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Patriots Looked Into Trade For Texans QB Case Keenum

September 4th, 2023 at 9:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Patriots made the surprising decision to waive Bailey Zappe, they spent a multi-day period with one active-roster quarterback. With versatile UDFA Malik Cunningham also cut, Mac Jones resided alone on the depth chart until the Matt Corral pickup.

While the Pats have Corral positioned behind Jones (technically), Zappe remains in the mix to be the backup. But the team had also targeted a more experienced option to help mentor its third-year starter. In addition to Colt McCoy being on the Patriots’ radar, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the team looked into acquiring Case Keenum from the Texans.

The Texans brought Keenum back to Houston, after the ex-Cougars standout embarked on a journeyman career upon leaving his original NFL team in 2015, on a two-year deal worth $6.25MM ($4MM guaranteed). This looked to be a sign GM Nick Caserio, who hired a third coaching staff in three years, would look to move two-year starter Davis Mills. But Mills, despite multiple rounds of trade rumors, remains in Houston as C.J. Stroud‘s backup. Keenum sits as the team’s third-stringer.

A report last week indicated the Texans’ backups were generating trade interest, and with the Pats targeting a veteran and Caserio having spent nearly 20 years with the franchise, the dots certainly connect here.

Keenum, 35, has completed a four-time zone journey by stopping through St. Louis, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Denver, Washington, Cleveland and Buffalo since 2015. While Keenum’s post-Vikings career effectively made his 2017 season — which featured a No. 1 QB DVOA ranking, a 13-3 Vikes record and an NFC championship game berth — an outlier, the former UDFA has remained coveted as a backup. Keenum quarterbacked the Browns to two wins during the 2021 season; those two starts ran his career total to 64.

Once Corral became available, however, Breer adds the Patriots regrouped and scrapped their previous plan of a veteran QB2. Patriots senior personnel advisor Pat Stewart, an offseason hire, was with the Panthers as their VP of player personnel from 2020-22. That tenure included the Panthers’ trade-up with the Patriots for Corral, a raw prospect out of Ole Miss. The Pats had explored Corral via trade as well, per Breer, who adds Bill O’Brien‘s good relationship with Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin also led to the decision to submit the claim.

Three years remain on Corral’s rookie contract; he missed all of last season with a Lisfranc injury. It will be interesting to see if the second-year passer’s form prompts the Patriots to circle back to their interest in a veteran backup before the Halloween trade deadline. After Brian Hoyer went down last season, Bill Belichick stuck with Zappe. But the former record-setting Western Kentucky QB struggled in O’Brien’s offense this year. For now, Zappe represents the most logical Jones backup to start the season. But this situation is clearly not settled entering the year.

Texans Waive DT Roy Lopez

September 4th, 2023 at 3:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

After two seasons as a regular along the Texans’ defensive interior, Roy Lopez is now eligible to find a new home. Houston waived the former sixth-rounder from injured reserve, as noted by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Lopez, who has been dealing with a strained hamstring, negotiated a four-week injury settlement as part of the move which will see him hit the waiver wire on Monday. If he goes unclaimed, he will be free to sign anywhere as a free agent. Wilson adds that the 26-year-old is drawing interest from multiple teams, so he will likely not need to wait long to find a new home.

The Arizona product has logged 29 starts across his 33 appearances in Houston. With snap shares of 46% and 48% during that time, his absence will certainly be noticeable this season on a new-look Texans defense. DeMeco Ryans‘ squad has seen a number of changes take place along the defensive interior, including the arrivals of Sheldon Rankins and Hassan Ridgeway in free agency. Their presence will go a long way in making up for Lopez’s lost playing time.

The latter has recorded similar production in each of his two campaigns to date, totaling 67 tackles (including 11 for loss), two sacks and nine QB pressures. Those numbers has not resulted in high PFF evaluations so far, however, with tackling issues representing a cause for poor overall grades. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how many teams are prepared to put in a waiver claim on Lopez or show interest in adding him via free agency.

