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Posted

Nothing to freak about so far with the preseason PUP list. It’s not like the regular season PUP - players can get off it any time during the preseason. I wonder what Mixon did in the offseason to get on the non-football injury list. For DP’s sake, I hope he gets reps in the preseason if he hopes to make the team.

Posted

Day 1 Training Camp observations from Cody Stoots:

Here are 11 observations from the workout. 

  1. There is an excitement around the team’s new offense. DeMeco Ryans praised Nick Caley’s ability to adapt and evolve from what he learned at previous stops. Ryans made it clear this is not a cut-and-paste situation. That was a criticism many had about Bobby Slowik’s offense as he tried to copy and implement what the San Francisco 49ers had done. It was a not-so-thinly veiled shot at the troubles of 2024’s putrid offense. Caley’s mentality and intensity were a talking point from Stroud. 

  2. The newness of the offense was on display during this first workout. It looked 

    different than Slowik’s. The movement before and at the snap will seemingly be an ever-present element of the offense. The quick game for offense, inaccessible last year, will be a necessity. The offense won a few snaps with quick decisions from the quarterbacks. 

  3. DeMeco Ryans said it is tough to glean a lot from the offensive line without pads, but praised their work on the fine details of blocking. You can gauge where the offensive line competition is on day one. The initial offensive line consisted of Cam Robinson at left tackle, Laken Tomlinson at left guard, Jarrett Patterson at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Aireontae Ersery at right tackle. That line was the initial line in the team portion. 

  4. Jake Andrews was behind Patterson at center but later snapped to C.J. Stroud.There will be mixing and matching. Team portion two’s initial line consisted of Aireontae Ersery at left tackle, Juice Scruggs at left guard, Andrews at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Blake Fisher at right tackle. It was day one, but there is a starting point for the offensive line. 

  5. Ersery may be here as a replacement for Fisher. It is just one practice, but it can’t be good that a rookie who didn’t play right tackle in college gets the first crack at a spot Fisher played last season. Will Anderson and Solomon Byrd both dominated Fisher at separate points. Fisher has plenty of work to do to start on this team. Ersery looks physically great, too. He looks trimmer than in the offseason workouts a few weeks ago. He moves well for his size. Howard looked like he was in the best shape of his career. 

  6. The offense had a few tough moments trying to run the ball in no pads.Danielle Hunter sniffed out a run play and blew it up for a tackle for a loss. Henry To’oTo’o filled a well-blocked play that left a gap, but he was there to stymie Dare Ogunbowale. British Brooks looked to have a decent run. Nick Chubb had a nice cut with the ball away from some traffic. Tim Settle Jr. was around the ball on a couple of stops. Can’t be too critical without the pads on. 

  7. There are opportunities to be had at running back. Joe Mixon is on the Non-Football Injury List. DeMeco Ryans said Mixon will return when he is ready to return and offered little else. ESPN reports Mixon’s absence is expected to be short. Dameon Pierce has started camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He can be activated at any time. With those two out, someone needs to step up. Chubb will have every chance to lock in the second running back spot. Nothing to note from any other running back, including rookie Woody Marks. 

  8. The rookie wideouts from Iowa State are already a C.J. Stroud favorite. Stroud was asked about who excited him from the new additions, and after the diplomatic answer of “everyone,” he noted he’s excited for Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Higgins caught a quick out. He also had a drop over the middle off of a play-action pass. Noel was quick in the open field and got open for some nice catches over the middle. Both rookies look to be behind Xavier Hutchinson and Justin Watson right now, but Noel has less competition inside. 

  9. Last year, the Texans had a full-blown tryout for punt returner. This year, the list is slim. I only saw Braxton Berrios, Jaylin Noel, and Christian Kirk take punt returns. Noel and Kirk each had a muffed punt. Berrios is surgical in his ability to track the ball and position himself just right underneath it. Berrios looks tiny in his uniform. He has a chance to make the team as a specialist. Nothing yet to report on kick return. 

  10. Berrios had the catch of the day. He cut inside and then darted back out down the field as the quarterback had to split the defenders to get him the ball. D’Angelo Ross was too slow, and Berrios hauled in the pass to end practice. Jared Wayne had an impressive sideline catch on rookie cornerback Jaylin Smith. 

  11. Jalen Pitre is a key part of the defense.There seemingly aren’t yet many options to back him up. New cornerback Arthur Maulet and Pitre practiced together when the defensive backs broke into groups. Maulet blitzed from the nickel spot in Baltimore when he previously played for the Ravens. He has a path to a roster spot as Pitre’s backup. It will be interesting to see if other players join them from time to time.

Posted

Day 2 observations from Cody Stoots

Here are 11 observations from the Thursday workout. 

  1. The defense decidedly won day two.Yesterday would have been a split decision in favor of the offense. Today was a unanimous decision in favor of the defense. Not quite a knockout, but the defense won. They had success at all three levels. The defense seemed more prepared for the quick game of the offense. That’s a key for the offense and the defense. Houston needs to be able to pivot when the short game doesn’t work. The defense will see a lot of quick game. 

  2. Jalen Pitre intercepted C.J. Stroud during one of the team portions. It was a 

    messy play for the offense. Stroud had a hiccup at the snap. The line allowed a decent bit of pressure. Stroud sailed the throw. Pitre was right there for the interception. The defense went nuts. The secondary ran down to celebrate with Pitre in the end zone. It wasn’t a pick six, but defenses love to run down and celebrate these days. There were some unforced errors by the offense and some forced errors. 

  3. Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson are giving the offensive tackles plenty of work. They’re both wrecking things regularly. Today, Hunter and Anderson were blowing up rushing plays. If they are as good at stopping the run as they are at rushing the passer, this will be one of the league’s best defenses. They handled the guards during some plays. There are moments I wonder if you take them off the field so the offense can get a clean look. 

  4. Solomon Byrd has been a standout this year. I say this year because I believe I have credited him with a sack in nearly every practice from OTAs to these first two days of training camp. Byrd got Blake Fisher yesterday. Today, Aireontae Ersery was his victim. DeMeco Ryans said the game has slowed down for Byrd in year two. He mentioned Byrd had built on his successful NFL debut at the end of last season against the Titans. He is constantly in the backfield. 

