Training camp 2013 news

[Arky]

Post your updates here.

[Arky]

Photos from day 1 (http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2013/07/photos-from-texans-training-camp-2/).

[Nconroe]

So, what are main things to look for at open training camp.

[cadams]

For those of you who have been out to training camp practices, any tips for someone going for the first time? i am taking my boy out there for friday's practice.

Thanks.

[Nconroe]

my tips, others might have others -

I like to get there 30 minutes early, around 7:30, exiting Kirby off 610 what I do, D parking lot following signs, left of the stadium.

make sure you have your tickets.

Absolutely no backpacks, bags, purses this year.

dress cool.

lots of people there just like you, take your time

more or less open seating or standing, if early can get in bleachers. I like to stand at the middle of N. end-zone, by goal posts, get a close view from there occasionally.

when you come into practice gates, there are lots of activities for kids(and grownups) before go to the practice area, part of why get there early.

if some fool has a cowboy jersey on , heckle them loudly

somebody makes a great play, cheer loudly

relax and enjoy

[Nconroe]

I went to the open training camp this Tuesday morning.

My opinions follow for today - It was coolest I can remember at training camp this morning, staying in the 80's.

Lots and lots of people there today, I had to park in an overflow parking lot, but wasn't bad to park, just have patience.

From where I was standing by North Goal posts, got to see JJ, Cushing, Andre, Sweringer, Hopkins, actually most of roster and coaches today within say 10-20 yards during first hour of practice.

Overall impression, Dline beat Oline, but WR beat DB's, as a plus, both sides doing ok some of the time. Our Oline has some big players on it.

Goal line offense, passing plays seemed to work consistently well today.

WR - Hopkins seemed to have quite a few excellent catches today, over the middle, wide out, and deep against variety of good tight defense and from a variety of QB.

QB- Keenum looked pretty good overall, so a tough choise on active roster coming.

RB - Tate looked good today after got going, the young guys all had their moments, mostly on sweeps, not up the middle.

Defense - looked like they knew what they were doing out there, whether group 1,2, or 3 at each position group, some tough choices coming, and more training camp and preseason may differentiate, still early.

DB - Keo looked surprizing good to me, lots of progress since last year. He had a good kick return as well.

P - Lechkler can boom that ball, consistently, and into the wind no problem.

sure I forgot things but that's a start. it was fun and cool enough today.

[Keith]

Thanks for the observations! Anyone else in attendance: please add more!

cadams - without kids, I would get a bleacher seat on the top row and squat there for 3 hours, never moving. With kids, they won't sit still that long. Endzone SRO is a good spot. Players will move between fields. While it is good advice to get there at least 30 mins early, usually the first hour or so after is the least interesting to kids. Later in practice (in previous years at least), the team would do more 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 stuff, sometimes a 2-min drill.

[painekiller]

I decided not to get tickets this year, so no updates from me. I always liked to go the 2nd field and watch the one on ones between the linemen, usually happening while the 7 on 7 is happening on the main field.

[cadams]

thanks to all. i will let you know how it goes

[Nconroe]

I decided not to get tickets this year, so no updates from me. I always liked to go the 2nd field and watch the one on ones between the linemen, usually happening while the 7 on 7 is happening on the main field.

I got one extra ticket for this Thursday morning if you or someone else would like to use it.

There were so many people there today I couldn't get to the middle to view second field very well. But that is a great spot I drift to as well on occasion.

Owen Daniels made a nice catch or two in end zone today during red zone drills.

OL on DL, seemed for stuffing the run the DL was winning. For pass protection seemed OL was winning. That might be what they were told to practice today.

Seems in years before there was a water tent over between field 1 and 2, maybe it was first day, but no water tent today in that area anyways.

Sorry, couldn't find my ITB shirt, so had to buy a Foster T-shirt.

[nunusguy]

Attended this mornings practice and it was disappointing but for a good reason: just too many people there to have the access, even find a view of the action
like it was back in the day when the team was just a struggling pro franchise instead of be a successful NFL team which is a bona fide title contender.
Did get a glimpse of Hopkins on a pass-route and he looks very quick plus also managed to see our steal of the Draft IMO, OT David Quessenberry, and he's a fairly impressive physical specimen.

