Training camp 2011 news
 

I ain't got any. You got any?

Here's some (Texan related) news:

Vonta Leach to the Ravens for 3 yrs, 11 million....

Hello, James Casey.

Looks like all draft picks but Watt and Carmichael signed now, they will follow soon I suppose.

Today is mainly physicals and meetings isn't it?

Might be. I imagine the pictures and stories to come rolling in soon....

All the draft picks have been signed according to the chron.com

Nobody asked me but I'm not sold on Casey at FB.

sure not much on practice so far, maybe on evening or nightime news
http://www.kltv.com/story/15181881/t...-training-camp

mostly want to watch defensive at open practice and preseason for progress, but the fullback position will also be interesting to compare, Casey, two UDFA, maybe they will bring in some experinece FB as part of 90 man practice roster as well.

It would be nice to know what their cap situation really is now, if they need to acquire a few more players, perhaps on DL on LB, Punter, so on.

Sounds like no two-adays this year, so all morning practices. Last year those were two hours or so, wonder if with 90 players and one a days, they will go longer than that?

another short training camp update http://www.foxkansas.com/sports/nfl/...FyGPdLSWQ.cspx

first real practice is Saturday night, 8 PM, against NY Jets, here at Reliant it seems.

Former Patriots, A&M end Warren visiting Texans

http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/in...2e67fd68e05730

Sounds like Demeco, Mario, and AJ all healed and ready to go from off season surgery.

And Foster, Breisel, and Studdard are all signed now.

Along with a few more UDFA, defensive tackle Guy Miller, defensive end Scooter Berry and linebacker Matt Marcorelle.

optimism a plenty for now, and we only have like 5th hardest schedule this year where seems past couple years we had hardest season schedule.

Matt Marcarelle - Height / Weight:6-2 / 250
could be a good UDFA signing, Delaware's defense ranks No. 1 in the nation among all NCAA Division I teams (FCS and FBS) in scoring defense, allowing just 11.5 points per game. Blue Hen sixth-year senior linebacker/defensive end Matt Marcorelle ranks among the active leaders in the nation in the FCS classification in three categories (No. 4 in forced fumbles with 7, No. 18 in sacks with 16.5, and No. 11 in tackles for loss with 40.5 - 4th all-time at Delaware).

I think the Texans offensive minds can get creative in ways they can use him though. I'm kind of with you still but let's see!

I like this. Warren as a back up can only help push/teach JJ Watts. I hope they sign him tomorrow.

Casey might be able to play an h-back role, but he is definitely no FB. Our offense will either throw out the power running game and any FB plays we relied on from last year, or someone else will play FB. Casey is a great pass catcher who they are trying to find an NFL position for.

I'd be interested to see all of our short yardage and goaline plays from last year to get a feel for just how important a role Vonta played in the power game. I sure hope that we get a reasonable deal worked out with Vickers, seems like a good fit for both parties.

I don't know if true, I heard that like 80% of NFL teams don't use a FB anymore due to overwhelming passing attack.

And separately heard that Leach was only in on about 34 % of scrimmage plays last year, so even not full time use of FB for Texans.

But we certainly saw hi-lites where FB was used successfully, some big blocks by Leach last year.

Lance Z has these soundbites from the 1st day of camp.

If you click on any, make sure to check out AJ in the first one.... turn your volume up a notch....

This is precisely my thought. I love having him on the field and putting him in different places where he might receive the ball or give the defense another dimension to worry about, but asking him to charge through a hole and clear it out like a real FB, well, think again.

Not sure who's correct, but 38% (i think) was the number that I heard spouted on the radio by Dylan Gwinn on Friday when he was on in Charlie's slot. He was using that to show that the expectations for Foster shouldn't be adjusted based upon losing Vonta.

The reason I was interested in the short yardage and goaline plays in my earlier post is because that's where I see us really missing a true blocking fullback, thus I wanted to review exactly how integral a role he played in those situations.

I'm with Eric, we need to go to more sets that make the defense react with no good options. They go nickle you run, they go big base or big you split out Owen and Casey, then you have fun.

