Texans morning huddle: Practice squad set, former players find a home
By Randy Gurzi
The Houston Texans have set their practice squad and are all set for the 2015 NFL season, which is only days away! Catch up on the news surrounding the team, as well as seeing where some familiar faces landed after roster cuts.
Ex-Texans Kourtnei Brown, Charles James, Louis Nix find new homes – by Tania Ganguli of ESPN
"It didn’t take long for former Houston Texans outside linebacker Kourtnei Brown to find a new home.After a preseason that included three sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown, a fumble recovery and improvement in learning how to set the edge, Brown was claimed off waivers by the first team that could nab him: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Brown has also spent time with San Francisco, Buffalo, Washington, Detroit and St. Louis, but this would be his first appearance on an opening day roster.Nose tackle Louis Nix, who started every preseason game but was still released, didn’t get through the waiver system, either. The New York Giants claimed Nix, who was originally drafted by the Texans in the third round in 2014.A change of scenery might help Nix, whose welcome wore out with the Texans’ staff.Fan favorite Charles James cleared waivers, but had an offer from the Texans to join their practice squad."
Texans’ practice squad includes Zac Dysert, Max Bullough, Chandler Worthy, Kurtis Drummond, Kenny Hilliard – by Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle
"The Texans have signed former Denver Broncos quarterback Zac Dysert to their practice squad.Dysert broke most of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s passing records at Miami of Ohio.He was drafted in the seventh round by the Broncos two years ago. He was beaten out during the preseason by Trevor Siemian, a rookie from Northwestern, for the Broncos’ third quarterback job.Wide receiver and return specialist Chandler Worthy has also joined the Texans’ practice squad.Inside linebacker Max Bullough has been signed to the Texans’ practice squad along with safeties Kurtis Drummond and Corey Moore and defensive end Dan Pettinato. All of the players were with the Texans during training camp."
Healthy, attuned defense key to Texans’ season – by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle
"If the Texans have as much trouble running the ball against Kansas City in the opener Sunday as they did in preseason, the defense is going to spend a lot of time on the field this season.And that might not be such a bad thing, at least early in the season, because the Texans have the players and coaches to boast an elite defense that could rank among the top five.When the Chiefs come to NRG Stadium to kick off Bill O’Brien’s second season as coach, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel hopes his defense will pick up where it left off last season.“That’s the goal, to be good early,” Crennel said.Over the last five games of this past season, when the Texans closed 4-1, they ranked second in defense (260.8 yards per game), including first on third-down conversion (22.6 percent).The Texans were fourth in scoring defense (16.2 points), fourth against the rush (84.2 yards) and third against the pass (176.6 yards)."