  5. Blake Fisher had a tough day. Fisher hasn’t had much success against Will Anderson. Anderson blew past Fisher for another play-destroying sack. Fisher lost his footing on another rep and wound up on the ground. He also had a false start during an early team portion and was momentarily replaced by Zach Thomas. I want to avoid making any snap judgments on Fisher, especially without pads on. It didn’t look good last year and hasn’t looked good this year. There’s plenty of time, but plenty of room for improvement. 

  6. The offensive line mixing and matching was present again. The first offensive line for this workout was Aireontae Ersery at left tackle, Laken Tomlinson at left guard, Jake Andrews at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Blake Fisher at right tackle. The second team period started with Cam Robinson at left tackle, Jaylon Thomas at left guard, Jarrett Patterson at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Blake Fisher at right tackle. I will be interested to see the different combinations and how they perform. I would say the first group was the best-performing group of the day. 

  7. Tim Settle Jr. and Sheldon Rankins were tough to run on today. Settle has had a couple of stout moments and added a split tackle for a loss. Rankins got in on the tackle for a loss action as well. There were moments where the defensive tackles were a wall. Mario Edwards Jr. also had a stuff of a run play. There were some solid performances from the interior. 

  8. Junior Tafuna had two nice moments. He combined with fellow rookies Kyonte Hamilton and Jackson Woodard to blow up a run play. Tafuna and Casey Toohill combined for an excellent pass rush rep, putting pressure on the offense before the ball was thrown. Tafuna is one to watch when the pads come on. 

  9. Nick Chubb has yet to showcase much.The veteran running back looks slow and plodding through two days. It has been tough to run the ball, but the acceleration seems to be lacking. It’s early, and when the pads are on is where the rushing attack matters more, but there is concern for Chubb. 

  10. Jawhar Jordan had the best day among the running backs. Jordan looks quick and decisive this year. I wonder if he was still a little injured in training camp last year. There are numerous potential excuses for last year. The second-year back broke off the two best runs of the day. Jordan bounced a dead play to his right back left for a small gain. He hit a hole and angled away from defenders for a big gain on the left side. 

  11. The battle to be the returners on kickoff is a large one. Braxton Berrios, Christian Kirk, Jaylin Noel, John Metchie, Jawhar Jordan, Dare Ogunbowale, Daniel Jackson, and Woody Marks all had a turn. Berrios is the smoothest of all the special teams players. He has the best reps in the special teams drills. 

Additional Observations

 
  • Christian Harris observed practice in street clothes. He is not on the Physically Unable to Perform list or the Non-Football Injury list. 

  • No changes to the Physically Unable to Perform list or the Non-Football Injury list. 

  • Cade Stover looks much faster than he did a year ago. 

  • Christian Kirk gets open quickly. 

  • Jaylin Noel had a good catch in traffic near the sideline. He’s quick and agile. 

  • Nico Collins had an incredible sideline catch during a drill. The pass was headed out of bounds, and he reached out, grabbed it with both hands, still drug both his feet, and completed the catch. It was full extension, and yet, it didn’t even look close to full effort. He’s awesome. Collins also caught a crosser in traffic that was thrown behind him. 

  • Rookie quarterback Graham Mertz dropped a handoff for a turnover. 

  • Rookie tight end Luke Lachey had a drop on a short pass. 

  • Dylan Horton looks as athletic as he’s ever looked. He came flying off the edge for a pressure during an early portion of camp. 

  • Tommy Togiai ripped through an offensive lineman to bring heat on the quarterback. It was one of the better defensive tackle pass rush reps so far. 

  • Rookie cornerback Jaylin Smith had a diving pass breakup on the sideline. 

  • The Texans will have a very light workout on Friday, followed by conversations with the coordinators and assistant coaches. 

Posted
55 minutes ago, Macklemore said:

Day 2 observations from Cody Stoots

 

  Hide contents

 

 

Here are 11 observations from the Thursday workout. 

  1. The defense decidedly won day two.Yesterday would have been a split decision in favor of the offense. Today was a unanimous decision in favor of the defense. Not quite a knockout, but the defense won. They had success at all three levels. The defense seemed more prepared for the quick game of the offense. That’s a key for the offense and the defense. Houston needs to be able to pivot when the short game doesn’t work. The defense will see a lot of quick game. 

  2. Jalen Pitre intercepted C.J. Stroud during one of the team portions. It was a 

    messy play for the offense. Stroud had a hiccup at the snap. The line allowed a decent bit of pressure. Stroud sailed the throw. Pitre was right there for the interception. The defense went nuts. The secondary ran down to celebrate with Pitre in the end zone. It wasn’t a pick six, but defenses love to run down and celebrate these days. There were some unforced errors by the offense and some forced errors. 

  3. Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson are giving the offensive tackles plenty of work. They’re both wrecking things regularly. Today, Hunter and Anderson were blowing up rushing plays. If they are as good at stopping the run as they are at rushing the passer, this will be one of the league’s best defenses. They handled the guards during some plays. There are moments I wonder if you take them off the field so the offense can get a clean look. 

  4. Solomon Byrd has been a standout this year. I say this year because I believe I have credited him with a sack in nearly every practice from OTAs to these first two days of training camp. Byrd got Blake Fisher yesterday. Today, Aireontae Ersery was his victim. DeMeco Ryans said the game has slowed down for Byrd in year two. He mentioned Byrd had built on his successful NFL debut at the end of last season against the Titans. He is constantly in the backfield. 

  5. Blake Fisher had a tough day. Fisher hasn’t had much success against Will Anderson. Anderson blew past Fisher for another play-destroying sack. Fisher lost his footing on another rep and wound up on the ground. He also had a false start during an early team portion and was momentarily replaced by Zach Thomas. I want to avoid making any snap judgments on Fisher, especially without pads on. It didn’t look good last year and hasn’t looked good this year. There’s plenty of time, but plenty of room for improvement. 

