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Texans Training Camp 2016

Texans Training Camp
2016


Can you feel it? Football is upon us!
Let's get all the training camp information placed in this thread for
convenience. All the tweets, videos, articles in one spot! Also, who ever gets the chance to attend the training camp sessions in person, it would be great to get their personal thoughts on the team as well!

GO TEXANS!

 

OzzO

.. and then?
John Harris' 26 observations from first day of camp (video of some moments too):
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/26-observations-from-the-start-of-TexansCamp/bb2689b6-42f3-47b0-b373-3eef2c9ab4e3

4. Mercilus was a clear winner on the defensive side of the ball on day one. Another guy who I thought had a good day was safety Andre Hal. That dude is a ball magnet....

7. Today was the first that I can remember seeing kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn since rookie minicamp and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Kicking into the north end zone from about 55 yards, he crushed one between the sticks that might have been good from 65.....

15. Running backs Akeem Huntand Tyler Ervin present such a different look on the offensive side of the ball than this organization has ever had. They both can make you miss in a phone booth and for guys that aren’t that big to begin with, they’re both comfortable running the ball inside. Hunt can change direction on a dime and leave change, if needed.....

20. Speaking of Savage, one of my favorite moments of the day occurred in a team drill with Savage at the helm. He walked up under center and started to go through his cadence as he studied the defense. As he was about to have the ball snapped, the defense showed him a different look. He immediately notified the center that he was going back to the gun....

Quintin Demps ‏@QDemps
Salute and fist bump to all the fans that come out to training in that Texas Heat Houston Humidity and watch us practice..walkon #bestfans

Aaron Wilson ‏@AaronWilson_NFL
Texans' DeAndre Hopkins ending holdout, returning to camp

Aaron Wilson ‏@AaronWilson_NFL 30m30 minutes ago
Derek Newton has a hamstring injury, severity still being determined
 

mussop

Hall of Fame
Oz still scares. Still have a feeling he isn't the answer and savage will be taking over at some point this season.
 

Number19

Hall of Fame
For one day, I could see those players saying "I'm the number one receiver!" "No it is me!"
Since he signed, I've been intrigued with Wendall Williams. Harris' report is encourging - "...has a different gear...can get up on a DB so fast...has natural hands and catching ability...can snatch the ball low to the ground or high point in the air...". Need to be cautious about training camp reports and not get too enthusiastic, but it would sure be nice to find another UDFA gem.
 

PapaL

Loose Screw
Since he signed, I've been intrigued with Wendall Williams. Harris' report is encourging - "...has a different gear...can get up on a DB so fast...has natural hands and catching ability...can snatch the ball low to the ground or high point in the air...". Need to be cautious about training camp reports and not get too enthusiastic, but it would sure be nice to find another UDFA gem.
We're going to cut a fairly decent WR one way or another. Either the aging veteran or a young unproven with tons of potential.
 

IDEXAN

Hall of Fame
Contributor's Club
Hi there, I did a Tweet storm about camp yesterday afternoon when I was back at a computer. I can't embed it right now because I need to leave for camp now, but I'll come back later and give some thoughts about some of the things in this thread. :)
Yes please do TC ! Good to have you back and looking forward to your take on TC. Welcome back TC !
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Kurt Warner impressed with Brock Osweiler's leadership, says 'verdict is still out'


Kurt Warner has known Brock Osweiler for a long time, going back to the Texans' newly-minted starting quarterback's time at Arizona State.

Osweiler used to attend Warner's charity events while he was in college and the NFL and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player was starring for the Arizona Cardinals.

"I got a chance to know him and know the type of kid he is," Warner said. "I know how much he wants to be great at this and is willing to put in the time. That's the first thing I love about him. You can tell from Day One."

Now an NFL Network analyst who attended the Texans' opening day of training camp, Warner observed some things Osweiler can still refine in his game. Overall, though, Warner is upbeat about Osweiler's outlook despite a limited body of work of seven starts last season and a 5-2 record for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos as he passed for 1,967 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.

"I think the verdict is still out," Warner said. "A lot of people are pulling for him obviously in Houston. Myself, I want to see him succeed. We still have to remember it's only seven games. Although there were a lot of good things in those seven games, we still don't know who Brock is as an NFL quarterback. It's all a process. Now, you're going to a new system, to a new home with new receivers."





Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt plays catch with Jeston Adams during Texans training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center on Sunday, July 31, 2016, in Houston. Watt is unable to practice as he is recovering from back surgery.


