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Texans To Start Case Keenum In Week 15

December 16th, 2023 at 7:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Davis Mills has dressed as the Texans’ backup quarterback each week this season with C.J. Stroud operating as the starter. The latter is out for Sunday’s game, though, which led to the expectation Mills would be elevated to the No. 1 role on a temporary basis.

Instead, Houston will give the nod to Case Keenum. As first reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the veteran is now in line to start after spending every game in 2023 as the Texans’ emergency third-stringer. Keenum last started during a two-game stint with the Browns. His only action since then was a pair of appearances last season with the Bills, during which he attempted a total of seven passes.

Given that light workload, along with Mills’ familiarity with the Texans, the move comes as something of a surprise. Mills started 26 games between 2021-22 after joining the team as a third-rounder. Despite a 2-9 record as a rookie, the Stanford product flashed potential at times, earning the No. 1 role in his second campaign. A regression proved an upgrade under center would be needed in the offseason, however, leading to the decision to draft Stroud second overall in April.

Stroud’s highly impressive rookie campaign has been interrupted by a concussion, leaving the Texans with a decision to make in the heart of a playoff push. Mills and Keenum split first-team reps during the week, Bien-Aime adds, so today’s news points to the latter having impressed over the past few days. Keenum has made 64 starts in his career, which began in 2013 with Houston.

The former UFDA has posted a winning record only twice in a season, though, leaving him to bounce around the NFL over the course of his tenure. The 35-year-old was viewed by some as a luxury in the Texans’ QB room given Mills’ continued presence and the addition of Stroud in the draft. The team made it clear they were not looking to trade him in advance of the deadline, a stance which has now proven to be quite signficant.

Houston is one of six AFC teams which entered Week 15 with a 7-6 record and thus in position to compete for a wild-card spot. The Texans are also one game behind the Jaguars for the lead in the AFC South, leaving plenty to play for on Sunday. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has expressed optimism about Stroud’s progress in recovering from the concussion, so he could return in time for Week 16. For now, though, the Texans’ offense will rely on Keenum’s ability to perform in his season debut.

Texans’ Will Anderson Out For Week 15

December 15th, 2023 at 5:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

DECEMEBER 15: Anderson has indeed been ruled out on the Texans’ injury report. His recent uptick in production will be interrupted, while Houston will enter Week 15 notably shorthanded on both sides of the ball. After not practicing all week, Anderson’s ability to return to the field in any capacity will be worth monitoring following the Titans contest.

DECEMBER 14: The Texans are in the thick of the AFC playoff picture, but they are in danger of being severely shorthanded on both sides of the ball for their next game. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is in the league’s concussion protocol, and the team’s other top-three rookie could also miss a contest for the first time in his career.

Edge rusher Will Anderson suffered a high ankle sprain in the Texans’ loss to the Jets on Sunday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. As a result, Anderson has been in a walking boot over the past few days and he has not practiced. While there is still time for a turnaround, signs point to Anderson missing the upcoming contest against the Titans, Wilson adds.

Anderson has managed to suit up for every game so far in his rookie season, one which began with substantial expectations. The Texans pulled off a major trade-up to acquire the No. 3 pick in April’s draft after using the previous selection to add Stroud. Houston had been expected by many to forego drafting a quarterback at the top of the board to instead choose Anderson, widely seen as the 2023 class’ top edge rusher. Instead, the team managed to draft both, and they have each played a signficant role in the Texans’ impressive season to date.

While Stroud has drawn considerable praise for his performances throughout the year (Week 14 being a notable exception), Anderson endured a cold spell during the early part of the campaign. After a six-game sack drought, however, the latter has racked up four sacks across the past six games, bringing his total in that department to five. The Alabama alum has also produced 42 tackles, 19 QB hits and 27 pressures in 2023.

Those figures have helped the 22-year-old generate a PFF grade of 80.5, which ranks 18th amongst qualified edge rushers. Missing Anderson would thus deal a signficant blow to the Texans’ defense, a unit which already sits outside the top 20 in the league in sacks. Fellow defensive end Jonathan Greenard – who has produced a career-best and team-leading 10 sacks in his walk year – would be counted on even more in the event Anderson were unable to suit up in Week 15.

Houston is one of six AFC teams sitting at 7-6 on the year, and the absence of Stroud (if he were unable to clear concussion protocol) would significantly hinder the team’s offense. The Texans would likewise be significantly affected on defense if Anderson is unable to return to practice in the coming days.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud In Concussion Protocol, Out For Week 15

December 15th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

DECEMBER 15: To little surprise, Stroud will indeed be forced to miss a game for the first time in his young career. Wilson reports Stroud has been ruled out for Sunday’s contest, meaning Mills will be in line for the start with Keenum in place as his backup. Shorthanded at a number of positions, the Texans will depend on Mills in a crucial late-season game as he briefly reclaims his former starting gig.

