Latest news with #HoustonTexans
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
C.J. Gardner-Johnson says facing Texans' WR room is 'like the Daytona 500'
How talented is the Houston Texans' wide receiver room going into the 2025 season? Just ask C.J. Gardner-Johnson how he feels after every practice. If you wanted speed, the former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back can attest it resides at NRG Stadium. "It's like the Daytona 500," Gardner-Johnson said Wednesday. "We're running fast every play. Everybody fast. All the cars are competing for first place. We've got a fast receiver corps. I'm going to be honest, it's probably one of the fastest corps I've ever seen. But they're a dynamic group with different skill sets. They're diverse." Last season, the Texans were poised to have a trio of talented pass-catchers as the foundation for a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Nico Collins, fresh off a 1,000-yard season, was expected to be the go-to target while rookie Tank Del seemed to be an ideal speed threat to throw in on the outside. Add in the arrival of Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs and everything seemed to be trending upward. Then came the injuries. Collins missed five games with a hamstring injury in the heart of the season. Diggs, who voided the final three years of his contract, suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 and missed the rest of the campaign. Dell missed time early on and eventually was carted off after hauling in a touchdown pass from Stroud in Week 16's loss against the Chiefs. He's expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season because of recovery. In his place, the Texans added former Jaguars starter Christian Kirk. Collins, who is one of the best size/speed combinations at the position among league targets, once again leads the way as Stroud's security blanket. Kirk, who is entering a contract season, could be on the league's top slot receivers should he return to 100 percent health. In his last healthy season, the former Texas A&M standout had 1,108 receiving yards as the No. 1 weapon in the AFC South. Houston also used two of its first picks on the Iowa State duo Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Higgins, a 6-foot-4, 214-pound target, has similar size and testing numbers to Collins and been impressive in drills. "Smooth receiver," defensive back Jalen Pitre said of Higgins. "Like you said, he's very tall and very long, but he has every route in his arsenal. So, you definitely got to play him honest. Then, obviously, like we all would guess, when it's up in the air, he's going to go and get it. So, he's a great playmaker for us to have. I'm excited about what the future holds for him." Noel, who totaled over 1,900 receiving yards during his last two seasons in Ames, is only 5-foot-10, but he's a very explosive route-runner who can win in space and with athleticism. He led all combine wide receivers in the broad jump (11 feet, 2 inches) and tied for the lead in the vertical leap (41.5 inches). "Jaylin's already ahead of the curve just with the way he prepares and, you know, who he is as a person and as a player. Like I said, he prepares really well," Kirk said. "He's smart. And so, you know, for him, it's just, you know, going out there and playing fast, which I struggled with as a rookie." After a disappointing second season for Stroud, the Texans' offense was overhauled in the offseason. It's clear Houston loved its speed threat, so that's what fans should expect to see on Saturdays. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson gives hilarious comp for WR room
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Alix Earle addresses breakup rumors with her NFL boyfriend Braxton Berrios
Alix Earle has admitted she has struggled as her relationship with her NFL boyfriend Braxton Berrios has gone long-distance - but the couple have not broken up. Earle, 24, has remained based in Miami while wide receiver Barrios is now in Texas for camp with his new Houston Texans team. The high-profile couple are now only seeing each other once a month for the time being but the influencer has insisted she is determined to make it work. Speaking on her new vlog - titled 'How To Survive A Long Distance Relationship' - Earle said: 'I think this is kind of like my first go at a real long-distance relationship. When it comes to our communication, it is harder than usual. 'A lot of relationships can seem perfect. So I wanted to open up to you guys on how long-distance has been going and some of the struggles we have been having. 'We have not had a lot of problems in our relationship but it has definitely just been a different obstacle. 'The last time I saw him was July 4 in Europe together and then back in Miami for a quick second. 'It has definitely been a lack of one-on-one time. We have just found a way in the little moments and we are looking forward to sitting on the couch together. When we were in Miami, we didn't want to leave the house.' Berrios signed a one-year, $2million deal with the Texans in March this year, leaving the Miami Dolphins after two seasons with the organization.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans DB Calen Bullock already looking like a steal with another promising practice