Image 1 of 71
Now an NFL Network analyst who attended the Texans' opening day of training camp, Kurt Warner observed some things Brock Osweiler can still refine in his game.

Warner observed some inconsistencies from Osweiler, but noted that there's a learning curve involved for the strong-armed 6-8, 240-pound former Broncos second-round draft pick. Osweiler was signed to a four-year, $72 million contract in March.

"You saw some ups and downs, which you kind of expect," Warner said. "You don't have your best offensive player, DeAndre Hopkins. You have a lot of young guys around you. The one thing I continue to hear is the great leadership he's brought, the stability at the position, which is so important. You don't have to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns every week if you can bring stability and make good decisions and lead the guys around you.

"That goes a long way, especially on a team that has a lot of complimentary pieces, a great defense, good running game, some good players on the outside. There's still some ups and downs on the field, but the leadership has been worth every bit the contract they gave him."
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Aaron Wilson ‏@AaronWilson_NFL26m

Jadeveon Clowney 'staying on the field, that's the biggest step for me. I stretched a lot more did yoga, chiropractor, stuff I didn't do'

Jadeveon Clowney 'My strength is up, my weight is down, I leaned up'

Jadeveon Clowney 'speed and strength is key and staying out on the field'
Brian T. Smith ‏@ChronBrianSmith 24m24 minutes ago

Clowney said he's down to 265. Weighed 284. #Texans
At that weight, it seems unlikely that the Texans have any plans for him to play true DE........unless it's in a 4-3 formation
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame

  1. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 19m19 minutes ago
    Andrew McDonald looked solid at OT, as did Lamm. Nick Martin doesn't look like a rookie. That's it, thanks!

  2. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 21m21 minutes ago
    Akeem Hunt is just so fast & talented in the receiving game. Not sure how he fits with similar RBs, but he's a weapon


  3. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 22m22 minutes ago
    UDFA Joel Heath hit an OL in 1-on-1 with violent hands & then a spin move. Interesting kid

    Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 23m23 minutes ago
    Jayson Braddock Retweeted Cory Selzer

    Yes

    Jayson Braddock added,


    Cory Selzer @cselzer22
    @JaysonBraddock You think Savage can be a starting QB in this league?

  1. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 23m23 minutes ago
    Terrance Mitchell played an EZ fade perfectly vs Hopkins for the PBU. Note worthy due to Hop living off DBs on that.

  2. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 24m24 minutes ago
    Speedster Wendall Williams high pointed a rocket in the back of the end zone from Savage, but dropped simple catch earlier

    Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 25m25 minutes ago
  3. Jayson Braddock Retweeted Drew daniels

    Brock? No, still slow on decisions, but giving a break due to only day 2 in new offense.

    Jayson Braddock added,


    Drew daniels @drewdaniels17
    @JaysonBraddock his progressions look any better today?

  1. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 26m26 minutes ago
    Brush-up of the day: Cushing with a love tap on Jaelen, after catch over the middle. Jaelen wasn't thrilled, OB quickly squashed it.

  2. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 27m27 minutes ago
    Tony Washington caught my eye with several would-be sacks, today


  3. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 28m28 minutes ago
    Xavier Su'a-Filo is not the same guy in pass pro. I say that w/o pads. If he plays the same when pads go on. Fans will be thrilled


  4. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 29m29 minutes ago
    Stephen Anderson continues to get open & make catches throughout.


  5. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 30m30 minutes ago
    Tevin Jones has been a surprise. Not flashy, but always producing.


  6. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 30m30 minute
    Savage has great control of the offense, reads defense quickly & makes throws. Has great ball placement. Especially on comeback to Mumph

  7. Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 30m30 minute
  8. Brock saw blitz, adjusted call, them dropped in beautiful deep pass to Hopkins for TD, over CB & before safety help.

    Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock 34m34 minutes ago
    Dre Hal isn't thinking at safety. Playing with instincts & he's deadly to any offense. Should lead Houston in INTs
 
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PapaL

Loose Screw
That Dre Hal tweet is making me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. I hope he has a breakout season!

Clown move by Cushing.
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
Since he signed, I've been intrigued with Wendall Williams. Harris' report is encourging - "...has a different gear...can get up on a DB so fast...has natural hands and catching ability...can snatch the ball low to the ground or high point in the air...". Need to be cautious about training camp reports and not get too enthusiastic, but it would sure be nice to find another UDFA gem.
yep that is how we lower age and cap numbers so we can pay guys like DHop.
 

