Strong preseason finish nets Martin roster spot
Reserve wide receiver/ kick returner says he had ‘pretty OK camp.’
Reserve wide receiver and return specialist Keshawn Martin earned one of the Houston Texans’ fifinal roster spots on the strength of how he finished the preseason.
That included elevating over defensive backs in the back of the end zone for a touchdown catch against Dallas in the preseason fifinale and having fifive receptions for 31 yards on seven targets. Martin had 12 catches for 108 yards in four preseason games.
That was enough to persuade the Texans to head into the regular season with six wide receivers on the 53-man roster.
“I defifinitely feel pretty good about it,” Martin said. “I’ve still got to get better every day. I had a pretty OK camp, and I want to continue it into the regular season.
“The preseason is very important. Camp is also, but preseason is when you get a chance to play as a team and play a real game. ... I just tried to take advantage of those opportunities.”
Martin was a fourth-round draft pick from Michigan State in 2012. He caught six passes for 78 yards and no touchdowns and returned 25 punts for 154 yards last season. For his career, he has 38 recep - tions for 416 yards and three TDs. He’s returned 68 kickoffs for 1,707 yards and a 25.1 average and 86 punts for 766 yards and one score.
“I feel like I can defifinitely help the team out,” Martin said. “Anything the team wants me to do, I’m ready to do whatever.”
Martin has been mentor- ing rookie wide receivers Keith Mumphery and Jaelen Strong.
“Keith is defifinitely a hard worker; he listens well and learns,” Martin said. “He picks up on the little things. And Jaelen has also been doing a great job.”
Notes: Running back Arian Foster is ahead of schedule in his recovery from groin surgery, coach Bill O’Brien said.
Foster is expected to be out until late September or early October, but he has made signifificant progress, including being able to run now, according to sources. It was initially feared that Foster might miss as much as half the regular season.
Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, returning from microfracture knee surgery in December, didn’t play in the preseason and is not expec ted to start Sunday against Kansas City. But he might be used as a situational pass rusher.
“I like where Clowney ’s at coming back from that injury,” O’Brien said. “We’ve got to put a pitch count on him. I’m not sure what that is yet.”