Offensive tackle Brown skips practices because of contract
Texans offensive tackle Duane Brown skipped two organized team activity practices because of his displeasure with his contractual situation, according to league sources with knowledge of the situation.
It’s unclear when or if the three-time Pro Bowl blocker will report after being absent from voluntary practices Monday and Tuesday. Brown can’t be fined unless he misses a mandatory minicamp in June.
“Nothing,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said when asked if he could shed any light on the absence of the Texans’ top offensive lineman.
Brown has two years remaining on his six-year, $53.4 million contract extension that includes $22.081 million guaranteed, a $12.5 million signing bonus and an average annual compensation of $8.95 million.
Brown is due nonguaranteed base salaries of $9.65 million and $9.75 million in 2017 and 2018. That would rank him 11th in 2017 and 12th in 2018 among left tackles in terms of cash compensation.
However, the Texans generally don’t renegotiate contracts with two remaining years.
If the Texans are inclined to renegotiate, they have several relatively salary-cap friendly options available to them. That could include potentially guaranteeing all or part of the remainder of Brown’s contract, converting a portion of the base salary for this year into a signing bonus and adding future years to the deal to spread out the annual salary-cap proration.
Brown is the leader of an offensive line that has obvious question marks at right tackle and the guard positions. That’s where his potential leverage lies in any prospective negotiation as the lone proven commodity across the line.
“It’s different,” Texans backup tackle Kendall Lamm said when asked about Brown not being on the field. “Duane’s my man. I can’t wait to see him out here with us, but you’ve got to continue.”
Meanwhile, the Texans have restructured the contract of injured starting right tackle Derek Newton.
They reduced his base salaries in each of the next three seasons.
Placed on the reserve-physically unable to perform list due to torn patellar tendons suffered last season that will sideline him for the entire year, Newton was originally due $4.75 million in base salaries for 2018, 2018 and 2019.
Newton is now due a guaranteed $1.75 million base salary this year and nonguaranteed base salaries of $2.25 million and $2 million in 2018 and 2019.
It’s now a three-year, $10 million deal following the renegotiation of his original five-year, $26.5 million contract extension signed in 2015.
Cushing, Mercilus both sidelined
Texans veteran linebackers Brian Cushing and Whitney Mercilus were sidelined Tuesday.
Cushing underwent shoulder surgery following the Texans’ playoff loss to the New England Patriots. He worked on the side along with several teammates.
That included cornerback Kevin Johnson (foot surgery), safeties K.J. Dillon (anterior cruciate ligament) and Eddie Pleasant and rookie running back D’Onta Foreman. An unsigned third-round draft pick, Foreman is dealing with a hamstring injury and is still working to get into optimal football shape.
Starting tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz didn’t practice and went inside for treatment, along with Mercilus.
Braxton Miller didn’t practice, along with fellow receivers Chris Thompson, Deante’ Gray and Justin Hardee.
Texans fifth-round cornerback Treston Decoud isn’t practicing because of an NFL academic rule restricting rookies to participating in just a rookie minicamp if they haven’t graduated and their college is on the academic quarters system and hasn’t completed its term yet. Decoud attended Oregon State, which is on the quarters system.
Quessenberrry back on field
It was another major emotional and physical milestone for offensive lineman David Quessenberry.
Quessenberry participated in his first practices since being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins T lymphoblastic lymphoma three years ago.
The 6-5, 300-pound former sixth-round draft pick from San Jose State celebrated the completion of his chemotherapy treatment at MD Anderson by ringing a bell earlier this spring off the wall.