Texans Place David Johnson On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Texans have placed running back David Johnson on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced. Johnson landed on the list because of his status as a close contact of someone who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).
It’s especially bad timing for Johnson, who suffered a concussion during Houston’s Week 9 win over the Jaguars, landed on IR as a result, and was activated just last week. In the Texans’ loss to the Colts on Sunday, Johnson carried the ball 10 times for 44 yards and a score.
For the season, he has mustered a 4.0 yards-per-carry average over 113 totes to go along with four TDs. He’s added 16 catches for 161 yards and a score through the air. Those are all decent enough numbers, but the Texans (or at least since-deposed HC/GM Bill O’Brien) were probably hoping for more when they acquired Johnson from Arizona this offseason in one of the most heavily-criticized trades in recent memory.
At this point, it seems unlikely that Johnson will ever regain the All-Pro form he demonstrated with the Cardinals back in 2016. He will turn 29 next week, and the injuries he has sustained over the years certainly appear to have taken their toll. He is under contract through 2021, but his base salary of $7.95MM and roster bonus of $1.05MM look pretty steep at this point. It would not be surprising to see the Texans try to work out a paycut with Johnson or to simply release him.
Duke Johnson will get the majority of the work in David Johnson’s stead for this weekend’s matchup with the Bears.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/20
We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Chris Williamson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Jerell Adams
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Beau Benzschawel
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LS Colin Holba
New England Patriots
- Signed: DB Dayan Lake, WR Devin Smith
- Released: LB Jack Cichy
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from practice squad injured list: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, TE Daniel Helm
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: QB Alex McGough
Tony Dungy, Jimmy Johnson To Guide Texans’ Search
The Texans’ GM and head coaching search is underway. In addition to big-time firm Korn Ferry, owner Cal McNair has also enlisted the help of several notable names (via Mark Berman of FOX26). That list includes Hall of Fame coaches Tony Dungy and Jimmy Johnson, plus Texans legend Andre Johnson, and Spurs architect RC Buford.
“I’m very excited,” McNair said. “These guys are all so experienced and had a lot of success in the various areas they’ve been working and they all want to help and make the Texans the best we can be and it’s really quite a testament that they want to do that. I’ll be talking to them. [Team president Jamey Rootes] and I will have conversations with them, get their ideas on how they see the landscape and try to put together the best group that we can.”
For now, the head coaching position belongs to Romeo Crennel, though there are conflicting reports on whether he’ll be a real candidate for the gig in 2021. The GM role is also vacant and the Texans swear that they will not be filling it with fast-rising exec Jack Easterby.
“It’s a relentless search for greatness is what we’re after, and these guys have gotten there and we’ll use some of their intuition and intelligence to help us get there as well,” said McNair. “This search is going to be really, really exciting.”
The Texans could certainly use some excitement — their latest loss to the Colts has dropped them to 4-8 on the year. They’ll look to get back in the win column this weekend when they face the Bears in Chicago.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/20
A couple of minor moves from the past day to pass along:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID list: DE Amani Bledsoe
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: FB Cullen Gillaspia
- Activated from IR: RB David Johnson, LB Kyle Emanuel
Bledsoe tested positive for COVID-19 this morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets, although obviously there wasn’t enough concern to cancel their game against the Dolphins. Bledsoe had been playing a big role on Cincy’s reshuffled defensive line in recent weeks, notching almost half the defensive snaps. Johnson and Emanuel both missed a few games with concussions and returned for Houston today.
HC/GM Rumors: Lynn, Harbaugh, Bears
Three head coaches and two GMs have already been fired this season, and there will be more dismissals to come. We learned this morning that Eagles HC Doug Pederson is on the hot seat, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Chargers HC Anthony Lynn is in danger of losing his job as well.
The Bolts gave Lynn a modest vote of confidence this offseason by handing him a one-year extension through 2021, but despite the emergence of rookie signal-caller Justin Herbert, Lynn’s squad has limped to a 3-8 record. Several of those losses have been of the heartbreaking variety that Chargers fans have become accustomed to, and Lynn’s in-game decisions have been called into question.
The 51-year-old is highly-regarded in the Chargers’ building, and he did lead his club to a 12-4 record two seasons ago. If he does get fired, he probably won’t have a difficult time finding another HC gig.
Now for more from the HC/GM rumor mill:
- Jim Harbaugh‘s days with the University of Michigan appear to be numbered, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the former 49ers HC is eyeing an NFL return. Florio adds that a number of clubs are already “doing their homework” on Harbaugh, who could be one of a number of prominent college coaches looking to make a leap to the pros.
- A few weeks ago, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports said the Bears “could” move on from HC Matt Nagy at season’s end. Now, La Canfora says it’s more likely than not that Nagy will be ousted and that Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald will be Chicago’s top choice for Nagy’s replacement.
- Although Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has drawn plenty of interest and is expected to get his first HC job this offseason, Kansas City quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Mike Kafka is also a name to watch, per La Canfora. We knew that the Eagles were interested in Kafka as an OC last offseason, and JLC says the 33-year-old former QB also had the opportunity to take a head coaching interview. Kafka declined, as he wanted to continue to learn under Andy Reid, but he will be a top target for HC and OC openings in 2021.
- As far as GM jobs go, former Giants general manager Jerry Reese is expected to draw interest for the Lions‘ GM opening, as La Canfora writes. Reese, who was fired by Big Blue in 2017, wants to return to an NFL front office and has the support from advisors to the Ford family (including Ernie Accorsi, whom Reese succeeded as Giants GM in 2007).
