Tag: Vernon Hargreaves

Texans secondary was surprised to see CB Bradley Roby traded to the Saints

S Justin Reid and CB Vernon Hargreaves say they were surprised when they heard the Houston Texans traded CB Bradley Roby to the New Orleans Saints.

The Houston Texans trading cornerback Bradley Roby to the New Orleans Saints was one of the more surprising moves of the first week of the 2021 regular season — and the games haven’t even been played yet.

The Texans sent the former 2014 first-round pick to the Saints for a 2022 third-round pick and a conditional 2023 sixth-round selection.

Safety Justin Reid was bewildered when he heard the news.

“Honestly, it caught me off guard,” Reid said. “But that kind of is not my job to even think about. My job is to think about what we are going to do this week. He wasn’t really even playing in this game to begin with, so it doesn’t change our scheme per se on what we are planning on going forward.”

Roby would have missed the Week 1 showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium. The cornerback was serving the final game of a six-game suspension that was handed down with five games to go in the 2020 regular season. Roby was suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Just as if Roby would have stayed, the Texans are banking on their “next man up” philosophy.

Said Reid: “We got who we got, next guys up are fully capable, and they are going to step up and we are going to ride with them.”

Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves was similarly stunned when he found out.

“I was surprised,” said Hargreaves. “I was surprised a little bit, but that’s the business. I’ve been playing long enough to know that things like that happen. I mean, it was surprising at first, but you got to keep going, continue on. We’ve got a season to play.”

Roby signed a three-year, $36 million contract in the 2020 offseason. The Texans will pick up the $7 million on his cap hit while the Saints will take the remaining $1.8 million-plus.

Texans CB Vernon Hargreaves says new coaching staff not like a ‘dictatorship’

Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves likes the new coaching staff under David Culley because it doesn’t resemble a “dictatorship.”

Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves majored made the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll at Florida. He may know a thing or two when it comes to identifying different forms of government.

If Hargreaves had to compare David Culley and his coaching staff to a form of government, dictatorship would not enter the conversation.

“You know, they’re understanding,” Hargreaves said of Culley’s staff. “They came in and didn’t try to make it a dictatorship. They’re new, and a lot of times it does go that way, but they let us do our thing, they let us be pros. They let us have fun, hang out. We appreciate that as a team. You know, like I said, all this is just getting forward to September 12th.”

The prior regime led by Bill O’Brien petered out four games into the 2020 season after an 0-4 start. Chairman and CEO Cal McNair made the move to dismiss O’Brien, and one of the outcomes McNair wanted to see was for football to be fun again throughout the team.

Perhaps the Texans achieved that with the hiring of Culley.

What also helps the Culley regime is their defensive coordinator, Lovie Smith, who is deploying a Tampa 2 scheme, the likes of which Hargreaves thrived in when he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-19.

Hargreaves says the one area where he has grown as a player since joining the Texans in November of 2019 is in the mental phase.

Said Hargreaves: “It’s the mental aspect. Learning how to play football, learn the position, learning how to play corner. It’s more than going out and covering people. Understand what’s about to come. Understand who you’re covering. That’s where I’ve grown the most.”

Hargreaves gets to show how much he has learned as the Texans take on the Dallas Cowboys in the second game of preseason Saturday night.

WATCH: Texans CB Vernon Hargreaves makes one-handed interception

Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves came up with a one-handed interception in Wednesday’s training camp practice.

Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves displayed his athletic ability Wednesday morning during training camp practice at Houston Methodist Training Center.

The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2016 first-round pick recorded a one-handed interception with his right hand near the front of the end zone. The effortlessness of Hargreaves’ pick is what continues to make him an intriguing defensive back for the Texans since 2019.

Hargreaves started all 16 games for the Texans last season, and provided Houston with 72 combined tackles, a tackle for loss, seven pass breakups, and an interception.

The 26-year-old is part of rare unit of continuity on the Texans’ roster, the secondary.

“I feel like we have the most continuity on the team so far with Eric Murray coming back, AJ (Moore Jr.) , Keion (Crossen), (Bradley) Roby, Vern (Vernon Hargreaves III), we have the most guys in the room as far as in one unit coming back to the same team,” safety Justin Reid told reporters on Aug. 2. “So that chemistry plays a role. Me and E-Murray (Eric Murray) and Lonnie (Johnson), too, as well, we all know how to operate as well, and we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses we put each other in great positions to play.”

One strength that was on display is Hargreaves’ penchant for picks.

Houston Texans player profile: CB Vernon Hargreaves

Vernon Hargreaves has found a new home with the Houston Texans. Can the former first-round pick have an even more productive season in 2021?

Vernon Hargreaves III came into the NFL ranked as the second-best cornerback coming out of college. The only player listed ahead of Hargreaves was Jalen Ramsey, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted the Florida prodigy with their top selection in 2016.

Five years later, Hargreaves has yet to live up to his draft-day expectations. As he enters his third season as a member of the Houston Texans, will 2021 be the year Hargreaves regain his stats as an exceptional defensive back?

Report: Texans re-sign CB Vernon Hargreaves to 1-year contract

The Houston Texans have re-signed cornerback Vernon Hargreaves to a one-year contract.

