because you have a peer who’s done it a long time and knows what he’s talking about.”

Though not a household name outside of Houston, Joseph is one of the game’s most respected cornerbacks. In year 14 of his historically great career, he remains a starter in the Texans’ secondary.

On Sunday, in a 28-22 win over the New England Patriots, Joseph became the NFL’s all-time leader in career games with multiple pass deflections (50), surpassing Ronde Barber and Champ Bailey.

When Joseph talks, his teammates listen.

“He’s trying to help you and so they pay attention — sometimes more than they pay attention to me,” said Crennel.

At 35 years old, Joseph’s career could be coming to an end soon. His contract expires at the end of the 2019 campaign. However, his impact on the Texans goes further than on the playing field. Those younger cornerbacks will have learned something by the time he calls it quits.

Perhaps, when Joseph does decide to hang up his cleats, he will find himself on a coaching staff. The Texans are not opposed to hiring some of their former roster members, including Joseph’s former teammates Andre Johnson, T.J. Yates, Brian Cushing and Akeem Dent.

CB Vernon Hargreaves expects to play inside for the Texans

Newly acquired Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves is expecting to play inside for his new organization, a new fold in his career.

Newly acquired Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves is still getting acclimated to his new employer. While he learns the ropes of the Texans organization, he also is adjusting to playing in a new alignment.

On Monday, Hargreaves said he expects to play inside for the Texans. He previously played the majority of his snaps as an outside cornerback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Playing nickel corner isn’t new to Hargreaves. In 2017, while struggling outside, Tampa Bay moved him to the inside in Week 7 of the season. The results: positive.

In four weeks playing slot cornerback in 2017, Hargreaves graded in as Pro Football Focus‘ second-highest graded corner. He allowed a catch rate below 37.5% in coverage and 0.41 yards per coverage snap.

Hargreaves is adjusting to getting the Texans’ defensive calls down, which are more numerous while playing nickel.

“Corner is a little bit easier because the calls aren’t as complex as playing on the inside, and I think I’ll be playing inside,” Hargreaves said on Monday. “You know I got to communicate a little more, got to talk a little more, got to see a little more. We’ll see how far I can come along, and then we’ll see how it plays out.”

Despite Hargreaves’ relative newness to the Texans, he believes he has the calls down with his new team. His experience in the NFL has helped him understand what Houston is asking from him in terms of a defensive standpoint.

“Being around it for my fourth year now, I understand what’s going on defensively,” said Hargreaves. “There’s only so much you can do, you know? The terms change, but you know there’s only so much you can do on defense. I’m not nervous or confused about picking anything up.”

Hargreaves and the Texans are looking for redemption. The 11th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, he didn’t work out in Florida as the lockdown outside corner they hoped he’d be. Now, in Texas, he doesn’t have the pressure of being a high draft pick, but he may have a new position that compliments him.

Texans unsure if CB Vernon Hargreaves will play against the Ravens

The Houston Texans are unsure if newly acquired cornerback Vernon Hargreaves will play against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

The Houston Texans claimed cornerback Vernon Hargreaves off waivers on Wednesday. He walked through the canals of NRG Stadium on Thursday, though, he was not at the media portion of practice.

The Texans are unsure of Hargreaves’ ability to play on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Being that he found a home in Houston on Wednesday — after his cut by the Buccaneers on Tuesday — he is just beginning to adjust to his new team.

“What’s tough is the acclimation period, because it’s new terminology, it’s new teammates, it’s a new system, it’s new schedules and all of those. So, all of that — that acclimation period, that’s really tough and until he can get acclimated, he’s going to be a little off a little bit,” said defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel on Thursday. “But then once that period is over with, then he kind of falls into step with everybody else.”

Hargreaves’ acclimation to Houston and the Texans’ defensive scheme will depict whether or not he plays on Sunday. His status as a first-round pick in 2016 does not impact the decision to play him or not.

“I know that he was a number one draft choice, but just like anyone new that we bring in, you’ve got to put them out there and you’ve got to see what they can do and get a feel for them, what their personality is and those kind of thing,” Crennel said. “So, we’ll start doing that and then I’ll have a better opinion.”

A former Florida Gator, Hargreaves allowed a 108.6 passer rating in coverage in 2019 before his release. In 35 career games played, 33 starts, he has 19 pass deflections and a pair of interceptions.

It doesn’t matter how talented Hargreaves is, if he doesn’t know the defensive play calls, he is susceptible to looking like a deer in the headlights. Communication is key, not experience in Tampa Bay.

“He’s been a starter and he’s played in the league,” said Crennel. “So, you can take a starter and put him into the game. Now, will he know all the communication that’s necessary and all that?”

Simply put, by Crennel, the Texans are “not sure” if Hargreaves will play on Sunday. If he doesn’t, they will rely on a healthy cornerback group, with Gareon Conley, Johnathan Joseph and Bradley Roby expected to start.