  6. The offensive line mixing and matching was present again. The first offensive line for this workout was Aireontae Ersery at left tackle, Laken Tomlinson at left guard, Jake Andrews at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Blake Fisher at right tackle. The second team period started with Cam Robinson at left tackle, Jaylon Thomas at left guard, Jarrett Patterson at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Blake Fisher at right tackle. I will be interested to see the different combinations and how they perform. I would say the first group was the best-performing group of the day. 

  7. Tim Settle Jr. and Sheldon Rankins were tough to run on today. Settle has had a couple of stout moments and added a split tackle for a loss. Rankins got in on the tackle for a loss action as well. There were moments where the defensive tackles were a wall. Mario Edwards Jr. also had a stuff of a run play. There were some solid performances from the interior. 

  8. Junior Tafuna had two nice moments. He combined with fellow rookies Kyonte Hamilton and Jackson Woodard to blow up a run play. Tafuna and Casey Toohill combined for an excellent pass rush rep, putting pressure on the offense before the ball was thrown. Tafuna is one to watch when the pads come on. 

  9. Nick Chubb has yet to showcase much.The veteran running back looks slow and plodding through two days. It has been tough to run the ball, but the acceleration seems to be lacking. It’s early, and when the pads are on is where the rushing attack matters more, but there is concern for Chubb. 

  10. Jawhar Jordan had the best day among the running backs. Jordan looks quick and decisive this year. I wonder if he was still a little injured in training camp last year. There are numerous potential excuses for last year. The second-year back broke off the two best runs of the day. Jordan bounced a dead play to his right back left for a small gain. He hit a hole and angled away from defenders for a big gain on the left side. 

  11. The battle to be the returners on kickoff is a large one. Braxton Berrios, Christian Kirk, Jaylin Noel, John Metchie, Jawhar Jordan, Dare Ogunbowale, Daniel Jackson, and Woody Marks all had a turn. Berrios is the smoothest of all the special teams players. He has the best reps in the special teams drills. 

Additional Observations

 
  • Christian Harris observed practice in street clothes. He is not on the Physically Unable to Perform list or the Non-Football Injury list. 

  • No changes to the Physically Unable to Perform list or the Non-Football Injury list. 

  • Cade Stover looks much faster than he did a year ago. 

  • Christian Kirk gets open quickly. 

  • Jaylin Noel had a good catch in traffic near the sideline. He’s quick and agile. 

  • Nico Collins had an incredible sideline catch during a drill. The pass was headed out of bounds, and he reached out, grabbed it with both hands, still drug both his feet, and completed the catch. It was full extension, and yet, it didn’t even look close to full effort. He’s awesome. Collins also caught a crosser in traffic that was thrown behind him. 

  • Rookie quarterback Graham Mertz dropped a handoff for a turnover. 

  • Rookie tight end Luke Lachey had a drop on a short pass. 

  • Dylan Horton looks as athletic as he’s ever looked. He came flying off the edge for a pressure during an early portion of camp. 

  • Tommy Togiai ripped through an offensive lineman to bring heat on the quarterback. It was one of the better defensive tackle pass rush reps so far. 

  • Rookie cornerback Jaylin Smith had a diving pass breakup on the sideline. 

  • The Texans will have a very light workout on Friday, followed by conversations with the coordinators and assistant coaches. 

 

 

Do we know if the Astros medical staff are treating Christian Harris?  

No surprise the Texans' defensive line is looking the better of the two, look at the resources that have been invested in that area of the team as compared to the offensive line.  Hell, they are supposed to be the strength of this team so if they weren't looking better there would be some real concerns.

That said, hope the offensive line responds to the challenge.  

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Posted

Day 3 Observations from Stoots. Today was a walk through. Tomorrow is the first practice open to the fans and Monday will be the first day of pads.

Here are 11 observations from the Friday walkthrough. 

  1. The Friday workout was a walkthrough. Half speed would be a generous way to explain it. Although the pace was lowered, the offensive line shuffle continued. The first offensive line featured Cam Robinson at left tackle, Laken Tomlinson at left guard, Jarrett Patterson at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Aireontae Ersery at right tackle. Offensive line coach Cole Popovich said eventually there will be five starters and clear backups. That is not a concern now. This echoes what Tytus Howard said earlier this week. 

  2. Popovich was the most anticipated assistant coach available to the media.He 

    noted there is still an element of figuring out what the offensive line will be good at when they finally put pads on. He stressed there is a long way to go for the offensive line before they can start to settle anything. Popvich said the numerous new faces require time to allow them to show their skills and demonstrate who works well with others. 

  3. Toughness has been stressed when the offensive line comes up. Popovich mentioned it first when asked what he wanted people to know about this line. He said they want to show that they aren’t shying away from contact and want the toughness to be apparent to the rest of the team. He also said they can’t miss assignments, calling that “the biggest thing.” 

  4. Rookie tackle Aireontae Ersery earned praise from Popovich. He said Ersery is “a big, strong tackle that has good power and can sink and anchor.” Popovich said the toughness was apparent from Ersery on tape when the team was scouting him. Earlier this week, Tytus Howard said Ersery has shown he can handle switching from left tackle to right tackle mentally, which Howard noted was the toughest aspect for Ersery moving around the line. 

  5. Ka'imi Fairbairn got a few kicks in, but I wasn’t watching him easily make them.Special teams sometimes can tip the hand of the depth chart. The first group on the field goal block group featured Ed Ingram. Ingram is competing for a spot at right guard. Depth offensive linemen usually come in for that special teams group. It might indicate where Ingram is now, but of course, padded practices and the preseason will determine who makes it onto the depth chart. 

  6. Offensive coordinator Nick Caley said there is still plenty you can learn before the pads come on. Caley said discipline and mental toughness are things they can assess. He noted precision with motions, understanding formations, and concept changes as elements that challenge the players during the non-padded practices. 

  7. Caley brushed off the system familiarity comments that have popped up recently.John Metchie said the offense was similar to Bill O’Brien’s offense at Alabama. Tytus Howard said it was close to what he ran in his first couple of seasons in the league (also O’Brien). Caley said the history of where the coaches and players have been helps evolve what they want and can do as an offense. He said the padded practices are the true determining factor, and that’s where things “declare” for the team. 

