DeAndre Houston-Carson

Texans Place Two On IR, Poach Practice Squad Replacements

The Texans were forced to make a pair of acquisitions today when two offensive contributors found their way to the injured reserve list today. With the news that they would place starting center Jarrett Patterson and tight end Teagan Quitoriano on IR, Houston also announced the additions of safety DeAndre Houston-Carson and tight end Eric Saubert.

Thanks to some other injuries along the offensive line, Patterson had assumed a starting role at center. The sixth-round rookie had started all seven games for the Texans thus far, but his new ankle injury will force him to miss at least four games. With second-round rookie Juice Scruggs, trade acquisition Kendrick Green, and Patterson all on IR, Michael Deiter stands to step up in their place.

Quitoriano had also cracked the starting lineup this season, making five starts. With a reputation more as a blocker, the second-year tight end’s absence could combine with Patterson’s to affect the run game. Saubert has had a similar reputation over his seven years in the NFL. He’s spent the first half of this season on the Cowboys’ practice squad, being signed off of it to join the Texans. Dalton Schultz has handled most receiving duties in Houston at tight end. With Brevin Jordan dealing with foot injuries, bringing in Saubert became necessary for depth.

Houston-Carson rejoins the Texans, with whom he spent a couple of weeks on the practice squad to start the year before getting released. The veteran safety spent the first seven years of his career in Chicago as a depth piece and special teamer, making nine starts in his final two years. He appeared in two games for Houston off the practice squad before being released and signing with Baltimore. Baltimore had him active for their past two games with Marcus Williams absent due to injury. He, like Saubert, has been signed off the Ravens’ practice squad to rejoin the Texans.

With Patterson and Quitoriano out, the Texans will have to work a little harder to open some lanes and protect rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Adding Saubert should help with the tight end depth, while Houston-Carson brings a familiar face back into the secondary.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/23

Here are the gameday elevations and other minor moves made around the league in advance of Week 8:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wilkinson’s loss will be notable for the Cardinals, given his status as an entrenched starter at the left guard spot. The 28-year-old joined Arizona on a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum in free agency after stints in Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. Trystan Colon replaced him in the starting lineup in Week 7, and that will likely continue for the time being. Wilkinson will be out for at least four weeks as a result of the IR move.

Ridgeway has been out since Week 1, his Texans debut. The former 49er joined the Texans in a move which allowed him to continue working under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Ridgeway ended last season on IR, so he will be looking for an extended run of availability in his new home. A veteran of 78 games (and 19 starts), he will aim to carve out a rotational role up front.

Peters was brought in by the Seahawks while they were dealing with injury problems at both tackle spots. Blindside blocker Charles Cross has since returned, so Peters’ most familiar spot will not be available if he is to make his Seattle debut on Sunday. The fact the latter is healthy and in game shape does mean, however, that he will be eligible to play in a 19th NFL season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23

Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos 

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.

The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/23

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed: WR Kendric Pryor

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed: LB Mikel Jones

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: S Christian Young

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Taiwan Jones will now look to catch on elsewhere after getting let go by the Giants. The veteran joined New York’s practice squad back in August and was elevated for the first two games of the season, with Jones returning one kick and one punt. It’s been a bit since Jones last contributed on offense, but the veteran was a reliable special teams player for the Bills for half a decade (two stints).

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.

Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.

Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.

Texans Sign CB DeAndre Houston-Carson To Active Roster

The Texans will be without several key members of their secondary for the foreseeable future, so the team has added a veteran defensive back to their active roster. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Texans are signing DeAndre Houston-Carson to their active roster.

[RELATED: Texans CBs Derek Stingley Jr. To Miss Time]

After getting cut by the Ravens at the end of the preseason, Houston-Carson caught on with Houston’s practice squad. The 30-year-old cornerback already earned one promotion, collecting a pair of tackles while playing about half of the Texans’ defensive snaps last weekend.

The 2016 sixth-round pick spent seven seasons with the Bears to begin his career. Houston-Carson was mostly a key special teamer through his first five seasons in Chicago, but he saw a more significant role on defense over his final two years with the organization. Between those 2021 and 2022 seasons, the defensive back compiled 59 tackles, five passes defended, and a pair of interceptions in 30 games (nine starts).

After inking a one-year deal to stay in Chicago last offseason, Houston-Carson hit free agency this past spring. He ended up signing with the Ravens in mid-August and was cut by the team only two weeks later.

Derek Stingley Jr. suffered a hamstring injury in practice this week that will sideline him for six-to-eight weeks. Meanwhile, starting safety Jalen Pitre will miss Houston’s Week 3 contest while dealing with a bruised lung, safety Eric Murray is returning from a concussion, and nickelback Tavierre Thomas is out with a broken hand. In other words, there should be plenty of secondary snaps up for grabs against the Jaguars tomorrow.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/23

Today’s callups and adjustments heading into Week 2:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/23

We are less than 24 hours from the deadline for NFL teams to trim their rosters to 53 players. Here are the latest moves teams have made as they pare their squads down toward the in-season limit:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Tino Ellis

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Ravens Sign DB DeAndre Houston-Carson

DeAndre Houston-Carson‘s seven-year Bears tenure has officially come to an end. After going unsigned in the five months since the legal tampering period began, the veteran special-teamer agreed to terms with the Ravens on Monday.

The former sixth-round pick became a core special-teamer in Chicago upon arrival and continued to operate in that capacity throughout his career. This will, however, mark a return to the Mid-Atlantic region for Houston-Carson, a Virginia native who played collegiately at William & Mary.

From 2017-22, Houston-Carson saw action on at least 64% of the Bears’ special teams plays. He topped out at an 82% usage rate during the 2019 and ’20 seasons. This role earned Houston-Carson, 30, a number of contracts with the team. Houston-Carson signed one-year Bears deals in each of the past four offseasons.

While Houston-Carson earned a handful of starts over the past two seasons, the Ravens are likely viewing this as an addition to their special teams. During a stretch featuring nine starts, however, Houston-Carson combined for 96 tackles from 2021-22. He has intercepted a pass in each of the past three seasons. In 419 defensive snaps in 2021, Pro Football Focus rated Houston-Carson in the top 10 among safeties. In 413 last season, PFF slotted him outside the top 70.

The Ravens rostering Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton, along with Geno Stone and Brandon Stephens, offers them a solid situation at this position. But Houston-Carson should have a path to Baltimore’s 53-man roster as an ST presence.