Of course, a reunion with the Texans could still be possible, but that would require Lopez remaining on the open market for the course of the four-week period. Houston also moved on from offensive lineman Keaton Sutherland via an injury settlement, after the latter suffered an adductor strain.

Texans Place G Kenyon Green On IR

September 3rd, 2023 at 10:37am CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 3: Kenyon Green and the Texans knew as early as May that Green may need surgery, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. It seems as if Houston wanted to see if its young blocker could play through the pain, and as Brandon Scott of Chron.com observes, Green was operating with the first team during the first two games of the preseason despite having his reps carefully managed in OTAs and training camp. Unfortunately, he aggravated the shoulder injury during the preseason finale, and it became clear he would need to be shut down.

“To his credit, he worked through it and I’d say did the best he could with the situation that he was given,” Caserio said. “In the end, we just felt for the betterment of the team and the player, that [surgery] was the best decision.” 

AUGUST 29: Kenyon Green‘s injury will lead the Texans to take a drastic step. They placed the 2022 first-round pick on IR. This move will sideline the young guard for the season.

The Texans traded for Steelers interior O-lineman Kendrick Green earlier today, and they have center Juice Scruggs facing the possibility of a trip to in-season IR. That move would only knock out Scruggs for four games. By putting Kenyon Green on IR now, the Texans will lose him for the year.

This represents a tough blow to Kenyon Green‘s career and to the Texans’ O-line. A shoulder injury is one of multiple issues plaguing the Texas A&M product, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets, adding that the second-year lineman will undergo shoulder surgery. Green has already undergone two knee surgeries since joining the Texans.

Although injury trouble hampered Green during his first training camp, the 22-year-old blocker still played in 15 games (14 starts) as a rookie. But the ex-Aggie’s season did not go well. Pro Football Focus graded Green as the worst full-time guard in 2022. This year would have been an opportunity for a quick bounce back for last year’s first guard selected, but Green will have to wait until 2024 to turn his career around.

Chosen 15th overall last year, Green earned consensus All-American honors for his work in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The Texans made major investments in their offensive front over the past two offseasons. Following their Green pick, they extended Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard and traded for Shaq Mason. The ex-Patriots and Buccaneers guard — acquired by New England during Nick Caserio‘s time with the team — also signed an extension this offseason.

The Texans then used a second-round pick on Scruggs, but it will be a while before Houston can deploy its preferred O-line. Scruggs’ hamstring strain is expected to keep him out two to four weeks. The Texans have acquired both Kendrick Green and Josh Jones via trade in the past week. Both could be put to work early.

It may be a bit before the team unveils an O-line configuration featuring even three of its starting five. Rehabbing a hand injury, Howard is not viewed as a lock to start the season on time. This run of setbacks comes as the Texans prepare to begin No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud‘s starter run.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/1/23

September 1st, 2023 at 5:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Washington Commanders

Colts To Sign DE Jacob Martin

August 31st, 2023 at 1:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jacob Martin will bounce to a third team this year. This move will be an intra-AFC South switch. After the Texans released the veteran pass rusher, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the Colts will sign him.

The Texans showed interest in bringing Martin back after the Tuesday release, per Wilson. A number of teams have re-signed vested vets they released Tuesday, doing so after rearranging their roster — largely via IR moves — following submissions of their initial 53s. But Martin will instead head to Indianapolis.

Indy will be Martin’s fifth NFL destination. Going from the Seahawks to the Texans in the 2019 Jadeveon Clowney trade, Martin then signed a multiyear Jets deal. The Broncos acquired Martin shortly after sending Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins. Weeks after Sean Payton took over as head coach, Denver released Martin, leading him back to Houston.

The Colts did not bring back Yannick Ngakoue this offseason, despite his extensive history with DC Gus Bradley. Ngakoue signed with the Bears earlier this month. Indianapolis did sign Samson Ebukam, who comes over after two years with San Francisco. Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo remain on their respective rookie contracts, and former second-round pick Tyquan Lewis is on the active roster 10 months after suffering a patellar tendon rupture. Lewis re-signed on a one-year, $2.1MM deal in March.