  8. Cade Stover looks more impressive than last year. He doesn’t look drastically different in his appearance, maybe a little leaner. He does look faster, though. DeMeco Ryans praised his route running in the offseason workouts. Nick Caserio said he was one of the players who improved the most in the offseason workouts. He’s looked smoother running routes than last year. Stover is high on the “Padded Practice Watch List,” which is something I just decided I need to create. 

  9. Special teams coordinator Frank Ross has contagious energy. His energy kicked up a notch when he talked about returner Braxton Berrios. He noted Berrios was tough to play against, and he’s excited Berrios is now on the Texans. Linebacker Nick Niemann and wide receiver Justin Watson were also players who succeeded against the Texans that Ross said he was glad to have in the building. Ross said the departure of Jon Weeks happened because not everything could align for both sides to come to an agreement. He said Weeks taught him a lot and is a special player in the franchise’s history. Ross said Austin Brinkman has prepared well for his opportunity to be the long snapper. He said the expectation of the position, perfection, is clear to Brinkman. 

  10. Defensive coordinator Matt Burke said new safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is picking up the defense. He noted Gardner-Johnson has been in a lot of different systems and said he has a good feel for the game. He also joked about the talking Gardner-Johnson has been known for on the field. Burke said the consistency of the secondary creates a lot of potential for them. 

  11. The Texans will have a full practice Saturday, but not in pads. It should be their longest practice so far. They will have their first off day on Sunday. Monday, the team will wear pads for the first time.

Posted (edited)

Bad day for the offense today in the first practice held in front of the fans. OL got abused and Stroud had a pick 6 to Azeez. Day 4 observations from Cody

 

Here are 11 observations from the workout. 

  1. The offense and defense were fairly close through two team periods. Then it all fell apart for the offense. The defense dominated the third and fourth team periods to score a decisive knockout win for the day. It was chaos on almost every snap, and the defense thrived. DeMeco Ryans was generous to the offense and said they had some moments. Sure, early they did. It was all defense late in practice. 

  2. Will Anderson is a menace. Danielle Hunter was equally disruptive. The league’s best pass rush duo got rolling in the middle of practice and never stopped. They each created pressure. They got home for sacks. Hunter was very disruptive in the run game. It was a banner day for those two. 

  3. C.J. Stroud’s frustration was apparent.He tapped himself on the helmet after a 

    few throws, knowing he had made a mistake. He missed Dalton Schultz on a short pass where his throw was about two yards to the right of the tight end. Stroud challenged defenders over the middle without much luck. He dealt with pressure the best he could, but it was nearly constant. He challenged defenders only to see passes get broken up. 

  4. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair intercepted Stroud and would have returned it for a touchdown. The quarterback never saw him as he worked back over the middle. Al-Shaair stepped in front of the pass and took off. Al-Shaair also had a big tackle for loss, knifing through the defense to secure at least a loss of four yards. Add a pass breakup to Al-Shaair’s day as well. 

  5. The offensive line has plenty of motivation for Monday’s padded practice. They got absolutely smoked from the middle of practice to the end. Now, as I say that, they deserve credit. There was success against this defensive line early in practice. There were clean pockets. The best offensive play of the day the offensive line held up while Stroud found Christian Kirk on a deep pass over the middle. C.J. Gardner-Johnson was in coverage. That was about the last point where the offense had momentum. The defense took over from there. The first offensive line was Cam Robinson at left tackle, Jaylon Thomas at left guard, Jake Andrews at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Blake Fisher at right tackle. Later, the group protecting Stroud was Aireontae Ersery at left tackle, Juice Scruggs at left guard, Jarrett Paterson at center, Howard at right guard, and Fisher at right tackle. 

  6. Blake Fisher started practice well. He locked up Will Anderson on an early pass rush. He was also out there for the big Stroud to Kirk connection. Then practice fell apart for him. Anderson dispatched him with ease to blow up a play. Hunter was next, and Fisher provided no resistance. DeMeco Ryans said you can’t make too much of one practice. Add a false start to Fisher’s ledger. The Texans focus on stacking days. They want to see how players respond to bad days. Fisher has stacked some rough performances. Things need to change when he puts the pads on. 

  7. The padded practices need to be different than the results of the run game so far. There is nothing there on the ground. Joe Mixon is still out, so consider that, but it’s been bad. The defense frequently stuffs plays. If it isn’t Tim Settle Jr. ripping through a block, it’s Hunter off the edge. Jake Hansen had a perfect read and slipped through a block for a tackle for a loss. Stuffs are ever-present when the offense tries to run on this defense. 

  8. Running back two is wide open. Nick Chubb has been getting the first opportunity in practice, but there isn’t much there. He looks slow. There isn’t any burst. He looks like he’s lost more than a step when he gets in the open field. I haven’t seen any exceptional cuts yet. Jawhar Jordan has been the best running back of those practicing. Woody Marks finally made a play Saturday, catching a pass after a slick route over the middle from the slot. The NFL Network reports that Mixon is out until closer to the season. The situation is dire at running back. 

  9. Darrell Taylor and Solomon Byrd were nasty rushing the passer. It was the first day Taylor jumped off the page. He was in the backfield quite a bit. One of his rushes led to a quick decision from the quarterback, but Jaylin Smith broke the pass up. Taylor beat Cam Robinson for a sack. Byrd continued to be a presence. One of his pressures forced an errant throw that Myles Bryant intercepted and returned for a touchdown. He had a sack on another rep. Bryd did get stymied by Ersery at one point as the large tackle locked him up. 

  10. Jaylin Smith is doing well in his quest to be the top backup at cornerback. He had multiple pass breakups on Saturday. He’s stacking days in a good way. Fellow rookie Jaylen Reed came screaming down the middle on a blitz. There are good flashes from both so far in a secondary that has spots open for depth. 

  11. Jalen Pitre and his backup at nickel, Arthur Maulet, didn’t practice. That created an interesting conundrum. When the team is broken into positional practice, Pitre and Maulet work together. They’re the only two. With both of them gone, there were reps to be had at nickel. Myles Bryant stepped up and had a nice day, including the interception returned for a touchdown. D’Angelo Ross got a couple of opportunities at nickel. The defense also put more sets with three linebackers on the field. 

