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I was kind of worried this guy was going to hold out, signed just in time for the workouts.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5907153.html
Texans draft choice Duane Brown agrees to 5-year deal
After an all-night negotiating session, the Texans have avoided the second official holdout in franchise history.
Left tackle Duane Brown, the first-round draft choice, agreed to a five-year, $11.5 million contract early today. If he signs in time to make the morning practice, Brown won't be an official holdout.
Defensive tackle Travis Johnson missed a day in 2005 when he was the first pick to become the team's only holdout. General manager Rick Smith and agents Ken Landphere and Andy Ross negotiated through the night to get the deal done so Brown, who played at Virginia Tech, in training camp on time.
As soon as he arrived in Houston, Brown, the 26th pick in the first round, was inserted into the starting left tackle job ahead of veteran Ephraim Salaam.
I was kind of worried this guy was going to hold out, signed just in time for the workouts.
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/St...?STORY_ID=4414
Texans make roster moves
The Texans announced Tuesday that they have signed their two third-round draft picks, cornerback Antwaun Molden and running back Steve Slaton, and fifth-round defensive tackle Frank Okam.
Molden (6-1, 198) was the 79th selection in the 2008 NFL Draft from Eastern Kentucky. He was the fifth non-Division 1A player drafted by the Texans and the second in as many years. Houston picked wide receiver Jacoby Jones out of Division II Lane College in the third round in 2007.
During OTAs, Molden impressed coached with his speed and instincts off the ball. He could see immediate playing time at the beginning of the season as starter Dunta Robinson works to come back from knee and hamstring surgeries.
Molden started his college career at Toledo before transferring to Eastern Kentucky in 2005. The cornerback totaled 155 tackles (94 solos) and 4.5 stops for losses of eight yards. He also intercepted three passes and recovered three fumbles. As a senior in 2007, Molden finished fifth on the team with a career-high 72 tackles (43 solos), 2.5 tackles for loss, nine passes defensed, a fumble recovery and two interceptions.
"One of the things I take pride in is being able to stop the run. But this league is about getting to the quarterback, so I want to help Mario (Williams) and Amobi (Okoye) take on blockers so they can have their one-on-one’s." - Frank Okam
Slaton (5-9, 197) was the 89th selection in the draft and was the second-highest drafted running back in the team’s draft history. The only back Houston drafted higher than Slaton was Vernand Morency, who was the 73rd overall pick in 2005.
Slaton left West Virginia after his junior season but still ranks third in the school’s history with 3,923 rushing yards. He holds the Mountaineer record for career rushing touchdowns with 50 and he set the school single-season rushing record with 1,774 yards in 2006.
Slaton was the second of two players selected by the Texans in the third round of the draft and will take a lot of repe ions as a third-down back during training camp.
“I want to come in and be a jack of all trades,” Slaton said. "Whatever I can do to help the team out, I’m there to do it.
“The offense here is on the rise and I’m happy to be a part of it. Hopefully, I can contribute a lot. The zone scheme they have here is similar to what I ran in college, so this should be a good transition for me.”
Okam (6-5, 320) was selected 151st in the draft from the University of Texas and is the third Longhorn the Texans have taken in the draft. He joins guard Kasey Studdard, who was taken in the sixth-round of the 2007 draft, and wide receiver Sloan Thomas in 2004.
Okam started 39 games while in Austin. He made 160 tackles (81 solos), 10 sacks and 28 stops for losses of 109 yards. The defensive tackle also posted 46 quarterback pressures and gained 13 yards with a touchdown on five fumble recoveries.
As a senior, Okam was selected as first-team All-Big 12 by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and garnered second-team honors from the Associated Press, Austin American-Statesman and Big 12 coaches. He started all 13 games at defensive tackle, helping the team rank sixth in the nation in rush defense (93.38 ypg). He recorded a career-high 52 tackles (25 solos) with five sacks for minus-50 yards.
“It’s a life dream that has become a reality, but I’m ready to focus on the task at hand, which is training camp,” Okam said.
“My biggest asset is my size, being 6-5 and over 300 pounds. One of the things I take pride in is being able to stop the run. But this league is about getting to the quarterback, so I want to help Mario (Williams) and Amobi (Okoye) take on blockers so they can have their one-on-one’s. I just want to help the defensive line and make this team a better team.”