Martin, 27, is coming off a down season that ended with him on the Broncos’ IR list. He finished with 2.5 sacks last season. However, Martin earned a three-year, $13.5MM Jets deal in 2022; this came after his four-sack, two-forced fumble 2021 slate (which also included a safety). Martin profiles as a depth piece for the Colts, who continue to hope their top two 2021 draftees take steps forward.

Texans Place C Juice Scruggs, P Cameron Johnston On IR

August 31st, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans are now guaranteed to start the season without two starting offensive linemen. After suffering a hamstring strain in the preseason, second-round rookie Juice Scruggs landed on IR.

In place as Houston’s starting center, Scruggs will now miss at least four games. He joins Kenyon Green in being moved off the active roster due to injury. Green, the first guard chosen in 2022, is on season-ending IR due to multiple injuries. The Texans also placed punter Cameron Johnston on IR on Thursday. Like Scruggs, Johnston will be shut down for at least a month.

A calf injury will send Johnston to IR. The Texans signed punter Ty Zentner as an insurance option last week. These moves will allow the team to re-sign linebacker Cory Littleton and running back Mike Boone. Zentner resides on Houston’s practice squad, but this Johnston news could soon lead to a promotion. The Eagles signed Zentner as a UDFA in May but waived him earlier this month.

A Scruggs IR stint emerged as a possibility earlier this week, as matters have worsened for Houston’s O-line. The team is not certain to have right tackle Tytus Howard in the lineup. A hand injury has sidelined the recently extended blocker for weeks. Scott Quessenberry, who re-signed after serving as the Texans’ starting center for most of last season, sustained a season-ending injury weeks ago. Houston has since traded for Josh Jones and Kendrick Green, with recent free agency addition George Fant in place as Howard’s RT backup.

Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason are the only locks among Houston’s first-team O-linemen to be in uniform in Week 1 against the Ravens. For additional depth purposes, the Texans also brought back interior O-lineman Michael Deiter — a March signee who did not make the team — on a practice squad deal and added recent Bears O-line castoff Dieter Eiselen to their taxi squad.

Johnston has been with the Texans for the past two seasons, coming over after the Eagles waived him. The veteran punter is going into the final season of a three-year, $8MM deal. Philadelphia’s punter from 2018-20, Johnston had previously never missed a game as a pro.

Texans To Retain LB Cory Littleton, RB Mike Boone

August 30th, 2023 at 7:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 30: While Kirksey has a deal lined up to join the Bills’ taxi squad, the same is not true of Littleton. The latter is remaining in Houston on the team’s 53-man roster, Wilson reports. Littleton has re-signed with the same terms he originally agreed to; that will allow him to max out his 2023 earnings at $2.7MM.

The same release-and-re-sign move has been employed with running back Mike Boone, Wilson adds. Boone will carry on under the terms of the two-year, $3.1MM pact he signed this offseason.

AUGUST 29: Multiple veteran linebackers are receiving their walking papers from the Texans this week. Following the Christian Kirksey cut, the Texans are releasing Cory Littleton, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets.

Littleton joined Denzel Perryman in signing with the team in March. Even without Kirksey, the Texans’ roster includes a number of notable linebackers. Christian Harris, a 2022 third-round pick, joins veterans Blake Cashman and Neville Hewitt. The latter, a special-teamer, re-signed this offseason. The team also drafted Alabama’s Henry To’oTo’o in the fifth round.

Big on midlevel veteran additions and short-term contracts under GM Nick Caserio, Houston added Littleton on a one-year, $2.2MM deal. The former Rams, Raiders and Panthers defender received $600K guaranteed, representing the dead money set to come from this release. The Texans are retooling on defense once again, returning to a 4-3 scheme under HC DeMeco Ryans. This has led to some offseason adjustments.

Perryman and Cashman are listed as starters in Houston, Wilson adds. Littleton, 29, has been unable to stick around with a team since his productive Rams tenure ended. Still in their all-in mode when Littleton’s free agency year transpired, the Rams let the starting linebacker walk in 2019. While the Raiders gave Littleton a nice contract (three years, $35.25MM), they restructured it a few times and shed it from their payroll — via a post-June 1 cut — last year. Littleton caught on with the Panthers but only started seven of the 15 games he played last season.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

August 30th, 2023 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Colts, Jaguars, Texans and Titans moves are noted below.