Following every practice, the Houston Texans must be pinching themselves to make sure they're not dreaming of another promising rep from Calen Bullock. The second-year defensive back has been arguably not only the most improved player from the 2024 AFC South champions' roster, but also perhaps the most valuable name in coverage. Every day, it seems like fans and reporters can't stop talking about a highlight moment where No. 2 was the No. 1 talking point. Certainly C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. deserve their flowers entering Year 3. Stroud has made some impressive throws during camp, including a pair of touchdown passes to Dalton Schultz in the red zone. Anderson, who recorded his first double-digit sack season last fall, has been so dominant that Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is starting to get nervous that the former No. 3 pick will soon be touching the quarterback since he's already too close. But Bullock, who last season totaled five interceptions, has been consistently making plays in coverage and not just pass breakups. No, most of his moments end with the ball in his hands and a turnover for the offense. Take Wednesday's practice, for instance. Stroud tried to throw a deep post route to Nico Collins, which usually is a nightmare for defensive backs to cover. Not Bullock though. He stayed with the Pro Bowl in step formation over 20 yards downfield to cause the deflection. If the ball hung in the air any longer, he'd have come down with the interception. Don't worry, there will be another must-see play in the coming days before the regular season where the ball lands in his hands. And yes, that's bound to happen. The Texans have had seven practices since training camp broke. In six of them, Bullock has picked off at least one pass. The Texans return to training camp practice on Friday morning.
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Texans DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson said after Day 7 of training camp
Here's everything Houston Texans defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson said following Day 7 of training camp practice, including his thoughts on the roster as a whole going to the postseason and more. Question: On what the secondary is working on as a group C.J. Gardner-Johnson: 'You do see a lot of young guys getting better, a lot of young guys actually getting to the ball. In camp, that's the hardest thing is running to the ball, putting your hands on the football. So for [S] 'J-Reed' [Jaylen Reed], [CB] 'Jayroc' [Jaylin Smith], all the young guys we brought in, the buy-in… Even me, I feel like I'm a new guy, rookie, learning to play book all over again. Just encouraging them, letting them know that we are here with you, we are here at camp with you, so whatever mistake you do, go full speed. But, know that there's always corrections and learning points to get better.' Q: How is the secondary getting to the ball so much during practice Gardner-Johnson: 'Encouraging each other and not caring who really touched the ball. A lot of groups fight for it. I don't speak for everybody, but some groups you can tell, they fight for interceptions or they always worry about who got the next pick. But, in reality, if you play good football, the ball will find the right person to defense. I think with the group of guys we got, we just want to line up and go play. I think me coming here has made me realize that 'Playing football and the ball will find you,' is something that I like doing.' Q: On his comfort level with the city of Houston and how he has gotten his family situated Gardner-Johnson: "Football started with Houston, so I'm here with a new chapter in my life. Like I said, I closed a chapter in my life when I went to the ring ceremony. Everything we could do. Now I'm here, ready to play football with Houston Texans. Focus on my new teammates. I can't…That's the past. The more I sit and think about what happened, what happened, what happened, I will never be the best version of myself as a team here. So, I'm happy. My family's happy. We're all good and ready to continue to go out here and have fun.' Q: On how getting his Super Bowl ring tangibly amped up the reality of chasing another Super Bowl Gardner-Johnson: 'It didn't, because I don't play for them no more. I'm not defending anything. I'm actually chasing it now.' Q: On if he's hungry for another Super Bowl or not Gardner-Johnson: "I'm hungry. Like you said, they're prey. I got to go hunt them. They're champions. When you're a champion of something, you become the prey to a lot of predators. That's no shot at them [Philadelphia Eagles]. It's just, you got to understand when you switch sides of the ball or switch roles, I got to go hunt again." Q: On what kind of predator he is Gardner-Johnson: "I don't sleep. I don't sleep. I feel like coming here, I got to get better. As a man, as a teammate, father. Whatever this team calls me to do, I'm here to put my best foot forward.' Q: On if it's different in Houston than other teams he's played for Gardner-Johnson: 'No, because football is football. Only time camp is different