Additional Observations

 
  • Jayden Higgins caught a strike over the middle from Davis Mills for a nice gain. It was a nice respite from the defensive dominance. 

  • Nico Collins had a rare drop on the first pass play in the team portion. That probably should’ve been indicative of the day the offense was about to have. 

  • Xavier Hutchinson had a sweet comeback where he created enough space to shake loose from Derek Stingley Jr. 

  • John Metchie dropped a pass over the middle that would have been a huge gain. 

  • British Brooks had a couple of carries in the middle of the line that got a few yards each time. 

  • Cade Stover tracked a pass, hauled it in, and hauled tail up the sideline to get a first down. In a live rep, I’d guess Jake Hansen would have had quite the collision with him, trying to push him out of bounds. Stover also had a full extension dive where he almost came up with a pass that was too long. He covered a ton of ground. It was impressive despite being an incompletion. 

  • Luke Lachey had a nice snag through some traffic. 

  • D’Angelo Ross broke up a pass where Dalton Schultz almost completed a catch, reaching over the defensive back. Good rep by both. 

  • Mairo Edwards had a couple of pressures and at least one sack. 

  • Justin Watson caught a pass short of the first down. He put the brakes on, let the defender run past him, and then got the first down. It was a savvy move. 

  • Dylan Horton is physical in the run game. 

  • Horton is physical in the pass game. Brevin Jordan couldn’t hang onto a block, and Horton got a sack.

  • Junior Tafuna had a tackle for a loss, swallowing up Jawhar Jordan. 

  • Tim Settle Jr. has been quite good through these early workouts. 

  • The Houston Texans will add Janice McNair to the team’s Ring of Honor this season in November when the Texans host the Broncos. 

  • The first padded practice of training camp is Monday.

Edited by Macklemore
Posted
3 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

It looks like Mixon is going to miss, at a minimum, most of training camp with a lingering foot injury. Go Chubb Go

Not an issue for a 29 year old running back playing a 17-game schedule.

Posted
3 hours ago, Macklemore said:

Bad day for the offense today in the first practice held in front of the fans. OL got abused and Stroud had a pick 6 to Azeez. Day 4 observations from Cody

  Hide contents

Here are 11 observations from the workout. 

  1. The offense and defense were fairly close through two team periods. Then it all fell apart for the offense. The defense dominated the third and fourth team periods to score a decisive knockout win for the day. It was chaos on almost every snap, and the defense thrived. DeMeco Ryans was generous to the offense and said they had some moments. Sure, early they did. It was all defense late in practice. 

  2. Will Anderson is a menace. Danielle Hunter was equally disruptive. The league’s best pass rush duo got rolling in the middle of practice and never stopped. They each created pressure. They got home for sacks. Hunter was very disruptive in the run game. It was a banner day for those two. 

  3. C.J. Stroud’s frustration was apparent.He tapped himself on the helmet after a 

    few throws, knowing he had made a mistake. He missed Dalton Schultz on a short pass where his throw was about two yards to the right of the tight end. Stroud challenged defenders over the middle without much luck. He dealt with pressure the best he could, but it was nearly constant. He challenged defenders only to see passes get broken up. 

  4. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair intercepted Stroud and would have returned it for a touchdown. The quarterback never saw him as he worked back over the middle. Al-Shaair stepped in front of the pass and took off. Al-Shaair also had a big tackle for loss, knifing through the defense to secure at least a loss of four yards. Add a pass breakup to Al-Shaair’s day as well. 

  5. The offensive line has plenty of motivation for Monday’s padded practice. They got absolutely smoked from the middle of practice to the end. Now, as I say that, they deserve credit. There was success against this defensive line early in practice. There were clean pockets. The best offensive play of the day the offensive line held up while Stroud found Christian Kirk on a deep pass over the middle. C.J. Gardner-Johnson was in coverage. That was about the last point where the offense had momentum. The defense took over from there. The first offensive line was Cam Robinson at left tackle, Jaylon Thomas at left guard, Jake Andrews at center, Tytus Howard at right guard, and Blake Fisher at right tackle. Later, the group protecting Stroud was Aireontae Ersery at left tackle, Juice Scruggs at left guard, Jarrett Paterson at center, Howard at right guard, and Fisher at right tackle. 

  6. Blake Fisher started practice well. He locked up Will Anderson on an early pass rush. He was also out there for the big Stroud to Kirk connection. Then practice fell apart for him. Anderson dispatched him with ease to blow up a play. Hunter was next, and Fisher provided no resistance. DeMeco Ryans said you can’t make too much of one practice. Add a false start to Fisher’s ledger. The Texans focus on stacking days. They want to see how players respond to bad days. Fisher has stacked some rough performances. Things need to change when he puts the pads on. 

  7. The padded practices need to be different than the results of the run game so far. There is nothing there on the ground. Joe Mixon is still out, so consider that, but it’s been bad. The defense frequently stuffs plays. If it isn’t Tim Settle Jr. ripping through a block, it’s Hunter off the edge. Jake Hansen had a perfect read and slipped through a block for a tackle for a loss. Stuffs are ever-present when the offense tries to run on this defense. 

  8. Running back two is wide open. Nick Chubb has been getting the first opportunity in practice, but there isn’t much there. He looks slow. There isn’t any burst. He looks like he’s lost more than a step when he gets in the open field. I haven’t seen any exceptional cuts yet. Jawhar Jordan has been the best running back of those practicing. Woody Marks finally made a play Saturday, catching a pass after a slick route over the middle from the slot. The NFL Network reports that Mixon is out until closer to the season. The situation is dire at running back. 

  9. Darrell Taylor and Solomon Byrd were nasty rushing the passer. It was the first day Taylor jumped off the page. He was in the backfield quite a bit. One of his rushes led to a quick decision from the quarterback, but Jaylin Smith broke the pass up. Taylor beat Cam Robinson for a sack. Byrd continued to be a presence. One of his pressures forced an errant throw that Myles Bryant intercepted and returned for a touchdown. He had a sack on another rep. Bryd did get stymied by Ersery at one point as the large tackle locked him up. 