Texans_Chick

Utopian Dreamer
Oz still scares. Still have a feeling he isn't the answer and savage will be taking over at some point this season.
I think he has the tools to be good. He has good poise, command, work, coaching on the field. Those are basics, but I can't say that for every QB who has been relied on in the past. He throws a nice long ball, but has some touch with short stuff. Nice chemistry with Nuk, plus the speed options can make defenders look stupid if they miss a tackle or don't respect the deep speed. Most of the time his eye control is pretty good, and you can see him working thru reads, and moving defenders.

Quarterbacks are always going to get the scrutiny and you can see times where Osweiler is learning. Short term, my concern is keeping him healthy as he is learning because the offensive line health/chemistry is a question mark. Doesn't mean it will end up bad but not enough data to say it likely projects to be good.

FWIW, I like the QB group as a whole given the realistic options this offseason.
 

Texans_Chick

Utopian Dreamer
Dre Hal is being talked about a lot because he has looked good. Cushing and Clowney have been moving around well. Biggest concerns on the Dline is the uncertainty of productions when backups are pressed into more snaps than they usually get. Sometimes exposes players.

I've really enjoyed watching Braxton Miller. Though you can see him learning out there, if you didn't know what his background was as a WR, you would not know it. Does not look like the developmental guy, or that the game is too big for him. He just looks like the guy that everybody wants the ball in his hands. You grew up with those guys.
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
Steph, I am interested in Covington, Dunn and Kurtis Drummond if you can provide any input? I see a future in all three. Drummond had an amazing 2014 at Mich State.
 

Heath Shuler

SPEED KILLS
very random thoughts:

-Vince is freakin huge






-Vrabel is intense, he could suit up if need. Very active coach/teacher






-Cushing looks smaller but is mean as ever, semi-cheap shot on WR (Strong I think). Brock is extremely tall; he stands out on the field.



-good day for the autographs, I got Hopkins and Osweiler






- Romeo, & Godsey very involved and active, especially with the 2's.
- Damn it was hot today
- Lamar Miller was owning Cush on the receiving drills (1's vs 1's).
- Brock looked good, getting alot of work in with the WRs & TEs
- Tough for me to get a good read on the O & D lines when they are in shorts.
 

IDEXAN

Hall of Fame
Contributor's Club
I've not been to training camp but former Oiler and Super Bowl champion Sean Jones (that's the handle he goes by), said on radio 790 today that based upon his observations Tom Savage was the most complete QB on the field right now.
 

kiwitexansfan

Hall of Fame
This from John Harris is interesting.

31. The offense hasn’t gotten much run game work, but when they handed the ball to running back Alfred Blue once inside the red zone, it was clear how far Blue has come since the beginning of last year. Earlier in the 2015 season, he seemed tentative and slower to the hole than he was capable. As the year wore on, he became more decisive and exploded through holes or made his own, as evidenced by his outstanding performances down the stretch of the season. I saw that again today on a run where he weaved his way through the defense. Suffice to say, it definitely wasn’t a run he made at this time last year.

Reckon there is any truth in it? With all the good press Hunt is getting I was wondering if Blue was at risk of losing his spot.
 
I've not been to training camp but former Oiler and Super Bowl champion Sean Jones (that's the handle he goes by), said on radio 790 today that based upon his observations Tom Savage was the most complete QB on the field right now.
I hope he is, he's been in the system longer than any other QB.
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
This from John Harris is interesting.

31. The offense hasn’t gotten much run game work, but when they handed the ball to running back Alfred Blue once inside the red zone, it was clear how far Blue has come since the beginning of last year. Earlier in the 2015 season, he seemed tentative and slower to the hole than he was capable. As the year wore on, he became more decisive and exploded through holes or made his own, as evidenced by his outstanding performances down the stretch of the season. I saw that again today on a run where he weaved his way through the defense. Suffice to say, it definitely wasn’t a run he made at this time last year.

Reckon there is any truth in it? With all the good press Hunt is getting I was wondering if Blue was at risk of losing his spot.
Personally I did not see Blue getting much better. If he attacked the line he seemed to do fairly well, but skitter bug horizontal got him in trouble. I think he and perhaps Grimes both of whom I like are bubble guys. Miller, Ervin and Hunt with Brax Miller getting some carries. It is all about the speed not the base this year with all four of these good at catching ball. If we need to pound for a TD, either Miller or Prosch.
 

kiwitexansfan

Hall of Fame
Personally I did not see Blue getting much better. If he attacked the line he seemed to do fairly well, but skitter bug horizontal got him in trouble. I think he and perhaps Grimes both of whom I like are bubble guys. Miller, Ervin and Hunt with Brax Miller getting some carries. It is all about the speed not the base this year with all four of these good at catching ball. If we need to pound for a TD, either Miller or Prosch.
Numbers game is going to be tough with so many WRs getting good press and speed being the featured trait of the offense now.