[painekiller]

I got one extra ticket for this Thursday morning if you or someone else would like to use it.


Thanks for the offer, had some computer issues yesterday and just saw this, so obviously I missed out.

[barrett]

I went yesterday and I agree it was just way too crowded to enjoy it. They hand out twice as many tickets as they should. I was there by 7:15 and didn't come close to the bleachers. I ended up at the front of a group in the endzone that must have been 5-6 deep. I went and got water about an hour in for my son and didn't see anything after that.

From what I did see, Hopkins really impresses me. He looked great coming out of his breaks. He ran a little 7 yard option route in the slot against man coverage and would have scored a long TD in a game setting. He was out of his break and turned up field while Daneal Manning was still breaking. He is a very sudden athlete and a big play threat. He is a "fast in a phone booth" type. He also really attacks the football rather than letting it come to him (this suprised me since I think his football background is somewhat limited for a prospect of his level, being a basketball guy until a few years ago).

I think we have a real player there.

[nunusguy]

I went yesterday and I agree it was just way too crowded to enjoy it. They hand out twice as many tickets as they should. I was there by 7:15 and didn't come close to the bleachers. I ended up at the front of a group in the endzone that must have been 5-6 deep. I went and got water about an hour in for my son and didn't see anything after that.

From what I did see, Hopkins really impresses me. He looked great coming out of his breaks. He ran a little 7 yard option route in the slot against man coverage and would have scored a long TD in a game setting. He was out of his break and turned up field while Daneal Manning was still breaking. He is a very sudden athlete and a big play threat. He is a "fast in a phone booth" type. He also really attacks the football rather than letting it come to him (this suprised me since I think his football background is somewhat limited for a prospect of his level, being a basketball guy until a few years ago).

I think we have a real player there.
Thanks Barrett, I appreciate your elaboration of Hopkins. I was just buried so deep in the crowd standing around the EZ, then there was the Texan players who were standing in front of them and watching but not participating in the scrimmage, I got nothing more than a brief glimpse of Hopkins. But now you are another pair of eyes and you too are saying we may have scored big in this Draft to secure some real help in our passing game, and that's very encouraging.

[Keith]

Set your DVRs for the annual NFL Films 30-min year in review...

ABC-13 in Houston, 5-5:30pm Sat 8/3

...this was supposed to air on ESPN2 at 1:30am earlier this morning, but it was delayed 10 mins and my DVR didn't know that. :mad:


Back on topic...
One of the things I think back to watching camp workouts is that you're watching Texans vs. Texans. Mercilus getting stonewalled by Duane Brown, wait, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Hopkins putting a move on Joseph, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Keep in mind too that the defense knows what the offense is doing and vice versa.

As for the camp attendance, it has soured my willingness to attend for sure. Crowds are now in excess of 5k. Early times the crowds were often 2k... this isn't just because the team is more popular now due to its recent playoff successes. It's because the team is releasing more tickets. There was plenty of demand 10 years ago, but tickets were scarce. Tough to complain about a free ticket, so I'll stop here, but I miss being able to watch camp practices like we did back in the day. /grumpyoldman

[cadams]

Went this morning. Got there at 7 and the crowd was already way too big. Got to watch drills for about 45 min, then hit the fan zone. My son had a blast, but I agree with others about them handing out too many tickets. Security guys said that people were there at 3 am waiting to get in for bleacher seats.

[Nconroe]

Thanks for the offer, had some computer issues yesterday and just saw this, so obviously I missed out.

Ok, one more chance. I have one extra ticket for upcoming Tuesday.

Think I heard 21 guys have bumps and bruises so partially held out today, hopefully none to severe. Tomorrow they get a day off so maybe a few will be back to practice Sunday.

A lot of those out seem to be linebackers for now. Has anyone seen or heard how Trevardo Williams is doing?

And one week till first pre-season game at Minnesota.

[nunusguy]

Ok, one more chance. I have one extra ticket for upcoming Tuesday.

Think I heard 21 guys have bumps and bruises so partially held out today, hopefully none to severe. Tomorrow they get a day off so maybe a few will be back to practice Sunday.

A lot of those out seem to be linebackers for now. Has anyone seen or heard how Trevardo Williams is doing?