  10. Jaylin Smith is doing well in his quest to be the top backup at cornerback. He had multiple pass breakups on Saturday. He’s stacking days in a good way. Fellow rookie Jaylen Reed came screaming down the middle on a blitz. There are good flashes from both so far in a secondary that has spots open for depth. 

  11. Jalen Pitre and his backup at nickel, Arthur Maulet, didn’t practice. That created an interesting conundrum. When the team is broken into positional practice, Pitre and Maulet work together. They’re the only two. With both of them gone, there were reps to be had at nickel. Myles Bryant stepped up and had a nice day, including the interception returned for a touchdown. D’Angelo Ross got a couple of opportunities at nickel. The defense also put more sets with three linebackers on the field. 

Additional Observations

 
  • Jayden Higgins caught a strike over the middle from Davis Mills for a nice gain. It was a nice respite from the defensive dominance. 

  • Nico Collins had a rare drop on the first pass play in the team portion. That probably should’ve been indicative of the day the offense was about to have. 

  • Xavier Hutchinson had a sweet comeback where he created enough space to shake loose from Derek Stingley Jr. 

  • John Metchie dropped a pass over the middle that would have been a huge gain. 

  • British Brooks had a couple of carries in the middle of the line that got a few yards each time. 

  • Cade Stover tracked a pass, hauled it in, and hauled tail up the sideline to get a first down. In a live rep, I’d guess Jake Hansen would have had quite the collision with him, trying to push him out of bounds. Stover also had a full extension dive where he almost came up with a pass that was too long. He covered a ton of ground. It was impressive despite being an incompletion. 

  • Luke Lachey had a nice snag through some traffic. 

  • D’Angelo Ross broke up a pass where Dalton Schultz almost completed a catch, reaching over the defensive back. Good rep by both. 

  • Mairo Edwards had a couple of pressures and at least one sack. 

  • Justin Watson caught a pass short of the first down. He put the brakes on, let the defender run past him, and then got the first down. It was a savvy move. 

  • Dylan Horton is physical in the run game. 

  • Horton is physical in the pass game. Brevin Jordan couldn’t hang onto a block, and Horton got a sack.

  • Junior Tafuna had a tackle for a loss, swallowing up Jawhar Jordan. 

  • Tim Settle Jr. has been quite good through these early workouts. 

  • The Houston Texans will add Janice McNair to the team’s Ring of Honor this season in November when the Texans host the Broncos. 

  • The first padded practice of training camp is Monday.

Cody needs to pace himself with the doom and gloom alerts for the run game and offensive line.  

Texans just started practice, the line really can't work on anything until they have gotten to camp so chill just a bit or you will end up being ignored like Travis Herzog each time it clouds up in Houston and you start with your weather alerts. 

Posted

Houston’s Astrodome Was a Vision of the Future. It’s Past Its Prime.

July 26, 2025

astrodome-supercut-still-verticalTwoByThree735.png
 
 

The 34th Annual Houston Rodeo at the Astrodome in 1966.By Onyx Media, Llc, ViOn a recent visit, the ceiling dazzled in the late morning sun, soaring over the cavernous expanse and retaining its power to impress.

Since its doors closed decades ago, the Astrodome has seen proposals for its future ranging from redevelopment to tearing it down.By Mark Felix For The New York Times

WHY WE’RE HERE

We’re exploring how America defines itself one place at a time. The Astrodome has characterized Houston’s landscape for decades. Now that the hulking structure has fallen out of use, the community must decide what comes next.

There are not many iconic structures in Houston, a city more famous for how it spreads out than what it builds up. The Astrodome is the exception.

Never mind that no baseball or football has been played there in a quarter-century, or that music hasn’t echoed through its cavernous circumference since George Strait’s voice twanged through the upper decks in 2002.

It opened as the nation’s first domed stadium in 1965 with a constellation of astronauts hurling a meteor shower of ceremonial  pitches. The landmark still exerts a hold over Houston’s collective memory — a bygone vision of a space-age future in a city not inclined toward nostalgia.

But what to do with the hulking structure has raised uncomfortable questions that many American cities have confronted: What is a place without its best-known building and what is it worth to save?

Other cities have wrestled with what to do with the cherished but fading emblems of earlier eras, like a 1964 World’s Fair pavilionin Queens, New York, an Olympic Stadium in Montreal or the Marine Stadium in Miami.

Proposals to destroy them bring emotional responses. But the idea of pouring public money into saving such structures — especially if they are controlled by local governments, like the Astrodome is — also draws howls.

It can be easier for political leaders to do nothing. And so many are left to sit. And sit.

“This is not an overstatement: The dome has really been the bane of my existence,” said Ed Emmett, who tried unsuccessfully to shepherd through a modest renovation plan for the Astrodome several years ago when he was the judge of Harris County, the government that controls the stadium and its surrounding park.

The latest plan to save the Astrodomeinvolved converting it into a glittering arena and event space for about $1 billion, an initiative that was met mostly with indifference when it was unveiled by the nonprofit Astrodome Conservancy last fall.

Sign up to get J. David Goodman's articles emailed to you.  J. David Goodman is a Houston-based reporter covering the people and politics of Texas.

Soon after, Harris County officials commissioned a new study to consider tearing it down, among other fates.

“As the years go on, those of us who spent time in there are dwindling and moving away,” said Craig Hlavaty, a freelance columnist and reporter in Houston with a tattoo of the stadium on his left calf. “It’s almost a monument to government inactivity and apathy at this point.”

The building, a state landmark, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It fell into disuse when the professional sports teams moved away, and has been closed and vacant so long that its basic systems no longer function. For years, almost no one has been allowed inside to see its most striking feature — the interlocking lamella structure and skylights of its towering roof.

“I have yet to meet a person who goes into the Astrodome for the first time and doesn’t go, ‘Wow!’” said Mike Acosta, a historian for the Houston Astros and a proponent of saving the Astrodome, where he attended games growing up. “It’s like looking at a piece of art.”

astrodome-rodeo-still-verticalTwoByThree735.png

On a recent visit, the ceiling dazzled in the late morning sun, soaring over the cavernous expanse and retaining its power to impress.

