Texans Open To Trading LT Duane Brown
The Texans are “willing to consider” trade offers for left tackle Duane Brown, who is currently engaged in a contractual holdout, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Brown, who has missed the entirety of the 2017 season in search of a new deal, is reportedly an option for the offensive line-needy Seahawks, who have also been in negotiations with free agent tackle Branden Albert in recent weeks. Whether or not other clubs have been or will be in touch with Houston regarding Brown’s availability is unclear, but the Texans are open to recouping some of the 2018 draft pick capital they’ve already traded away (Cleveland owns Houston’s first- and second-round picks in next year’s draft).
Brown, who is due $9.65MM and $9.75MM over the next two respective campaigns, doesn’t seem any close to working out a new pact with the Texans. In late September, Florio reported there was “no end in sight” between Brown and Houston, while Florio indicated last week that nothing had changed between the two sides.
Houston has turned to Chris Clark (five starts) in the wake of Clark’s absence, but he’s offered a sub-par performance thus far, Pro Football Focus ranks Clark as just the No. 52 tackle among 71 qualifiers. While the Texans’ offensive line has played well in the run game, the unit is 31st in adjusted rack rate, according to Football Outsiders.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/18/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter:
Atlanta Falcons
- DE Ricky Ali’ifua; TE Anthony Firkser; DT Nigel Williams, FB Malcolm Johnson; LB Kevin Snyder (link)
Detroit Lions
- LSs Andrew East, Nolan Frese, Jeff Overbaugh; DT Toby Johnson; DE Joby Saint Fleur (link)
Green Bay Packers
- CB Josh Thornton; RB Marquez Williams (link)
Houston Texans
- WRs Demarcus Ayers, Montay Crockett, Tevaun Smith; TEs Jason Croom, Ryan Malleck, Cole Wick (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- G Willie Beavers; T Rich Max; TE Jason Vander Laan (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- S Malik Smith (link)
New Orleans Saints
- RB Chase Reynolds; TE Jason Croom, LB Brandon Watts; WRs Devin Lucien, Francis Owusu, Rodney Smith (link) (link)
New York Jets
- T Storm Norton (link)
Dylan Cole Likely To Miss Four Weeks
- Texans linebacker Dylan Cole is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring stain and is expected to miss at least four weeks of action, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Given the recovery timeline, Cole probably isn’t a candidate for injured reserve. Although the 23-year-old Cole isn’t a Houston starter, his absence will be felt, as he’s played 105 defensive snaps off the bench while seeing time on roughly two-thirds of the Texans’ special teams plays.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/17/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Buffalo Bills
- QB Matt Simms; DE Noble Nwachukwu; LB Boseko Lokombo (Twitter links via Adam Caplan)
Chicago Bears
- QB Alek Torgersen; WRs Jordan Payton, Kevin Snead (link)
Cincinnati Bengals
- TEs Brian Parker, Josiah Price, Steven Scheu; DBs Robert Blanton, K.J. Dillon, Harold Jones-Quartey, Robenson Therezie (Twitter links)
Denver Broncos
- WRs Devin Lucien, Tim Patrick, Domonique Young (link via Caplan)
Detroit Lions
- DE Jacquies Smith; Ks Dan Carpenter, Travis Coons (link via Caplan)
Houston Texans
- QB Taylor Heinicke (link via Caplan)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CBs Alex Carter, Deji Olatoye, D’Joun Smith (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- G Oni Omoile; T Nick Becton; DT Josh Augusta; LB Johnathan Calvin (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- DB Justin Currie (link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press)
- DBs Robert Blanton, Antone Exum, Ed Reynolds, Ahmad Thomas (link via Caplan)
New Orleans Saints
- RBs Matt Asiata, Ka’Deem Carey, Dexter McCluster; WR Paul Turner; LB Bryan Braman (Twitter links via Caplan)
New York Jets
- DE Owa Odighizuwa; S Harold Jones-Quartey (link via Caplan)
San Francisco 49ers
- DE Devin Taylor (link via Caplan)
Washington Redskins
- RBs Troymaine Pope, Stanley Williams, Joseph Yearby; WRs Rashad Ross, Kendal Thompson; Gs Willie Beavers, Zach Voytek; T Storm Norton; ; LB Jayrone Elliott; CB Damian Swann; DBs Ed Reynolds, Orion Stewart, Mykkele Thompson (all Twitter links)
Texans CB Kevin Johnson To Return
- Cornerback Kevin Johnson is expected to return to action following the Texans‘ Week 7 bye, head coach Bill O’Brien told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Johnson went down with a sprained MCL in mid-September, but Houston’s depth in the secondary has managed to keep its defense afloat, and the team currently ranks 11th in pass defense DVOA. Injuries have ruined each of Johnson’s past two seasons (he managed only six games in 2016), but the former first-round pick has been extremely effective when on the field.
