HOUSTON – In a series of transactions, the Texans got down to the NFL roster limit of 53 players Tuesday afternoon.
That included cutting veteran wide receiver Chris Conley, tight end Antony Auclair, who missed nearly the entire training camp and preseason with a knee injury, veteran offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, a former first-round draft pick from Texas A&M, and placing defensive end Derek Rivers on injured reserve with a torn biceps.
Recommended Videos
“It is difficult, but in the end there aren’t hard decision to make,” Texans coach Lovie Smith said Monday. “It’s a hard decision if we start making those decisions at the start of training camp, but now we’ve gone through the off season, training camp, preseason. In my first meeting, guys show us who they are. We’re watching everything that you do, so everybody’s had a chance to do that. Now, we’ll make informed decisions based on all of the information you can get, off the field, on the field. I’m excited about where I think we’ll end.”
The Texans have a pending roster move, planning to place rookie tight end Teagan Quitoriano on short-term injured reserve. The Texans have another injured player to make a decision on: cornerback Tavierre Thomas, who’s dealing with a pulled quadriceps that could sideline him for the first game of the season.
The Texans have just four wide receivers on their current roster: Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, Chris Moore and Phillip Dorsett.
They rank third on the NFL waiver priority order, so they could add a wide receiver that way or sign one as a free agent.
“This will be our approach throughout,” Smith said. “We’re going to set our roster, but were always looking to improve. Improving our ball club is constant. Are there areas where we know what we have here but, yes, we’re looking to see who else is out there, available too? That’s a part of it. We have an excellent personnel staff working tirelessly behind the scenes. In the end, we’ll know what we need to do.”
They have eight linebackers on the roster: Christian Kirksey, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Christian Harris, Garret Wallow, Neville Hewitt, undrafted rookie Jake Hansen, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Blake Cashman.
The Texans’ biggest moves were cutting former Indianapolis Colts 1,000-yard rusher Marlon Mack and trading former second-round defensive tackle Ross Blacklock, a former Elkins High and TCU standout, and a seventh-round draft pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick and cutting former starting left offensive guard and second-round draft pick Max Scharping.
The Texans placed the following players on waivers: safety Grayland Arnold, wide receiver Jalen Camp, wide receiver Drew Estrada, defensive back Jacobi Francis, tight end Seth Green, wide receiver Johnny Johnson III, center Jimmy Morrissey, international player Adedayo Odeleye, fullback Paul Quessenberry, Scharping, offensive linemen Jordan Steckler and Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms and wide receiver Connor Wedington.
The Texans released the following veteran players: tight end Antony Auclair, safety Terrence Brooks, wide receiver Chris Conley, quarterback Jeff Driskel, running back Marlon Mack, defensive end Demone Harris, offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis, a former starter, tight end Mason Schreck and cornerback Isaac Yiadom.
All of the Texans’ draft picks made the roster, including first-round cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., first-round offensive guard Kenyon Green, second-round safety Jalen Pitre, third-round linebacker Christian Harris, fourth-round running back Dameon Pierce, fifth-round tight end Austin Deculus, fifth-round defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV and sixth-round offensive tackle Austin Deculus.
Three undrafted rookies made the 53-man roster: defensive tackle Kurt Hinish, fullback Troy Hairston and linebacker Jake Hansen.
The Texans waived-injured cornerback Kendall Sheffield.
Informing players they’ve been cut from the team is always a difficult experience.
“That’s tough,” Smith said. “You feel for guys. I’m looking forward to all of the conversations because we all started at the same spot, and when you signed up for this, you knew this was a part of it too. It’s never any fun when you tell someone that we’re going a different direction.
“If they’ve done everything they’re supposed to do and they can play, there’s 32 teams. I haven’t only been at one team. If you’re a good coach or you’re a good player, there will be a spot for you somewhere.”
Throughout the day, KPRC 2 Sports Contributor Aaron Wilson broke the news of players being cut one by one. You can read more about the individual players below.
Texans cut Cedric Ogbuehi
The Texans are cutting offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi to a one-year contract, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly.
Texans rookie offensive lineman Austin Deculus, a sixth-round draft pick from LSU, made the 53-man roster.