But the emptiness was also striking.

Most of the seats were removed long ago, auctioned to Houstonians and other fans to adorn living rooms, sports bars or the waiting areas of dentists’ offices around town. Those that remain, with their Texas-shaped number markings, wrap around a section of the balcony in dusty bands of yellow, orange, red and blue. Artificial turf sits in rolls on what had been the field, now a storage area.

“I have four pieces of Astro turf stitched up on my wall. I have Astrodome seats,” said Mr. Hlavaty, who once wrote “caffeinated screeds about saving the dome.”

Tell Us About Where You Live

Over the years, there has been a range of proposals for what to do with the structure. Some have lacked imagination, like turning it into a massive hotel. Others have been fanciful, such as flooding it for naval battle re-enactments.

“You have 2.3 million people in the city of Houston, so you have 2.3 million ideas of what to do with the Astrodome,” said Ryan Slattery, who caused a stir when he was a University of Houston student with his idea to turn it into an open-air pavilion.

Part of the challenge is that the Astrodome sits in the middle of Harris County’s NRG Park, right next to NRG Stadium, home of the N.F.L.’s Houston Texans, and in the middle of the grounds for one of the city’s biggest annual events, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Neither the Texans nor the rodeo have been particularly excited about efforts to save the old stadium. Neither have many Houstonians over the years.

In 2013, voters narrowly rejected a $217 million bond to repurpose the Astrodome. “It was defeated, but not by much,” said Phoebe Tudor, the chairwoman of the Astrodome Conservancy. “People to this day get confused and think, ‘Didn’t we vote to tear it down?’”

After that, Mr. Emmett, then the county judge, proposed a cheaper plan, without a bond, to fix up the building enough to allow people inside its main floor area.

“There’s no point in getting rid of it. It’s a fully paid-for building, and it’s structurally sound,” he said in a recent interview. “Having nine acres of covered space in Houston is a good idea.”

The county approved it, but a plan from a Republican county judge proved contentious. A Democratic state senator from Houston at the time, John Whitmire, tried to head off the effort in the State Legislature, saying any new plan should be presented to voters again. Mr. Whitmire, now the mayor of Houston, remains lukewarm. A spokeswoman said the Astrodome was “not a priority right now.”

Mr. Emmett’s plan ultimately died after he was defeated in 2018 by a progressive Democrat, Lina Hidalgo. He recalled urging Ms. Hidalgo, “Let the Astrodome plan go forward and blame me.”

Instead, he said, she canceled it.

Then in November, the conservancy released its new plan to transform the stadium into a multiuse destination with an arena, an elevated pedestrian boulevard, retail shops, restaurants and a hotel.

“The beauty of the Astrodome is that it is a large shell,” said Ryan LeVasseur, who has overseen major real estate projects in Houston and worked with the conservancy on its plan. “There are very few precedents for something like this. Frankly there is no precedent.”

Ultimately, the county must approve any renovation. Several officials have publicly and privately been skeptical of the new plan’s viability, citing the lack of private funding and the county’s budget deficit.

Rodney Ellis, a Democratic county commissioner, said that while the Astrodome has historical significance, the county had “other important and deserving priorities like criminal justice reform, flooding and housing.”

The county has also been negotiating with the Texans and the rodeo over a new long-term lease; both would rather see public money spent on improvements to the NRG stadium — now more than 20 years old — and to the rest of the park.

A spokeswoman said the rodeo remained focused on the “long-term viability of the facilities we actively use,” and was “eagerly awaiting” the results of the county’s Astrodome cost study, which a county spokeswoman said would come this fall. A representative for the Texans did not respond to requests for comment.

“If it has to get torn down, I’m sure I’ll be there like everybody else will be,” Mr. Hlavaty said. “I’m not going to chain myself to the building anymore. I’ve very much softened my enthusiasm for it. I just want a resolution.”

J. David Goodman is the Houston bureau chief for The Times, reporting on Texas and Oklahoma

Posted
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Houston’s Astrodome Was a Vision of the Future. It’s Past Its Prime.

July 26, 2025

astrodome-supercut-still-verticalTwoByThree735.png
 
 

 

The 34th Annual Houston Rodeo at the Astrodome in 1966.By Onyx Media, Llc, ViOn a recent visit, the ceiling dazzled in the late morning sun, soaring over the cavernous expanse and retaining its power to impress.

Since its doors closed decades ago, the Astrodome has seen proposals for its future ranging from redevelopment to tearing it down.By Mark Felix For The New York Times

WHY WE’RE HERE

We’re exploring how America defines itself one place at a time. The Astrodome has characterized Houston’s landscape for decades. Now that the hulking structure has fallen out of use, the community must decide what comes next.

There are not many iconic structures in Houston, a city more famous for how it spreads out than what it builds up. The Astrodome is the exception.

Never mind that no baseball or football has been played there in a quarter-century, or that music hasn’t echoed through its cavernous circumference since George Strait’s voice twanged through the upper decks in 2002.

It opened as the nation’s first domed stadium in 1965 with a constellation of astronauts hurling a meteor shower of ceremonial  pitches. The landmark still exerts a hold over Houston’s collective memory — a bygone vision of a space-age future in a city not inclined toward nostalgia.

But what to do with the hulking structure has raised uncomfortable questions that many American cities have confronted: What is a place without its best-known building and what is it worth to save?

Other cities have wrestled with what to do with the cherished but fading emblems of earlier eras, like a 1964 World’s Fair pavilionin Queens, New York, an Olympic Stadium in Montreal or the Marine Stadium in Miami.

Proposals to destroy them bring emotional responses. But the idea of pouring public money into saving such structures — especially if they are controlled by local governments, like the Astrodome is — also draws howls.

 

It can be easier for political leaders to do nothing. And so many are left to sit. And sit.

“This is not an overstatement: The dome has really been the bane of my existence,” said Ed Emmett, who tried unsuccessfully to shepherd through a modest renovation plan for the Astrodome several years ago when he was the judge of Harris County, the government that controls the stadium and its surrounding park.

