http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4085323.html
Walter seems like a perfect fit for Texans
By JOHN MCCLAIN
When Gary Kubiak was hired as the Texans' coach, he took one look at
the wide receivers and realized he needed reinforcements.
The Texans made two moves in the offseason to fortify the position. One
(the trade for Eric Moulds) got a lot of attention because Moulds
averaged 1,000 yards over the last eight seasons.
The other, the signing of Kevin Walter, hardly created a blip on the
radar screen when compared with Moulds' deal.
But as they enter the second week of camp, the coaches can't say enough
good things about Walter, who left Cincinnati as a restricted free
agent when the Texans gave him a $2 million signing bonus that the
Bengals refused to match.
Now the Bengals wish they had Walter back.
"I'd hope they would miss me, because I worked real hard there," Walter
said. "I like to think I improved every season I played for the
Bengals."
Complementary receiver
Walter, 25, is 6-3, 215. He's expected to be third receiver behind
Moulds and Andre Johnson. In three-receiver formations, Walter
primarily will line up in the slot between Moulds and Johnson.
"I watched Eric when I was growing up," said Walter, a Libertyville,
Ill., native who played at Eastern Michigan. "Now I'm learning from
him.
"I look at Andre and I see an incredible athlete. He's big and fast and
talented and just works so hard."
Walter was an outstanding special teams player for the Bengals. He had
his best season as a receiver in 2005, when he caught 19 passes for 211
yards and a touchdown.
"I love this offense and how it fits me," Walter said. "They're moving
me around, and I'm learning new concepts.
"We want to run the ball well, of course, but we're going to take some
shots down the field to try to keep the defense off balance."
Walter knows what he brings to the table.
"I always play hard," he said. "I think I've got playmaking ability.
I'll block for the running back. I take pride in my blocking.
"My goal here is to get better every practice and learn everything the
coaches want. I'm all about winning, and I'll do anything to win. I'll
play outside and in the slot. Last year, I even played in the backfield
a little bit. I was a utility man. That's a role I'm happy to play."
The total package
Walter's coach is Kyle Shanahan, who has been blessed with size and
speed at the position. Shanahan likes coaching a player as eager to
learn as Walter is.
"He's fearless," Shanahan said. "He loves to run down the field and hit
people. He loves to block.
"Kevin can run every route. He's got good feet for a receiver of his
size. He explodes off the line and out of his break. He's got the kind
of playmaking ability we're trying to take advantage of."
john.mcclain@chron.com
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