Ogbuehi, 6′5″, 306 pounds, is a former Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft pick from Texas A&M.
He played for Texans offensive line coach George Warhop previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bengals declined the fifth-year option on Ogbuehi and he came a free agent in 2019.
Ogbuehi has also played for the Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans.
He has played in 60 games with 57 career starts.
Texans cut Jalen Camp and Johnny Johnson, III
The Texans cut wide receivers Jalen Camp and Johnny Johnson III, per league sources.
Camp caught a touchdown pass against the New Orleans Saints and honored rookie wide receiver John Metchie III with a celebration reminiscent of his crane kick pose he would do after touchdowns at Alabama.
Johnson caught a touchdown against the Saints, too.
He’s a former undrafted free agent from Oregon.
Camp and Johnson are regarded as candidates for the practice squad.
Texans traded defensive tackle Ross Blacklock to Vikings
The Texans moved on from former second-round draft pick Ross Blacklock, trading the defensive tackle and a seventh-round selection to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick, according to a league source.
“It’s hard,” the Elkins graduate said in a telephone interview after the trade. “This is always going to be home for me. The trade, it is what it is. It’s an opportunity to go to another place. I’m excited to take it forward and go to Minnesota.”
The former TCU standout played in 29 games for the Texans, starting three games and recorded 36 career tackles. He had a career-high two sacks last season with one forced fumble. He had four quarterback hits. Blacklock has always had the talent, but didn’t put it all together during his time with the Texans. He is expected to a popular target on waiver claims.
As a rookie, Blacklock was ejected from a game against the Baltimore Ravens and drew a stinging rebuke from former teammate J.J. Watt.
The son of former Harlem Globetrotters player and coach Jimmy Blacklock didn’t have a lot of highlights as a rookie. A former All-Big 12 Conference selection, Blacklock played in 15 games with one start and finished with 14 tackles, one for a loss and two quarterback hits. His playing time was relatively limited. Operating in a rotation, Blacklock played 255 plays for just 23 percent of the overall defensive snaps.
During his final season at TCU before declaring early for the draft, Blacklock recorded 40 tackles, nine for losses and 3 ½ sacks. A former freshman All-American and Big 12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year, Blacklock overcame a torn Achilles as a sophomore and finished his career with 67 tackles, 15 ½ for losses and 5 ½ sacks.
The Texans acquired a sixth-round draft pick in exchange for Blacklock and a seventh-round draft pick going to the Vikings, per a league source.
Texans cut Max Scharping
The Texans are cutting former second-round draft pick Max Scharping, a former starting left offensive guard, per a league source.
Scharping had been eclipsed on the depth chart by first-round draft pick Kenyon Green and Justin McCray this preseason.
Scharping, a former All-Mid-American Conference selection and Senior Bowl selection from Northern Illinois, is expected to be a popular target on waivers.
The 6-foot-6, 327-pound Green Bay, Wisconsin native has played in 47 career games with 33 starts.
He started the final 14 games of his rookie season in 2019.
Texans cut Marlon Mack
The Texans are cutting veteran running back Marlon Mack, according to a league source.
Mack was outperformed by impressive fourth-round rookie running back Dameon Pierce.
A former 1,000-yard rusher with the Indianapolis Colts who tried to resurrect his career with the Texans, Mack showed occasional flashes of his old explosive form. He also displayed some hesitation at times.
He was limited to 32 carries, and 127 yards over the past two years due to a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the first game of the 2020 season,
After rushing for a combined 1,999 yards and 17 touchdowns across 2018 and 2019, Mack made a full recovery by last year. By then, though, he was behind Jonathan Taylor, a gifted All-Pro runner who rushed for an NFL-high 1,811 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Mack requested a trade, but nothing materialized. As a free agent, he signed a one-year, $2 million contract that included a $250,000 signing bonus to join the Texans.
Texans cut Kevin Pierre-Louis
The Texans cut veteran linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis, according to a league source.
In the offseason, the Texans reduced his salary in a restructured deal to $2.4 million with $1.2 million of it guaranteed. Pierre-Louis was originally due $3.5 million under a two-year, $8 million contract.