The latest plan to save the Astrodomeinvolved converting it into a glittering arena and event space for about $1 billion, an initiative that was met mostly with indifference when it was unveiled by the nonprofit Astrodome Conservancy last fall.

Sign up to get J. David Goodman's articles emailed to you.  J. David Goodman is a Houston-based reporter covering the people and politics of Texas.

Soon after, Harris County officials commissioned a new study to consider tearing it down, among other fates.

“As the years go on, those of us who spent time in there are dwindling and moving away,” said Craig Hlavaty, a freelance columnist and reporter in Houston with a tattoo of the stadium on his left calf. “It’s almost a monument to government inactivity and apathy at this point.”

The building, a state landmark, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It fell into disuse when the professional sports teams moved away, and has been closed and vacant so long that its basic systems no longer function. For years, almost no one has been allowed inside to see its most striking feature — the interlocking lamella structure and skylights of its towering roof.

“I have yet to meet a person who goes into the Astrodome for the first time and doesn’t go, ‘Wow!’” said Mike Acosta, a historian for the Houston Astros and a proponent of saving the Astrodome, where he attended games growing up. “It’s like looking at a piece of art.”

astrodome-rodeo-still-verticalTwoByThree735.png

On a recent visit, the ceiling dazzled in the late morning sun, soaring over the cavernous expanse and retaining its power to impress.

But the emptiness was also striking.

Most of the seats were removed long ago, auctioned to Houstonians and other fans to adorn living rooms, sports bars or the waiting areas of dentists’ offices around town. Those that remain, with their Texas-shaped number markings, wrap around a section of the balcony in dusty bands of yellow, orange, red and blue. Artificial turf sits in rolls on what had been the field, now a storage area.

“I have four pieces of Astro turf stitched up on my wall. I have Astrodome seats,” said Mr. Hlavaty, who once wrote “caffeinated screeds about saving the dome.”

Tell Us About Where You Live

Over the years, there has been a range of proposals for what to do with the structure. Some have lacked imagination, like turning it into a massive hotel. Others have been fanciful, such as flooding it for naval battle re-enactments.

“You have 2.3 million people in the city of Houston, so you have 2.3 million ideas of what to do with the Astrodome,” said Ryan Slattery, who caused a stir when he was a University of Houston student with his idea to turn it into an open-air pavilion.

Part of the challenge is that the Astrodome sits in the middle of Harris County’s NRG Park, right next to NRG Stadium, home of the N.F.L.’s Houston Texans, and in the middle of the grounds for one of the city’s biggest annual events, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Neither the Texans nor the rodeo have been particularly excited about efforts to save the old stadium. Neither have many Houstonians over the years.

In 2013, voters narrowly rejected a $217 million bond to repurpose the Astrodome. “It was defeated, but not by much,” said Phoebe Tudor, the chairwoman of the Astrodome Conservancy. “People to this day get confused and think, ‘Didn’t we vote to tear it down?’”

After that, Mr. Emmett, then the county judge, proposed a cheaper plan, without a bond, to fix up the building enough to allow people inside its main floor area.

“There’s no point in getting rid of it. It’s a fully paid-for building, and it’s structurally sound,” he said in a recent interview. “Having nine acres of covered space in Houston is a good idea.”

The county approved it, but a plan from a Republican county judge proved contentious. A Democratic state senator from Houston at the time, John Whitmire, tried to head off the effort in the State Legislature, saying any new plan should be presented to voters again. Mr. Whitmire, now the mayor of Houston, remains lukewarm. A spokeswoman said the Astrodome was “not a priority right now.”

Mr. Emmett’s plan ultimately died after he was defeated in 2018 by a progressive Democrat, Lina Hidalgo. He recalled urging Ms. Hidalgo, “Let the Astrodome plan go forward and blame me.”

Instead, he said, she canceled it.

Then in November, the conservancy released its new plan to transform the stadium into a multiuse destination with an arena, an elevated pedestrian boulevard, retail shops, restaurants and a hotel.

“The beauty of the Astrodome is that it is a large shell,” said Ryan LeVasseur, who has overseen major real estate projects in Houston and worked with the conservancy on its plan. “There are very few precedents for something like this. Frankly there is no precedent.”

Ultimately, the county must approve any renovation. Several officials have publicly and privately been skeptical of the new plan’s viability, citing the lack of private funding and the county’s budget deficit.

Rodney Ellis, a Democratic county commissioner, said that while the Astrodome has historical significance, the county had “other important and deserving priorities like criminal justice reform, flooding and housing.”

The county has also been negotiating with the Texans and the rodeo over a new long-term lease; both would rather see public money spent on improvements to the NRG stadium — now more than 20 years old — and to the rest of the park.

A spokeswoman said the rodeo remained focused on the “long-term viability of the facilities we actively use,” and was “eagerly awaiting” the results of the county’s Astrodome cost study, which a county spokeswoman said would come this fall. A representative for the Texans did not respond to requests for comment.

“If it has to get torn down, I’m sure I’ll be there like everybody else will be,” Mr. Hlavaty said. “I’m not going to chain myself to the building anymore. I’ve very much softened my enthusiasm for it. I just want a resolution.”

J. David Goodman is the Houston bureau chief for The Times, reporting on Texas and Oklahoma

 

 

No need to read because unfortunately being added to the list National Register of Historic Places in 2014, a State Antiquities Landmark designation in 2017, and a State Historical Marker in 2018 has pretty much tied the County's hands from doing what needs to be done which is implode the structure and make use of the space, reduce the risk of having that unmaintaned structure, and end all the stupid ideas. 

Posted (edited)

image.thumb.jpeg.6e0b4d995e3917ee1c8fe5ec48194346.jpeg
Getting CJGJ for aggy was a master stroke. Still the entire Kenyon situation is a huge black mark for Caserio considering he traded up for that loser and passed on both Jalen Carter and Kyle Hamilton. Whiffing on Kenyon, Juice and Blake Fisher (the latter 2 are closer to being busts than being serviceable), will get Caserio fired. Demeco will not put up with another OL abortion this year.

Edited by Macklemore
  • Hook 'Em 1

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