Probably I remembered the 38% wrong.

I guess another similar question might be how did we do so much better last year from years before in the short yardage and goal line situations? or first half of game vs second half of game for offense?

That number could be misleading. Before I take that number to mean Leach's loss isn't that big (what the Texans are spinning), I would ask what % of Foster's yards came on those %38 of the plays. If Foster got 75% of his rushing yards on the 38% of the plays then we have a problem. If he got %38 then not so much. But the number of plays is not suprising or particularly revealing.

just listening to 610 am who are at practice

sounds like 86 guys in camp today, any new or FA players can't practice till Thurs. when new NFL year is set to begin, all CBA negotiations done.

Cushing apparently still rehabbing for up to 6 more weeks.

I think Leach will mainly be missed in those off-tackle plays - Example: Foster's long run against Oakland. When Leach blocked a guy, that guy was out of the play. Casey (or Vickers or whomever) will just have to get sufficiently in the way so Foster can use his skills, which are considerable. I think AF is going to be a marked man this year so the Texans will need to spread the runs around (Ward, Tate) and get creative....

LanceZierlein Lance Zierlein
.@jharrisfootball says JJ Watt is KILLIING IT at practice today

Good to hear that JJ is starting things off with a bang. I hope this continues...

Huh? Where'd this come from? 610?

I must have heard wrong, Chron says he is cleared to practice after knee surgery. maybe just coaches working guys in slowly. sorry on confusion, my likely misinterpretation.

OK, no prob..

I look at it like this, Vontae was an excellent lead blocker, a so-so receiver, and a non-existant run threat. Casey (hopefully) will do acceptably as a run blocker, will be an excellent receiver, and quite possibly a threat to run in certain sets. So we give up something in the run game, and get better in the pass game. An acceptable trade-off.

Fullback
 

Other than Casey, we have R UDFA Justin Bartlett, 6-0, 237, Carrol-Montana, and R UDFA Zack Pauga, 6-1, 246, from the obligatory Colorado State. Maybe we will bring in another vet FB for competition.

Pics

Quotes

The RFA's (Joesph, Manning, even Foster, etc.) can't practice until Aug 4 because of a weird league rule.... but they're out there.....

those are some good quotes and pics

probably lots of pics around, here are 54 more
http://houston.cbslocal.com/photo-ga...ns-camp-day-1/

and a day 1 practice wrapup http://www.houstontexans.com/news/ar...b-f8e1a328211f

Atleast I got the part about Cushing a little bit, so he is recovering and likely back to contact practice in a few days, only walk through and running practice for now.

And a good podcast with Pete Priscoe of CBS Sports making training camp rounds at Texans today.
http://houston.cbslocal.com/2011/08/...er-on-defense/

some more photos http://www.nfl.com/photos/09000d5d82...000d5d82126b7c

McClain_on_NFL John McClain
Andre Johnson suffered a dislocated finger. Gary Kubiak said he hopes Johnson will be back on field this afternoon.


Good news after being worried about him the last couple of hours this morning, not knowing how serious it was.

McClain_on_NFL John McClain
Texans have agreed on a two- year contract with FB Lawrence Vickers.


Yea baby!

Just tweeted from SR 610,



fb Lawrence Vickers former Browns FB signed a 2 year contract. No details given.

McClain_on_NFL John McClain
Vickers' deal is two years, $3 million and &500,000 to sign.


Good value IMO.

Good pics and good reads. As always Arky, thanks for your efforts.

From the chron:

Somehow, I think this is already Vicker's job to lose..

Saw this on a PFT post:

"Per a source with knowledge of the cap numbers, here are the seven teams that were in the red:**** Raiders ($17.3 million), Steelers ($11.5 million), Texans ($8.5 million), Vikings ($5.6 million), Lions ($5 million), Cowboys ($3.7 million), and Panthers ($939,000)."

It will be interesting to see how they chop $8.5MM from the payroll.....by tomorrow......

Article states this is thru Tuesday, so Vickers' deal is probably not included in that figure.

AJ, Ryans and smith redid their contracts