- The Texans are expected to interview former Chiefs and Browns GM John Dorsey, according to La Canfora. Dorsey was fired by Cleveland at the end of last season, but it would be fair to blame more of the Browns’ disappointing 2019 campaign on former head coach Freddie Kitchens than on Dorsey. After all, Cleveland is now poised for a playoff berth with a roster that Dorsey largely constructed, and Dorsey also has ties to Bieniemy, who has been heavily connected to Houston’s HC job.
- An unfortunate neck injury may have brought an end to A.Q. Shipley‘s playing career, but he will get the chance to join the Buccaneers‘ coaching staff, as Carmen Vitali of the team’s official website writes. Shipley has long been a favorite of Tampa HC Bruce Arians, who believes the veteran center has all the makings of an excellent coach.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/5/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: DL Leki Fotu
- Promoted: TE Seth Devalve, RB D.J. Foster
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: WR Stanley Morgan
- Placed on IR: CB Tony Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: FB/TE Andrew Beck
- Promoted: TE Troy Fumagalli, S Alijah Holder, LB Josh Watson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: CB Darryl Roberts
- Promoted: S Bobby Price
- Waived: TE Isaac Nauta
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: G Ben Braden, TE Dominique Dafney
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: RB Cullen Gillaspia
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: P Ryan Allen, C Joey Hunt
- Placed on IR: TE Noah Togiai
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from IR: S Josh Jones, LB Shaquille Quarterman
- Promoted: TE Ben Ellefson, DT DaVon Hamilton, CB Nate Meadors, DL Caraun Reid
- Waived: RB Craig Reynolds
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: LB Asmar Bilal
- Promoted: LB Cole Christiansen, NT Breiden Fehoko
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Promoted: DB J.R. Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: S Nate Holley
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: DE Eddie Yarbrough, TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: TE Dalton Keene
- Promoted: TE/DL Rashod Berry, WR Donte Moncrief, DL Akeem Spence
- Waived: WR Isaiah Ford
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Devonta Freeman; Freeman remains on IR
- Promoted: DL Niko Lalos, QB Clayton Thorson
New York Jets
- Promoted: DB Elijah Campbell, LB Noah Dawkins
- Released from IR: WR Chris Hogan
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DT Raequan Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: T Chad Wheeler
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Bryan Mone
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: T Marshall Newhouse, LB Tuzar Skipper
Texans Activate RB David Johnson From IR
David Johnson should be back on the field tomorrow for the Texans. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that Houston is activating the veteran from injured reserve. The Texans are also promoting wideout Steven Mitchell from the practice squad.
Johnson suffered a concussion during his team’s Week 9 win over the Jaguars, landing him on injured reserve. Over the past three-plus games, the Texans have mostly leaned on pass-catching back Duke Johnson to lead their rushing attack, although C.J. Prosise started digging into those carries during Houston’s Thanksgiving-day win over the Lions.
Following a number of injury-filled campaigns, the Cardinals dealt Johnson to Houston this past offseason in the DeAndre Hopkins trade. While the 28-year-old has an All-Pro nod on his resume, he still hasn’t rebounded to the point of justifying the three-year, $39MM extension he signed with Arizona back in 2018.
In eight starts this season, Johnson has rushed for 408 yards and three touchdowns on 103 carries, good for only 4.0 yards per carry. Further, while Johnson used to be a force catching the ball (he had 80 receptions back in 2016), he’s only hauled in 16 catches for 161 yards and one score in 2020.
Mitchell, a former undrafted free agent out of USC, has spent most of his three-year career with the Texans organization. The 26-year-old has appeared in five career games (one start), hauling in two catches for 37 yards.
More Surgery For Texans’ Gareon Conley
Texans cornerback Gareon Conley will undergo additional ankle surgery, per a club announcement. With that, he’ll remain on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. 
It’s been a trying year for Conley, who was looking to build his case heading into free agency. After a rocky tenure in Oakland, Conley managed eleven pass breakups for Houston last year. That gave him the second-highest total on the team, just two shy of team leader Jonathan Joseph. Later, the Texans declined his $10.24MM fifth-year option, giving him the opportunity to catch up with the ever-climbing cornerback market.
Then came the ankle issues. Conley’s arthroscopic ankle surgery went bad, and he hasn’t responded to a number of supplementary treatments. The Ohio State product was trying to avoid surgery with hope of returning this year, but that ship has sailed. Now, Conley will focus on rehab as he watches the 4-7 Texans from a distance.
The Texans could really use Conley, too, since Bradley Roby will be serving a suspension for the rest of the season. Without Roby and Conley, they’re left with Vernon Hargreaves and Phillip Gaines as their top CBs.
Deshaun Watson Wants Will Fuller Back
Following the trade deadline, Deshaun Watson revealed how much of an issue a Will Fuller trade would have caused for him. Now, the Texans quarterback does not want Week 12 to have been his final game throwing to the deep threat. Despite Fuller’s six-game PED suspension set to drag into next year, Watson wants the Texans to bring back the impending free agent.
“That’s very important,” Watson said of the Texans re-signing Fuller, via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop. “That’s definitely one guy that I’m going to be working on this last month and offseason, for sure. Will’s my brother. The whole organization knows that too. And you know, make sure that we get him back for next year, especially in this organization.”
A 2016 first-round pick, Fuller has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. He did in his contract year and was on pace to venture well into four-digit yardage territory. The 26-year-old receiver finished his shortened season with 53 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns — all career-high numbers — and will be one of the top free agents in 2021. The Texans will have exclusive negotiating rights with Fuller until the legal tampering period begins in mid-March.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/2/20
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR J’Mon Moore, CB Manny Patterson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DB Tae Hayes
New York Jets
- Activated from practice squad injured list: WR D.J. Montgomery
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Myles Adams, WR Darvin Kidsy
Washington Football Team
- Activated from practice squad injured list: RB Javon Leake