To make room on the roster, the Texans have released fullback Jon Abbate, defensive tackle Eric Powell and guard/tackle Charles Spencer, who has battled a serious leg injury since 2006.
Hopefully Molden turns out to be a decent DB.
Yeah I agree because im afraid that Dunta will never be the same after his injury. I hope im wrong but knee injury is bad.
He will never be the same. His thigh muscle was ripped completely off the bone or some like that. It sucks because he had potential to be a top tier CB.
At least Fred Bennett emerged as a solid CB. I'm interested to see how he does in his second season.
Yes I agree but his height limited him but he was smart and very aggressive. He will still be good I just hope they dont rush him.
Yeah I was impressed by him, so hopefully he kicks ass and and our rookie does well. If that happens we wont have to count on Jacques Reeves. Where did dallas have him on def? Was he the 2nd db? I wont mind using him in a Nickel or Dime Package but not on single coverage.
He will probably be the #1 CB, which sucks because Reeves is . Bennett will be the #2 and hopefully Molden can be our nickleback. This will leave that piece of gins to Dime coverage only.
Hopefully our D-Line can get enough pressure on the QB and that will help the secondary out a lot. If not they are screwed.
Yeah because our safeties are crap too!!
Brown the big focus as Texans open camp
http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2008/07/b...as_texans.html
Through the first half of the Texans' morning practice, most of the attention centered on rookie left tackle Duane Brown. And he wasn't even there.
While his teammates practiced, general manager Rick Smith and director of football administration Chris Olsen negotiated with his agents. Brown waited patiently for them to work out the language in the five-year deal he agreed on at 6:15 a.m. With 40 minutes left in the first of two practices Thursday, Brown was carted to the field. Then he jogged the rest of the way to his position drill with the offensive linemen.
Brown, the first-round pick who is ticketed to start at left tackle, signed a $9.1 million contract that could pay him as much as $11.5 million if he reaches his incentives. It includes $6.2 million in guaranteed money. The coaches expect him to earn every penny.
From the time the Texans drafted Brown, the coaches expected him to be the starter ahead of veteran Ephraim Salaam. When he arrived at practice, Brown did the same thing he did through most of the minicamp and organized team activities — went against defensive end Mario Williams.
It's going to be fun watching Brown compete against Williams every day in camp. Their one-on-one battles should make Brown better. How much better remains to be seen.
• • •
Running back Chris Brown, who signed as a free agent after playing five years at Tennessee, wasn't on the practice field Thursday. He had an unexcused absence, meaning he'll probably be fined. Brown elected to attend a family wedding.
Brown's absence gave more repe ions to veterans Ahman Green, Chris Taylor and Darius Walker as well as to rookie Steve Slaton. Running back is one of the most compe ive positions on the team. Because Green, Brown and Taylor are coming off seasons in which they suffered injuries, the compe iton is wide open and could end up with the Texans keeping four of them rather than the usual three.
• • •
Receiver Andre Johnson showed his teammates and coaches that he is, indeed, 100 percent recovered from the arthroscopic knee surgery he underwent after the May minicamp.
Johnson, who had been running routes for quarterback Matt Schaub before camp, got behind defensive backs C.C. Brown, Will Demps and Fred Bennett to make a magnificent catch on a long pass down the sideline. Schaub's pass was perfectly thrown. Watching that play made me wonder how good they can be if both are healthy this season.
the quest for .500
That quest was accomplished last year. The quest for 1+ .500 is what you probably meant.
It's tough to repeat such a feet of skill.
More like, the quest to finish higher than last place in the division, am I right?
I would like to see Okam do well.
I'm looking for Darius Walker to make some noise.
I'm a Notre Dame homer, what can I say?
If they don't get 10 wins this season, they never will.
I have no doubt they will be 3rd in their division.
They would've had 10 wins last season if they stayed healthy. But if they don't get to 10 wins this season will be a huge disappointment.
Texans practice notes and observations July 28, 2008 1:57 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Ahman Green (30) runs during a training camp workout Saturday.