is when you're not doing what you're supposed to do and you're messing up. You got to do the extra, come in extra to fix the corrections. But when you're actually doing what you're supposed to do, making the right calls, coming in early on your own time to sharpen up on tools and knives that you already have, camp doesn't change. Ball is ball. You're here for a whole month. Season starts next week. Not next week, next month, you got to understand, we got 14, 15 practices left. So, the clock is ticking. So, it doesn't change. You got to understand the sense of urgency is high at all camps.' Q: On what Super Bowl teams possess and what they get better at in Training Camp Gardner-Johnson: 'I've been on a lot of good Super Bowl-contending teams. I've been on one Super Bowl-winning team. I think let's talk about the contending teams. They all have one thing in common. They're hungry. They're ready to continue to work. I don't want to lay out a bed or say anything to put anything out there, but this is a Super Bowl team right here. Super Bowl-caliber team. You got to just go out there and show it week in, week out. It starts from practice, starts from meetings. Everybody's a Super Bowl contending team. We're all high-caliber players in the field. So, we go out there and compete. We got to understand who's next to us, who's across the ball and we got to understand that this is a job for us. We got to get it done.' Q: On what stands out most about this defense and what he likes about Head Coach DeMeco Ryans Gardner-Johnson: 'We get to attack. You got the SWARM mentality. For me, playing the attack mentality has actually been good because the past couple years I've actually been in the half, in the post, protecting the defense. But, being a close-up to the line of scrimmage and doing interchangeable jobs with the guys in the back end, I'm loving it.' Q: On how he's seen the intensity and competitiveness grow at practice Gardner-Johnson: 'It's nothing personal. It can get chippy, but nothing can get personal. When things get personal, that's when you don't get better. I think the best thing you saw from that, there was nothing out there. No extracurricular. Like you said, in the past you would see the extracurricular, but here we all have an understanding. We're brothers. I'll be the best co-worker to each other and the best teammate on the field because if not, I can't sleep well at night. I know I'm not doing my job for my teammates to help this team get better.' Q: On his belt celebration and the mentality behind it Gardner-Johnson: 'That's self-explanatory. In the PG terms, out-competing, out-hustling, and doing your job better than your opponent.' Q: On what being a better player, man and father looks like him at this point in his career Gardner-Johnson: 'Being honest, looking yourself in the mirror and waking up and saying, 'Am I actually getting better? Am I actually taking the steps forward to become a leader?' Not just for your teammates, yourself. You've got to be able to lead yourself in the right direction because if not, you're going to fall off. Like a lot of guys in the league, they get lost. They don't understand that you've got to make all the money, all the accolades, but you've got to know how to control it. The best way to control it is to look yourself in the mirror and be honest. Are you doing what you need to do to get the job done every day? Are you feeding your family like you're supposed to? Are you legally staying out of trouble?' Q: On what it has been like going against this wide receiver group so far and what he's seen out of WR Jayden Higgins Gardner-Johnson: 'It's like the Daytona 500. We're running fast every play. Everybody fast. All the cars are competing for first place. We've got a fast receiver core. I'm going to be honest, it's probably one of the fastest cores I've ever seen. But, they're a dynamic group with different skill sets. They're diverse. They understand that [QB] C.J. [Stroud] needs them. They need C.J. and C.J. needs them. They work very well in practice. We have our days. They win some, we win some. But today we got the best of the NASCAR group.'
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans rookie receive their first Madden ratings
Are you someone who cares about rookie Madden ratings? Do you think that the transition from the video game will serve as a metric standpoint to where a player performs during the regular season? Is there any correlation between a Houston Texans rookie in practice and what they do on All-Pro mode on Xbox Live? If so, there's no hope for you learning the game of football, but you could become the greatest head coach the Texans have ever seen in virtual form, especially if the rookies become MVPs after one campaign in live mode. All nine Texans players received their rankings for Madden 26, which were released to the public on Wednesday morning. Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins was the highest with a 74 overall ranking, followed by offensive tackle Tay Ersery (73) and Jaylin Noel (72) to round out the top three. Here's a list of all nine players and where they rank heading into the regular season. The Texans return to training camp practice on Friday morning.