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Placed on IR:

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad: 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Tennessee Titans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Released:

Released from IR via injury settlement:

Texans’ Reserve QBs Drawing Trade Interest

August 30th, 2023 at 11:26am CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Texans’ Case Keenum signing appeared to place Davis Mills in limbo, the two-year starter took first-team reps this offseason and landed on Houston’s 53-man roster. With the team moving to C.J. Stroud for Week 1, interest in both backups has emerged.

Teams have contacted the Texans on their two backup quarterbacks, Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes. But Houston’s plan for now is to keep both Keenum and Mills on its roster. The Texans gave Keenum a two-year, $6.25MM deal; two years remain on Mills’ rookie contract.

The Keenum addition undoubtedly led to the Mills trade rumors earlier this year, but the Texans’ stance at that point was to retain the former third-round pick. Stroud will unseat Mills, who is 5-19-1 as a starter (albeit on some undermanned teams), and Keenum would seem to represent both a mentor and a capable backup. Mills, 24, would be an interesting flier for a team to take. Even if the Texans are open to moving the Stanford alum, no viable offer has emerged.

Two teams who could be interested reside in the AFC East. The Patriots made the surprising choice to waive Bailey Zappe on Tuesday. The 2022 fourth-rounder had generated momentum to potentially even challenge Mac Jones for his job this offseason; no realistic challenge occurred. As of now, Jones is the only QB on New England’s active roster. That will not be the case for too much longer, and the Patriots are believed to be targeting Colt McCoy. Indeed, a veteran QB2 is preferred, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi.

Meanwhile, the Bills placed Matt Barkley on IR on Tuesday, removing him from their regular-season equation. Buffalo rosters only Kyle Allen, who spent most of last season backing up Mills in Houston, behind Josh Allen. Keenum spent the 2022 season in Buffalo, but the Houston alum agreed to terms with the Texans — his original NFL team — on Day 1 of the legal tampering period.

Steelers To Sign CB Desmond King

August 30th, 2023 at 8:18am CST by Sam Robinson

Desmond King did not make the Texans’ 53-man roster, but the veteran cornerback will have another opportunity soon. The Steelers are expected to add King, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The sides have agreed on a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The Steelers will be a fourth team for King. The former Chargers UDFA and All-Pro has spent his career in Los Angeles, Tennessee and Houston. King has spent much of his career in the slot. The Steelers added veteran slot defender Chandon Sullivan this offseason, but it looks like they will bring in more help.

This would require a roster move, as the Steelers set their 53-man squad Tuesday. But teams will be making a host of veteran additions today, as players are moved to IR. In order for players to be eligible for in-season activations from IR, teams must carry them through to their 53-man roster and then shift them to the injured list.

While teams often use post-cutdown-day IR moves to re-sign vested veterans they recently cut, veterans released by other clubs factor into equations as well. King, 28, is a six-year vet who started 25 games for the Texans from 2021-22. Pro Football Focus viewed King’s 2022 season fondly, slotting him 20th overall among corners. King’s value as a tackler helped produce that placement; the Detroit native finished with a career-high (by a substantial margin) 10 tackles for loss last year.

The Steelers obviously go into the season with bigger goals compared to the Texans, who have produced four-, four- and three-win seasons in the 2020s. But Houston is transitioning to a new defensive scheme under DeMeco Ryans. The rebuilding AFC South team is planning to use the recently re-signed Tavierre Thomas in the slot, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets, with Grayland Arnold in that mix as well.

King, who was attached to a two-year deal worth $7MM in Houston, played more than 900 defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. The ex-Charger UDFA has also contributed regularly as a punt returner. He earned first-team All-Pro honors as both a slot corner and punt returner in 2018. Although King has not operated in a return capacity in each of his NFL seasons, he has done so frequently — including over the past two years with the Texans. King returned punts for touchdowns in 2018 and ’19.

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