DECEMBER 11: The Texans suffered a lopsided loss on Sunday, and their offense endured a number of notable injuries in the process. Chief among them was quarterback C.J. Stroud being forced to exit the contest.

Stroud hit his head against the turf after taking a hit in the fourth quarter which forced him to leave the game. The first-round rookie has since been placed in the league’s concussion protocol, as detailed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. As a result, his availability for Week 15 is now in question. Players often miss at least one game in the time required to clear the protocol.

Any time without Stroud available would be mark a massive blow to Houston’s playoff push. The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft has been a focal point for the Texans’ turnaround this season, proving the team’s investment in him to be worthwhile. Stroud entered Week 14 leading the NFL in passing yards (3,504) while throwing 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Multiple fourth-quarter comebacks he orchestrated had the Texans sitting at 7-5 going into Sunday’s action.

They also had Stroud in the lead for Offensive Rookie of the Year consideration. After a season-worst outing which preceded the injury, though, attention will now turn to the Ohio State alum’s ability to recover from the first signficant ailment of his young career. The Texans’ loss leaves them as one of six teams in the AFC’s wild-card picture with a 7-6 record, though they remain just one game behind the Jaguars for the lead in the division. Houston’s next game is against the Titans.

Davis Mills finished the game after replacing Stroud. The former’s performances as a starter over the past two seasons informed Houston’s decision to draft a replacement, but he still represents a relatively experienced spot-starter option. Mills, 25, has 31 appearances and 26 starts to his name with Houston, so he will be a familiar face in an offense which is already dealing with injury problems along the offensive line and at the WR position. Wideout Tank Dell is out for the season, and leading receiver Nico Collins suffered a calf injury which knocked him out of yesterday’s game.

Mills – who completed one of five pass attempts on Sunday – would be in line for his first start since 2022 if Stroud is unable to clear the concussion protocol in time. Veteran Case Keenum is also an option after the Texans made it clear they were not interested in moving him despite the arrival of Stroud. Keenum has yet to see a snap this season and his last game was in 2022 with the Bills. His most recent start was the year prior during his time with the Browns.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 13th, 2023 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two different teams have held the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years since 2017. Amid a radical rebuild effort, the Browns carried the top pick into the 2017 and ’18 drafts. The Jaguars did the same in 2021 and ’22. It is possible the Bears will follow that up in back-to-back years. The big difference here would be the Bears traded the 2023 top choice and may unload the 2024 top pick for another windfall, depending on their evaluation of Justin Fields.

The Bears and Panthers’ March trade, giving Carolina access to Bryce Young, has become a seminal moment for both teams. As it stands now, Chicago holds two top-five picks. The Panthers are 1-12, giving the Bears a two-game lead on the Patriots and Cardinals for the top slot with four games left. Chicago finishing with the first overall selection, providing access to the quarterback of its choice, would create a big-picture decision for a Bears team that already passed on the 2023 quarterback class to stick with Fields — a QB the Ryan Poles regime did not draft. North Carolina’s Drake Maye has declared for the draft, while USC’s Caleb Williams is widely expected to follow suit.

A new Cardinals regime is also evaluating its QB, though Kyler Murray‘s $46.1MM-per-year contract (which runs through 2028) will be much harder to escape compared to Fields’. This creates an interesting scenario that will have teams who do not land two-two draft slots monitoring how Chicago and Arizona proceed. The Patriots are widely expected to pursue a quarterback in the draft, and they are likely to do so without Bill Belichick.

With gridlock forming in the AFC and NFC wild-card races, considerable movement will take place over the next month. The winner of the NFC South will likely lose several spots in the ’24 draft, as the Buccaneers did this year by winning the ’22 division title at 8-9. Here is how the draft order looks going into Week 15:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. New England Patriots: 3-10
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 3-10
  4. Washington Commanders: 4-9
  5. Chicago Bears: 5-8
  6. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-8
  7. New York Jets: 5-8
  8. New York Giants: 5-8
  9. Tennessee Titans: 5-8
  10. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-8
  11. Atlanta Falcons: 6-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 6-7
  13. Seattle Seahawks: 6-7
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 6-7
  15. Denver Broncos: 7-6
  16. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  17. Buffalo Bills: 7-6
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6
  19. Green Bay Packers: 6-7
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-7
  21. Indianapolis Colts: 7-6
  22. Minnesota Vikings: 7-6
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-5
  26. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5
  27. Detroit Lions: 9-4
  28. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-3
  29. Miami Dolphins: 9-4
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 10-3
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 10-3
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 10-3

Texans To Release K Matt Ammendola; K Ka’imi Fairbairn Returns To Practice

December 13th, 2023 at 9:30am CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 13: Fairbairn will indeed return to practice Wednesday, per Wilson. After five missed games, the seventh-year Texans kicker is on track to return to his post in Week 15.