And one week till first pre-season game at Minnesota.
I'm hearing up to now he's done zilch, he's very fast but undersized and has performed poorly in one-on-one drills and has done nothing to stand-out. And the other drafted rookie LB Montgomery out of LSU is doing even worse as he reportedly came to TC out of shape and now has suffered a high-ankle sprain which sounds like he's headed for PUP at the very least least, maybe IR.
On the other hand undrafted rookie OLB Willie Jefferson has been very impressive and even beat our top OT Duane Brown in one particular drill.

[HPF Bob]

Lots to chew on here (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/pat-kirwan/23058500/no-reason-why-texans-cant-get-over-the-playoff-hump-this-season)

Thinks Hopkins will be starter, big contributor.

[popanot]

Lots to chew on here (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/pat-kirwan/23058500/no-reason-why-texans-cant-get-over-the-playoff-hump-this-season)

Thinks Hopkins will be starter, big contributor.If there was any lesson learned from last year, it's that they have got to close things out and lock down home field advantage when it's staring them right in the face. To not close out home field last year with virtually a 2 game lead with 3 weeks left was just ridiculous.

[nunusguy]

If there was any lesson learned from last year, it's that they have got to close things out and lock down home field advantage when it's staring them right in the face. To not close out home field last year with virtually a 2 game lead with 3 weeks left was just ridiculous.
And had we beat NE in the playoff-game we would have regained the home-field advantage with the Ravens for the AFC championship after the Broncos lost their playoff-game to them in Denver.

[WMH]

Texans traded Maehl to Philly for OL Nate Menkins.

I'm guessing Wade Smith's injury is more serious than is what is being told.

They tried to sneak Menkins thru waivers last year to put on PS, and didn't work out. Glad to see they got him back without costing them anything. Maehl wasn't going to make this roster.

[Nconroe]

Thought I saw comment where 1st, 2nd and 3rd string OL did good against Vikings.

Maybe Maehl will have a better chance to make team in Philly.

And picked up free agent OLB Elliot Coffey to replace injured frierson on 90 man roster.

[Nconroe]

So Wade Smith had orthoscopic surgery on knee today, not sure when return but could be around start of season.

[Nconroe]

Three interesting things out of training camp to see what happens

1. DeVier Posey likely back to practice off PUP next week. Good.

2. JJ Watt wants to play on goal line offense. Big target.

3. Keenum may play after Schaub against Miami. Even out plays.

[cadams]

the fact that posey is back this quick is really amazing. wonder if he will be close to the same player this year as he was at the end of the season last year?

[Keith]

The Posey news is awesome. I have to admit I was not excited about Keyshawn Martin's play in the first preseason game. Granted, it was one game and it was the preseason, but a healthy Posey to go with Angre Dre and Hopkins sounds pretty awesome.

Re: Watt on offense... could he have success? Sure. He has decent hands to even catch a pass. But at what risk? Save it for the Super Bowl when we're already up 37-3.

[Nconroe]

Still lots of guys starting to come back from injuries. Missing this preseason game however.

Arian Foster is big coming off PUP now, but working toward Sept 9, not likely to play in pre-season.

DeVier Posey apparently in full practice, not clear if he will play yet in preseason.

DeAndre Hopkins still recovering from a concussion, so he likely out till season opener. On what play did he get that concussion anyways?

Wade Smith apparently recovering well on hip surgery, likely not starting till first or second game of season.

Whitney Mercilus likely to start practicing next week, so hope he is ready for season opener.

Tim Dobins is back at practice for ILB position helps depth and special teams.

Ed Reed is seeing his surgeon and expects to be cleared to start workouts this next week maybe.

Probably several more I missed , but this does mean missing several starters against N.O. but they should all be returning fairly soon. And this lets the depth show their capabilities a little more to get that best group of 53.

[Nconroe]

Seems DeAndre Hoptkins has cleared 5 stages of concussion protocol which is good news.

Not clear if he plays a few plays against Cowboys? I'm thinking not.

[WMH]

Seems DeAndre Hoptkins has cleared 5 stages of concussion protocol which is good news.

Not clear if he plays a few plays against Cowboys? I'm thinking not.

I'm hoping not......