Despite rumors, Brown not on the radar
The Texans frequently have been linked to veteran free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown, who’s serving an eight-game suspension for legal issues involving multiple violations of the NFL personal conduct policy.
But nothing is imminent, developing or anticipated between the Texans and Brown, according to team and league sources not authorized to speak publicly.
Several NFL teams are monitoring Brown and remain interested in potentially signing him when he’s reinstated by the league.
Brown, 32, is a seventime Pro Bowler who was cut by the Raiders after a trade from the Steelers and who later was released by the Patriots after allegations of sexual and personal misconduct involving a female trainer.
Although Brown posted on social media in July that he was retiring, he reversed that stance and is training for a potential comeback.
Brown has worked out this offseason with several quarterbacks, including the Texans’ Deshaun Watson; the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson; the Seahawks’ RussellWilson and Geno Smith; the Buccaneers’ Tom Brady, briefly his teammate in New England last year; and Washington’s Dwayne Haskins.
Brown was one of the league’s most talented and productive receivers with the Steelers, where he caught most of his 841 career passes for 11,263 yards and 75 touchdowns.
Brown pleaded no contest to burglary and battery charges and got two years of probation for an altercation with a moving company employee in January. He is still under investigation over the allegations involving his former trainer, which Brown has denied.
Under the terms of his suspension, Brown has to participate in counseling and treatment.
Texans coach and general manager Bill O’Brien expressed confidence in his receiving corps when asked Friday about Brown. The Texans traded DeAndre Hopkins during the offseason, acquiring Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb for an overhauled receiving corps.
“Look, I would never discuss anything that’s going on in that regard,” O’Brien said. “I think we’re always looking. We’re always trying to improve the team, but right now we’re very satisfied with what we have here right now.
“Look, you never say never to anything, but you’re just trying to do the best you can to make sure that you’re coaching up the players you have. Right now, I don’t anticipate anything, whether it’s that player you talked about or any other player right now.”
Status of Johnson, Stills up in the air
Wide receiver Kenny Stills is questionable for Sunday’s game with an illness.
Stills, who doesn’t have COVID-19, was at practice Friday and participated on a limited basis.
Running back Duke Johnson is moving better in practice and has made progress since spraining his left ankle in Kansas City.
Johnson missed last week but has a better chance of playing this week against Pittsburgh. His status for Sunday’s game is still being determined.
Inside linebacker Peter Kalamabayi is questionable and is expected to miss his second game in a row with a strained hamstring.
Mercilus not down despite slow start
Linebacker Whitney Mercilus is remaining patient during a quiet start to the season with no sacks or quarterback hits, two pressures and three tackles through two games.
A year ago, he had 5½ sacks and four forced fumbles halfway through the season.
It’s been a different story this year.
“Teams like to get the ball out pretty quick, just understanding how productive some of our rushers are all across the board, especially our front seven,” Mercilus said. “Blocking schemes, you’ll have some seven-man protections, full-man protections or whatnot to give the quarterback a lot of time. We’ve just got to be more consistent in our pass rush. Just communicate in our lanes and things of that nature, and just be better.”
Kelly blames self for botched play
Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly took the blame for the Texans’ fourth-and-1 play from their own 34 in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to Baltimore.
“Anytime you have a defensive back blitzing, your play has got a better chance to be successful if you’re able to block him,” Kelly said. “That was a play we thought we’d be able to go out there and execute and get the yard, and we were wrong. I’ve got to do a better job of giving us a better play call there.”
Ravens safety DeShon Elliott of Texas blitzed and disrupted a Deshaun Watson pass, which ended up low to a well-covered Darren Fells.
The Ravens had seen a similar look on the previous play.