Seahawks Trying To Trade For O-Line Help, Focusing On Duane Brown
- The Seahawks are making a concerted effort to improve their O-line via trade, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who says the team is focused on landing disgruntled Texans star Duane Brown. We heard last week that the Texans intend to retain Brown, but that could always change if Seattle’s offer is strong enough.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Jack Mewhort‘s IR trip prompted the Colts to look outside the organization for help. They signed guard Isaiah Williams off the Chiefs‘ practice squad. Williams failed to make the Redskins’ roster out of camp in each of the past two summers but caught on with the Chiefs earlier this season. He’s yet to play in a regular-season game.
- Chris Conley‘s nationally televised Achilles’ tendon rupture sent the third-year wide receiver to IR, and the Chiefs replaced him on the roster with practice squad wideout Marcus Kemp. The Chiefs signed Kemp as a UDFA out of Hawaii in May and stashed him on their practice squad after the preseason.
- The Raiders will bring their 2016 third-round pick back to the active roster, re-signing linebacker Shilique Calhoun and placing cornerback Antonio Hamilton on IR, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com tweets. Hamilton underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus. The second-year player played in four games this season for the Raiders, primarily as a special-teamer. Calhoun played in 10 Oakland games last season but landed on the team’s practice squad to start this campaign.
- The 49ers promoted tight end Cole Hikutini to their active roster from the practice squad. A rookie UDFA out of Louisville, Hikutini’s resided in San Francisco’s practice squad since the preseason concluded. Hikutini will take NaVorro Bowman‘s roster spot.
- The Texans cut safety Marcus Cromartie and replaced him with practice squad safety Kurtis Drummond, Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets. Cromartie played the past three seasons as 49ers depth piece. Although Drummond played in four Houston games this season, the team cut him to make room for waiver claim Ben Heeney last week.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/17
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted to active roster: WR Tanner Gentry
- Released: WR Deonte Thompson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Justin March-Lillard
Houston Texans
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Whitney Mercilus (story), DL J.J. Watt (story)
- Signed off Cardinals‘ practice squad: OL Dorian Johnson
Dan Orlovsky To Retire
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky has announced his retirement in a piece for Sports Spectrum.
Orlovsky, 34, entered the league as a fifth-round pick out of UConn in 2005. He participated in two separate stints with the Lions — the club that drafted him — and is perhaps best-known for his seven-game run as a starter for Detroit in 2008. After one season with the Texans, Orlovsky started five games for the Colts in 2011 before landing with the Buccaneers from 2012-13 and re-joining the Lions in 2015.
Orlovsky inked a deal with the Rams this summer, but he was released after losing out to Sean Mannion in the Los Angeles backup quarterback battle. The Rams ultimately brought in a third quarterback — former Jaguars draft pick Brandon Allen — off waivers just days after cutting Orlovsky.
PFR extends its best wishes to Orlovsky in retirement.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/10/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- DT Mike Purcell; CBs Trevin Wade, B.W. Webb (link)
Buffalo Bills
- DBs Lonnie Ballentine, Antone Exum (link via Adam Caplan)
Detroit Lions
- DT Will Sutton (link via Caplan)
Green Bay Packers
- WR Tevaun Smith; G Cameron Hunt; DL Sean Daniels; DBs Charlie Miller, Ahmad Thomas (link via Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com)
Houston Texans
- QB Connor Shaw; WRs Rivers Cracraft, Paul Turner; T Steven Moore; DBs J.R. Nelson, Marcus Sayles (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
- RB Lamar Atkins; FB Glenn Gronkowski; C Taylor Boggs; DBs Anthony Cioffi, K.J. Dillon (link)
Oakland Raiders
- DEs Sterling Bailey, Patrick Gamble, Jaye Howard; DT Toby Johnson (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- T Andrew Lauderdale; LB Josh Forrest (link)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- LBs Johnathan Calvin, Jayrone Elliott; DE Cashaud Lyons (link)