The adventure continues for cornerback Vernon Hargreaves.

The Houston Texans have re-signed the 25-year-old to a one-year contract, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Hargreaves started every game for the Texans, and the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2016 first-round pick said on Dec. 16, 2020, that he “loved it here” when asked if he would like to re-sign with the Texans.

The former Florida Gator also enjoyed being one of the older players in the secondary, a role that he can continue to develop as he is set to return for his third season with Houston.

“For me it hasn’t really been too much of a change,” said Hargreaves. “Obviously, we didn’t want to lose the guys we lost, but everybody knows it’s the NFL. We all know that’s what happens. The leaders stepped up. They guys that have been here, they’ve stepped up, they’ve tried to help us lead.”

Hargreaves produced 72 combined tackles, a tackle for loss, seven pass breakups, and an interception for the Texans last season.

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Texans Free Agent Profile: What to do with CB Vernon Hargreaves?

The Houston Texans have decisions to make with their unrestricted free agents, and one of them is cornerback Vernon Hargreaves.

The Houston Texans have a bevy of decisions to make when it comes to their free agents.

One player without a contract is cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, who played 16 games for the Texans in 2020.

Hargreaves, 25, will be an unrestricted free agent when the new league kicks off and free agency begins.

Texans CB Vernon Hargreaves hopes to contain Colts WR T.Y. Hilton

Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves knows containing Indianapolis Colts WR T.Y. Hilton is a chore, but it is one of the keys to victory.

T.Y. Hilton has owned the Houston Texans since entering the league as a 2012 third-round pick from Florida International.

The four-time Pro Bowl receiver has produced eight career games with 100-plus yards receiving against the Texans. In Week 13’s 26-20 heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Colts, Hilton caught eight passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.

In order to stop Indianapolis Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at Lucas Oil Stadium, Houston cornerback Vernon Hargreaves knows the Texans will have to find a way to contain Hilton.

“He’s a great player,” Hargreaves said. “He’s been a great player ever since he stepped into the league. You’ve just got to try to contain him, try to keep him out of the end zone, things of that nature.”

It is possible to contain Hilton. The Texans have held the 5-10, 183-pound wideout to fewer than 100 yards in nine games, tallying a 4-5 mark in such games.

In addition to stopping Hilton, Hargreaves knows the secondary will have to provide run support in containing the Colts’ run game led by rookie Jonathan Taylor and complemented by Nyheim Hines.

Said Hargreaves: “They’re a good team. We’ve got to slow down the run game, obviously, see if we can slow down T.Y., make them throw the ball somewhere else and give ourselves a good chance to win.”

If the Texans can beat the Colts, they will stave off a series sweep, something Indianapolis has not accomplished against Houston since 2017, which was also the last time the Texans were 4-9.

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WATCH: CB Vernon Hargreaves gets first interception with Texans

Houston Texans cornerback Vernon Hargreaves got his first interception with his second team in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Houston Texans defense dropped three sure interceptions against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but cornerback Vernon Hargreaves was not going to add to those numbers.

In the third quarter in Week 9 at TIAA Bank Field, Hargreaves, who was a midseason addition for the Texans last season, claimed off waivers, recorded his first career interception with Houston as he picked off rookie sixth-round quarterback Jake Luton. Hargreaves and the officials presumed he was untouched and allowed him to take the ball down to the Jaguars’ 3-yard line, but an official review determined he was down by contact near the Texans’ 25-yard line.

The Texans made good use of the takeaway, as quarterback Deshaun Watson threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to receiver Will Fuller on the ensuing drive to take a 27-16 lead.

Cornerback is highly competitive for the Texans

The Houston Texans cornerback group has fielded plenty of competition that will make the unit stronger and the roster decisions tougher.

One the strongest units on the Houston Texans defense by the end of training camp could be cornerback.

The group has fielded multiple players who have had good camps to this point, and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver singled out some names during media availability on Wednesday.

“We have competition on all levels of our defense, and I think that’s a sign that you have a pretty good football team,” Weaver said.

The first-year coordinator mentioned Bradley Roby and Vernon Hargreaves as having good camps. When asked if Lonnie Johnson and Gareon Conley were competing against each other for a spot, Weaver said the whole group is in competition with each other.

“Are those two in direct competition? I don’t know,” said Weaver. “Everybody is in competition in the secondary because we have good players back there.”

The Texans also have good coaching. First-year secondary coach D’Anton Lynn has taken the reins of the back end after spending the last two seasons as assistant secondary coach. Defensive assistant Deon Broomfield has worked with Lynn on the back end after having spent the last three seasons coaching cornerbacks at Indiana State.

“I’m just thrilled with the work that Coach Lynn is putting in with that group, Coach Broomfield and just the way that they’re gelling and coming together as one,” said Weaver. “It’s been awesome to watch.”

Regardless of who the Texans choose to start at cornerback in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs, those defensive backs will have secured the privilege after facing stiff competition in camp.

“On our defense, you’ve got to show up day in and day out to try to earn the right to be on that starting unit,” Weaver said. “But what I tell the guys is I’m not concerned so much about starters, I’m more concerned about finishers. Who’s going to finish every play and finish games for us?”

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