How many spots do WR and RB get on the final roster? Going to be some tough cuts in that group
 

TexansBull

Hall of Fame
- Romeo, & Godsey very involved and active, especially with the 2's.
- Damn it was hot today
- Lamar Miller was owning Cush on the receiving drills (1's vs 1's).
- Brock looked good, getting alot of work in with the WRs & TEs
- Tough for me to get a good read on the O & D lines when they are in shorts.
Lamar owned Cush in Miami too...
 
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CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
This from John Harris is interesting.

31. The offense hasn’t gotten much run game work, but when they handed the ball to running back Alfred Blue once inside the red zone, it was clear how far Blue has come since the beginning of last year. Earlier in the 2015 season, he seemed tentative and slower to the hole than he was capable. As the year wore on, he became more decisive and exploded through holes or made his own, as evidenced by his outstanding performances down the stretch of the season. I saw that again today on a run where he weaved his way through the defense. Suffice to say, it definitely wasn’t a run he made at this time last year.

Reckon there is any truth in it? With all the good press Hunt is getting I was wondering if Blue was at risk of losing his spot.
When you are not worried about getting hit (no pads/contact), a running back can certainly be more cavalier in choosing his holes and the speed at which he hits them. Want to see him in a game.
 

Brisco_County

Apples and roadmaps
I hate saying this, because we're a fanbase weary with QB controversies... But based on what I've seen in mechanics, arm talent, and system knowledge, I prefer Savage as the QB. Of course we still need more evidence from both, but my gut feeling is strong on that preference.

I don't want to derail the thread into that discussion, but I am requesting that anyone attending the practices pay attention to Savage.
 
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xtruroyaltyx

Hall of Fame
Yeah we'll see when the pads come on...

I will say though, that Blue ran much harder in College. I understand college vs the pros, but he ran in college with a lot of forward lean. He was a down hill guy. I haven't seen much of that in the pros. he needs to get back to running with that forward aggressiveness that made him an interesting player coming out of LSU.
 

xtruroyaltyx

Hall of Fame
Yeah we'll see when the pads come on...

I will say though, that Blue ran much harder in College. I understand college vs the pros, but he ran in college with a lot of forward lean. He was a down hill guy. I haven't seen much of that in the pros. he needs to get back to running with that forward aggressiveness that made him an interesting player coming out of LSU.
 

JamTex

Hall Of Fame Texans Fan!
Hey guys. I have migrated to this forum from the Texans.com forum because of the new upgrade issues.
There I created a weekly thread the week before each game. I plan to do that here now. Starting with the up coming 49er's preseason game.
I do like the layout of this forum much better. This will be fun.
GO TEXANS!!!!
 

The Pencil Neck

Hall of Fame
Hey guys. I have migrated to this forum from the Texans.com forum because of the new upgrade issues.
There I created a weekly thread the week before each game. I plan to do that here now. Starting with the up coming 49er's preseason game.
I do like the layout of this forum much better. This will be fun.
GO TEXANS!!!!
We have historically had game threads and there are people here who normally create them and have some set formats on how they do it.

Not saying you can't be one of those people, just be aware that the tradition already exists.
 

JamTex

Hall Of Fame Texans Fan!
We have historically had game threads and there are people here who normally create them and have some set formats on how they do it.

Not saying you can't be one of those people, just be aware that the tradition already exists.
Thank brother. Duly noted.
 

PapaL

Loose Screw
This from John Harris is interesting.

31. The offense hasn’t gotten much run game work, but when they handed the ball to running back Alfred Blue once inside the red zone, it was clear how far Blue has come since the beginning of last year. Earlier in the 2015 season, he seemed tentative and slower to the hole than he was capable. As the year wore on, he became more decisive and exploded through holes or made his own, as evidenced by his outstanding performances down the stretch of the season. I saw that again today on a run where he weaved his way through the defense. Suffice to say, it definitely wasn’t a run he made at this time last year.

Reckon there is any truth in it? With all the good press Hunt is getting I was wondering if Blue was at risk of losing his spot.
Wait, what? Blue got better at running?!? At running the ball?
Did I sleep through the season? I don't remember him improving. He's been consistently average to below average.
Made holes his own? As in running into his own OL? I'm seriously confused here.
 
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