Packers Inquire On Texans’ Will Fuller
The Packers are among the clubs showing interest in Texans wide receiver Will Fuller, according to Aaron Reiss of The Athletic
(on Twitter). Nothing is imminent at the moment, but things could pick up between now and Tuesday’s trade deadline.
[RELATED: Teams Calling Texans On Fuller, Cobb]
Reiss also hears that the Texans are not interested in a full-on fire sale, though many observers are skeptical. Their firing of head coach/GM Bill O’Brien seemed to signal the start of a revamp, and they’re not playing for much this year with a record of 1-6. They’re also in the midst of their bye week, which would give them extra time to acclimate post-trade.
Fuller, who is playing on a $10.16MM fifth-year option salary, profiles as an interesting rental option for contenders. Through seven games, he’s been Deshaun Watson‘s favorite target, catching 31 passes for a team-high 490 yards and five touchdowns. The Texans could parlay Fuller into draft capital, but they seem to be telling teams that they’d rather keep him (and Brandin Cooks) for the long haul. For what it’s worth, interim head coach Romeo Crennel has been telling players not to worry about getting traded.
“With this situation, it might be more on their mind this year,” Crennel said when asked if the issue is a potential distraction. “I’ve talked to them and tried to reassure them that I’m not looking to trade guys.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/20
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: WR Isaiah Coulter
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on IR: S Terrell Burgess
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Cameron Dantzler
New England Patriots
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: C James Ferentz
- Placed on IR: LB Brandon Copeland
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Ken Crawley
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Jabari Zuniga
Texans Close Facility After COVID-19 Positive
3:35pm: Guard Max Scharping tested positive for the coronavirus, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. The Texans placed him on the reserve/COVID-19 list. A 2019 second-round pick, Scharping worked as a starter for most of last season and in this season’s first three games. He has since played as a backup.
10:15am: The Texans will close their team facility following a player’s positive test for COVID-19, per a club announcement. The Texans are currently on their bye week, but they’ll be closely monitoring test results between now and their Week 9 contest against the Jaguars.
“Late last night, we received notice that a Texans player tested positive for COVID-19,” said the Texans in a statement. “In accordance with NFL protocols, the player immediately self-isolated and our Infection Control Officer and other members of the Infection Response Team began working with the NFL to perform contact tracing. Our facility will be closed today to players for deep cleaning. We are in close consultation with the NFL, as well as our team of independent doctors and specialists, and will follow their guidance regarding our scheduled bye week operations. The health and safety of our team, as well as our entire staff, are of highest priority.”
The Texans fell to 1-6 with their loss to the Packers on Sunday in Houston. As of this writing, the Packers have not received word of any positive tests.
Teams Calling Texans On Fuller, Cobb
Despite trading DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans entered the season with a bloated wide receiver payroll. They are now 1-6 and between GMs, leading teams to inquire about some of their players.
Teams have contacted the Texans about their wide receivers, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, who notes the team has fielded calls on Will Fuller and Randall Cobb (Twitter link).
The trade deadline looms Nov. 3, though teams who would like to deploy their new players in Week 9 would need to make deals this week in order for them to begin practicing ahead of those games. COVID-19 testing protocols require players to pass six tests — each a day apart — before practicing with new teams.
Fuller and Cobb represent half of Houston’s veteran receiving corps, which also includes 2020 trade acquisition Brandin Cooks and 2019 trade get Kenny Stills. Fuller, who is playing on a $10.16MM fifth-year option salary, would bring far more value back to the Texans in a deal than a Cobb swap would. The then-Bill O’Brien-run Texans signed Cobb to a three-year, $27MM deal in March. Shipping out the 30-year-old slot receiver would not bring especially notable compensation, and Wilson adds the Texans are not receiving strong offers for either player as of Wednesday afternoon.
Houston having dealt Hopkins would seemingly make a Fuller trade less likely. He has emerged as Deshaun Watson‘s top target, hauling in 31 passes for a team-high 490 yards and five touchdowns. Although the former first-round pick is a free agent at year’s end and has been unable to stay healthy for most of his career, the Texans do not have any surefire building blocks at this position for Watson moving forward. Cooks would qualify, but the O’Brien acquisition is on his fourth team. Cooks, 27, has also come up in trade talks. While the Texans appear ready to deal one of their veteran wideouts, it is unclear as of now which one will go.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/26/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Marlon Davidson
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: LB Rashad Smith
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from exempt/commissioner list: LB James Burgess
- Cut: OL Ben Braden
Houston Texans
- Released: RB C.J. Prosise
- Activated from exempt/commissioner list: DT Eli Ankou
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from exempt/commissioner list: DE Aaron Lynch
- Placed on IR: WR Dede Westbrook
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Johnathan Abram
New York Jets
- Claimed off waivers from Eagles: DE Daeshon Hall
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: DT Hassan Ridgeway
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DL Alex Barrett, CB Parnell Motley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: OLB Quinton Bell
Texans’ Romeo Crennel: I’m Not Looking To Trade Players
With just days to go before the NFL trade deadline, Romeo Crennel says he’s telling players that he’s not looking to make more deals (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). Of course, the decision doesn’t like solely with the Texans’ interim head coach. 