Pierre-Louis was limited to eight games and one start due to a positive test for coronavirus in addition to a hamstring injury that forced him to be placed on injured reserve. He had 10 tackles last season.
Pierre-Louis played in 13 games two seasons ago for the Washington Football Team and recorded 56 tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and two passes defensed.
Texans cut Connor Wedington
The Texans cut wide receiver Connor Wedington, per a league source.
He was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason.
Wedington is a former undrafted free agent from Stanford where he was teammates with Texans starting quarterback Davis Mills.
Texans release Mason Schreck
The Texans released veteran tight end Mason Schreck, per a league source. He is a strong candidate to join the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Schreck caught a touchdown pass in a preseason victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Schreck has played in 23 career games with one start for the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s a former seventh-round draft pick from the University of Buffalo.
Schreck (6-foot-5, 252 pounds) is an Ohio native and a former high school quarterback. He played in one game last season for the Bengals.
Texans cut Tristin McCollum
McCollum is a rangy former Sam Houston State standout. The Texans would like to bring back the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder for their practice squad if he clears waivers.
Texans cut Jordan Steckler
The Texans cut reserve offensive lineman Jordan Steckler, per a league source.
Steckler is a candidate to join the Texans’ practice squad and was a part of their practice squad last season.
Texans cut Paul Quessenberry
The Texans cut fullback Paul Quessenberry, per a league source. Quessenberry had a strong preseason, as did rookie fullback Troy Hairston. Hairston and Quessenberry were competing for the starting fullback job.
Texans cut Grayland Arnold
The Texans are cutting safety Grayland Arnold, per a league source. Arnold had a sack in the preseason on a blitz against the Rams. Arnold had a strong preseason and is a candidate to be claimed off waivers. The former Baylor standout has made steady improvement over the past year.
Source: Texans cut Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
The Texans cut veteran offensive lineman Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms, per a league source.
Wallace-Simms joined the team this offseason.
Source: Texans cut Kendall Sheffield
The Texans are cutting veteran cornerback Kendall Sheffield, according to a league source.
He was claimed off waivers this offseason from the Atlanta Falcons. Sheffield is a former Falcons fourth-round draft pick from Ohio State.
He’s heading into the final year of a four-year, $3.3 million rookie contract. He’s due a $965,000 base salary.
Sheffield had four tackles in nine games in 2021 with no interceptions.
A Thurgood Marshall graduate and Missouri City native, Sheffield has 101 career tackles.
Source: Texans released Demone Harris
The Texans released veteran defensive end Demone Harris, per a league source.
Harris had a strong preseason, but defensive end is one of the Texans’ deepest positions.
A former undrafted free agent from the University of Buffalo, Harris (6-foot-4, 272 pounds) was a Burlsworth Trophy nominee and second-team all-conference selection. A three-year starter, he had 55 tackles, five sacks and seven quarterback hurries as a senior.
He has played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. Harris has run the 40-yard dash in 4.77 seconds.
Source: Texans cut Jeff Driskel
The Texans cut veteran quarterback Jeff Driskel and have plans to bring him back in some capacity, per a league source.
Driskel had two game-winning touchdown passes during the preseason and the team likes his athleticism. He’s a former Denver Broncos starter who was with the team last year and briefly was moved to tight end and broke his collarbone on special teams against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Source: Texans cut Terrence Brooks
The Texans have released safety Terrence Brooks after signing him to a one-year, $2 million contract, according to a league source.
Brooks, 30, is a former Baltimore Ravens third-round draft pick from Florida State.
He played in 11 games last season for the Texans and had 20 tackles, no interceptions and one pass deflection. He was previously with the New England Patriots and New York Jets.
Source: Texans cut Seth Green
The Texans are cutting undrafted rookie tight end Seth Green, a former University of Houston player, per a league source.
Source: Texans waive Jimmy Morrissey
The Texans are waiving center Jimmy Morrissey, per a league source. He could rejoin the team’s practice squad. He could also be a candidate for waiver claims given the lack of depth at position around the league.
The Texans open the regular season against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 11 at NRG Stadium. You can view the full schedule for the season here. They’ll have seven games before the trade deadline on Nov. 1.
Aaron Wilson is a Pro Football Network reporter and a contributor to KPRC 2 and click2houston.com