DECEMBER 12: The Texans look to be making preparations for their standard kicker setup to be back in place. After Matt Ammendola kicked for the team for the past five games, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes Houston is releasing the young specialist from its practice squad.

This will clear the way for Ka’imi Fairbairn, whom Wilson adds is expected to be activated from IR this week. Fairbairn has missed more than the IR-mandated minimum game count due to a quad strain, but the playoff-contending team is on track to have him back in Week 15.

A third-year kicker, Ammendola worked as a fill-in option for the Chiefs and Cardinals last season. He kicked in 11 games for the Jets as a rookie in 2021. This season, the 27-year-old specialist has missed three field goals — one a 58-yard game-tying attempt at the end of a three-point Texans loss to the Jaguars — and an extra point.

Fairbairn has been Houston’s kicker since he arrived as a 2017 UDFA. The 29-year-old Hawaiian made 93.5% of his field goal tries last season — by far a career-high for a full campaign. Prior to the quad injury, Fairbairn had gotten off to a strong start this season. Through eight games, Fairbairn had made 18 of 19 field goal attempts and was 14-for-14 on extra points.

Although Fairbairn has not been officially designated for return, he should be expected to both begin practicing and return to action this week. The Texans also used an IR activation on their punter, Cameron Johnston, earlier this year.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/12/23

December 12th, 2023 at 8:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: TE Chris Pierce

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: WR Thyrick Pitts
  • Released: LB Austin Ajiake

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Matt Hankins

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

  • Signed: OT Obinna Eze

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mason Crosby‘s stint with the Rams has already come to an end. The veteran kicker was added to the practice squad with Lucas Havrisik struggling, and there was speculation that the long-time Packers kicker was going to get the start when he was promoted to the active roster. Crosby ended up being inactive against the Ravens, the first time in his career that he earned that designation.

Crosby will now look to continue his career elsewhere. The Packers moved on from their all-time scoring leader following a 2022 season where Crosby connected on 86.2 percent of his field goal attempts and 37 of his 39 XP tries.

Chase Cota is the son of former NFL safety Chad Cota, and he’s also the cousin of fellow Texans practice squad safety Brady Breeze. The wide receiver spent four years at UCLA before transferring to Oregon for the 2022 campaign. He finished that season with career-highs in receptions (36), receiving yards (497), and touchdowns (three). He spent the preseason with the Lions before catching on with the Chiefs practice squad. He spent the majority of the 2023 season in Kansas City before getting cut from the taxi squad last week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/23

December 9th, 2023 at 5:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves and callups heading into the Week 14 slate of Sunday games:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There was some thought that Ammendola’s stint with the Texans had come to an end after four appearances. However, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes that regular starting kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn still isn’t ready to return from his strained quadriceps, requiring the practice squad kicker to step in for at least another week. Ammendola has connected on six of his nine field goal attempts and all 10 of his XP tries this season.

With Trevor Lawrence a game-time decision for Sunday’s game, the Jaguars are adding some QB depth to the active roster. Rourke is a former CFL standout, with the quarterback earning the CFL Most Outstanding Canadian award in 2022. Following that breakout, 25-touchdown campaign, Rourke got a look from a number of NFL teams and ultimately signed a three-year deal with the Jaguars this past offseason. He was waived at the end of the preseason and has spent the majority of the season on Jacksonville’s practice squad. Per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, the rookie will be the emergency QB3 for Week 14.

Similarly, the Seahawks will call up Mannion and O’Connell as they deal with injuries to starting quarterback Geno Smith and linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Smith is questionable heading into tomorrow’s game with a groin injury.

Stewart is back on the Colts active roster after having served a six-game ban for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Through six games this season, the veteran has compiled 20 tackles, two stops for a loss, and five QB hits.

Crosby is set to make his 2023 debut and make an appearance for a team other than the Packers for the first time since the 39-year-old was drafted back in 2007.

Schweitzer head right back to injured reserve after being activated last week. The Jets signed a lineman to the active roster from the practice squad and elevated one for tomorrow’s game to add some depth at the position.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/23

December 7th, 2023 at 7:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

As expected, Tyrion Davis-Price has landed back with the 49ers after getting cut by the big-league club earlier this week. The 2022 third-round pick has seen time in just one game for San Francisco this season, collecting 21 yards from scrimmage on six touches. He appeared in six games as a rookie, collecting 99 rushing yards. He’ll join Jeremy McNichols as the 49ers’ practice-squad options at RB.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/23

December 6th, 2023 at 8:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

The Cowboys made some adjustments to their injured reserve list today. Waletzko returned to practice today as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury. McKeon was placed on IR in order to make room for Hendershot after the latter’s activation. This will give McKeon a chance to deal with an ankle injury that’s bothered him this year and a chance to serve as a potential activation candidate for the playoffs.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/5/23

December 5th, 2023 at 6:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

  • Signed: WR Davion Davis
  • Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Jared Wayne

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

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