[RELATED: Texans, Vikings Among NFL’s Sellers?]
“Oh sure,” Crennel said when asked if the issue is a potential distraction. “With this situation, it might be more on their mind this year. I’ve talked to them and tried to reassure them that I’m not looking to trade guys.”
The cellar-dwelling Texans revamped their sideline and front office in one fell swoop this year by firing head coach/GM Bill O’Brien. The trade rumors have been swirling for weeks and it only stands to reason that the Texans are looking for a clean slate. Wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller, for example, could be logical targets for teams in need of offensive firepower. Other notables like edge defender Whitney Mercilus, tight end Darren Fells, and running back Duke Johnson could also be worthwhile trade chips.
The Texans fell to the Packers on Sunday, dropping them to 1-6. With the playoffs effectively out of reach, many expect the Texans to work the phone lines between now and Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Trade Rumors: Giants, Ryan, Fuller
After dealing Markus Golden to the Cardinals, it appears the 1-6 Giants have officially declared themselves sellers at this year’s trade deadline. Though GM Dave Gettleman may be reluctant to trade away veteran talent that could theoretically help Big Blue win a few games — and perhaps save Gettleman’s job in the process — players like Evan Engram, Kevin Zeitler, and Golden Tate could be available, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes (though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the club is unlikely to deal Engram).
2017 second-round DT Dalvin Tomlinson could also be on the move, per Dunleavy. Tomlinson is playing out the last year of his rookie contract, and while he has expressed interest in staying with the Giants long-term, there has been little progress in contract talks.
As we creep closer to the November 3 deadline, let’s round up a few more trade rumors from around the league:
- Big names like Falcons QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones are not going to be moved, as Rapoport writes in the same piece linked above. The same can be said for Jets QB Sam Darnold (though Darnold could be dealt this offseason). Gang Green may be more open to trading DT Quinnen Williams, but thus far interested teams have only offered a single second-round pick. That will not be enough to convince GM Joe Douglas to trade the talented interior defender.
- The 1-5 Vikings look like sellers after they traded Yannick Ngakoue, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Minnesota is open to dealing S Harrison Smith, TE Kyle Rudolph, and LT Riley Reiff. However, those players are not generating much interest, and the players that rival execs really want — WR Adam Thielen and TE Irv Smith Jr. — seem likely to stay put.
- Another 1-5 outfit, the Texans, also anticipate making a trade or two, per La Canfora. Houston is in desperate need of draft capital, and receivers Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller are coming up in discussions. Sources expect at least one of those players to be moved, and the team is also gauging the market for edge defender Whitney Mercilus.
- One team that could have an eye on the Texans’ receivers is the Patriots, who are once again looking for a pass catcher, as La Canfora writes. One year after the team’s ill-fated trade for Mohamed Sanu, New England wants to get a weapon for QB Cam Newton, and Cooks, Fuller, and Thielen could all be options.
- Washington QB Dwayne Haskins might be on the trade market, but the club hasn’t received much interest. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Haskins could be had for anything more than a sixth-round pick, but Washington hasn’t even gotten an offer that good yet. Although pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan has been the most-discussed Washington trade chip outside of Haskins, Rapoport says Ryan Anderson is more likely to be traded.
Texans Interested In Eric Bieniemy
- Sticking with staffs, the Texans are indeed expected to strongly consider Eric Bieniemy. Deshaun Watson has advocated for Patrick Mahomes‘ OC, and Graziano and Fowler note the Texans “definitely” have interest in the Chiefs assistant. The Chiefs are prepared to lose Bieniemy this offseason, which would mark the third time they have lost an OC since 2016. Houston is believed to be seeking a quarterback guru and will have Josh McDaniels (again) and Bills OC Brian Daboll on its target list as well.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/20/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from practice squad IR: RB D.J. Foster, TE Justin Johnson
- Signed: T Rick Leonard
- Released: S Kentrell Brice, CB Jalen Davis, S T.J. Ward
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Shyheim Carter, LB Pita Taumoepenu
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Josh Hawkins, DT Mike Panasiuk, DE Greg Roberts, RB Mike Warren
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Prince Smith
Detroit Lions
- Cut: WR Joe Webb
Green Bay Packers
- Released: WR Kalija Lipscomb
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Damion Ratley
- Released: DT Ryan Glasgow
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Emmanuel Smith
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Jonas Griffith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DB Mazzi Wilkins, DT Kobe Smith
- Released: S D’Cota Dixon
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Breon Borders
- Signed: TE Parker Hesse
- Released: CB Greg Mabin, DB Maurice Smith
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/19/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to 53 from practice squad: TE Evan Baylis
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DL Margus Hunt
- Waived: DL Andrew Brown
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to 53 from practice squad: DT Justin Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers from Colts: DT Eli Ankou
New Orleans Saints
- Designated to return from IR: RB Ty Montgomery
