With injuries catching up to wide receivers, opportunities abound to make impression
The Texans have so many receivers out with injuries, it was tempting to ask Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter to suit up for Monday’s practice at Houston Methodist Training Center.
At the Texans’ first practice in Houston after returning from West Virginia, Johnson and Walter watched their former team for almost two hours without receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller, Braxton Miller, Bruce Ellington, Riley McCarron and Devin Street.
Having so many receivers on the sideline has provided opportunities for others to impress their coaches in practice and preseason games enough to make the team. Ellington is a perfect example.
Waived by San Francisco and the New York Jets this month, Ellington has been a splendid addition to a position encumbered by injuries and in definite need of an infusion of talent.
Ellington got off to a fast start in camp and did the same thing against the Patriots on Saturday with catches of 37 and 33 yards.
Earlier in camp, DeAndrew White came off the unemployment line and caught everything in his
neighborhood before suffering a groin injury that landed him on injured reserve. He was waived Monday.
The Texans are hoping to get all the bad luck with receivers out of the way in camp and preseason and enter regular season with all but Fuller ready to play against Jacksonville on Sept. 10.
Hopkins (hand) and Braxton Miller (ankle) are expected back by the Jacksonville game if not sooner.
Hopkins got off to an outstanding start in camp, catching everything in his vicinity until suffering the injury in the preseason opener against the Panthers.
Hopkins doesn’t need to play, and even though the
Texans at Saints
When/where: 7 p.m. Saturday; Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans. TV/radio: KTRK; 610 AM, 100.3 FM, 101.1 FM (Spanish).
coaches will grind their teeth over this, it’s not necessary for him to practice right now. He’s there every day, on top of everything, so he’s going to be wellrested when he returns for the Jaguars.
Miller needs the work. He’s played receiver two years. Missing all this time with the ankle injury isn’t good for a player who needs all the repetitions he can get.
With Fuller out until October or November, the Texans are counting on Miller to step up in his second season and make a significant contribution to the passing game.
Because so many receivers have been in and out of the lineup, some of us wondered Monday how it affects the quarterbacks.
Tom Savage, Deshaun Watson and Brandon Weeden go about their business no matter who’s lining up at receiver.
Before the injuries took a toll on the position, eight wide receivers caught passes at Carolina. Five running backs and three tight ends had receptions against the Panthers.
In the New England game, the quarterbacks completed passes to four wide receivers, three running backs and two tight ends.
“We have a talented group in that room,” Savage said about his receivers. “All the guys stepped up and made some plays and did a good job.
Savage was asked if he has to make any kind of adjustment playing with so many inexperienced receivers.
“Obviously, there’s the timing issue and stuff without guys being there, but we worked after practice, and we got some stuff done,” he said.
As the starting quarterback, Savage knows he has a chance to help a receiver or two make the roster if they’re able to collaborate in preseason games.
“Yeah, it’s about executing your job,” he said. “I think if everyone does their job, they’ll put some good things on film and get an opportunity to make the team.”