HOUSTON -- I watched the Texans practice in pads this morning with the intention of answering the most popular question I've fielded from Houston fans: How do the running backs and the running game look?
I'll go chronologically through my notes, and hope to offer some tidbits that qualify as answers.
During positional work, D-line coach Jethro Franklin told his charges that Sunday they started well and finished poorly. If they are going to be inconsistent, he pleaded, he wants that pattern reversed and prefers a big finish.
• Alex Gibbs, the assistant head coach who's basically the run game coordinator, and John Benton, the offensive line coach, finished one period working exclusively with guards and centers -- eight guys in all. That's a 1:4 coach-to-player ratio, an impressive number for a practice in July. It has to help the learning curve.
Gibbs isn't as loud as the last time I watched him work, during Atlanta practices in Nashville a few years ago. But the intensity is the same. He offered small reviews on every little thing to multiple guys after each snap, at a breakneck pace.
• In a team period, a 9-on-7 period and a red-zone team period, I did my best to keep track of the touches of the four running backs who worked. Chris Brown was out with back issues.
Rookie Steve Slaton had 10, Ahman Green (the starter) and Chris Taylor had seven and Darius Walker had six. There seemed to be an effort to keep them all involved, a good mix of inside and outside stuff and a decent number of pass-catching chances. While some of Slaton's came at the end of each period with second- or third-teamers, I felt like they all got some chances with the ones on offense.
Two bad moments of note for Walker: On a play-action, check-down in a team period, he seemed very timid as he collected a short pass in the middle of the field. While he may have been expecting a lick, he lost a chance at additional yards as no one arrived immediately. On one bad play in 9-on-7, Walker got folded in half by safety C.C. Brown.
Chester Pitts told me Sunday the Texans are doing a better job of using the whole field in the run game, and I could see that is the case. It looks like everyone involved in the run game is making progress with the new zone-blocking scheme, though obviously the offensive line isn't cut-blocking teammates. I'll have another entry further addressing some of that soon.
• Matt Schaub was 4-for-5 in his first run through in 7-on-7 passing, hitting Owen Daniels on a nice midrange ball but overthrowing Green up the right side when the back had a half-step on linebacker Morlon Greenwood. Sage Rosenfels was 1-for-3 with a drop and a throw-away. Later in a team period, what I thought was Schaub's deepest throw of the day didn't make it to Andre Johnson as rookie cornerback Antwaun Molden stayed with him up the left side and broke it up. Offense was heavy on short stuff passing-wise. Based on it being my second padded practice, I can't tell you if that's a trend or was just the way the morning unfolded.
• I felt like Daniels did the most damage receiving-wise, pulling in a handful of midrange passes. He was a big part of last year's offense. He should be a bigger part of this year's. More to come on him. If you don't like to spend high fantasy picks on Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez, get a read on where Daniels is being drafted and take him a round earlier. [Disclaimer you'll see often: I never win my league.]
• Johnson didn't have a lot of balls come his way, but when they did, you can see how smooth he is. He just carries himself, runs and moves like a top-flight receiver.
• Play of the practice: linebacker Chaun Thompson made an excellent leaping grab in front of Daniels inside the 5-yard line near the boundary in red-zone work. A very pretty interception. I didn't write down who threw it, but as it was the fifth play of a period that lasted about 20, I suspect it was Schaub.
When the entire team was gone, DeMeco Ryans and Rosenfels were still around doing interviews. (Thanks to both.) Molden and fellow corner Derrick Roberson were the last two players on the field working, catching balls shot out of a Jugs machine.
I hope that provides some insight. I can't always look for everything you ask about, but when I have the opportunity to watch a session start to finish, I will certainly try to concentrate on the most frequently asked questions or some that are especially unique.
Texans should get to 10 wins this year (if completely healthy). They would have at least, too, and almost had 9 wins (the almost ans comeback).
I like this team this year.
I feel optimistic.
AJ is healthy.
I wonder how our running game will pan out and how many games Green will be able to start and be healthy. We have a nice arsenal with RB's and that will be interesting what occurs.
Molden is someone to keep an eye on.
The D looks very promising.
I am excited this year.
I look at their schedule and I don't see 10 or even 9 wins.
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