HOUSTON – As Noah Brown walks down the hallways of NRG Stadium before crossing the bridge on Kirby Drive to the Texans’ practice fields, he’s part of a collective.
The Texans have assembled arguably the most talented combination of wide receivers in the NFL.
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That includes Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, $75 million man Nico Collins and elusive former University of Houston star Tank Dell. When fully healthy and on his game, Brown is capable of piling up big plays and numbers to rival his high-profile teammates.
“Oh, man, it’s the best receiver room I’ve been in since I’ve been in the league,” said Johnson, a former Dallas Cowboys seventh-round draft pick from Ohio State. “And it’s full of great guys who want to compete, want to see each other do well. So, it’s been a fun time.”
Firmly established as the fourth option behind Diggs, Collins and Dell, Brown is enjoying the camaraderie and sharing of knowledge amongst a position group coached by receivers coach and passing game coordinator Ben McDaniels.
There’s a spirit of sharing between the receivers, which also includs John Metchie III, Robert Woods, Ben Skowronek and Xavier Hutchinson.
“All the time,” Brown said. “I think that’s one of the things about our room. We have a good mix of young guys and a good mix of guys with a lot of experience and we’re always bouncing things off each other, ‘Hey, what do you see here on this route? What do you see here?’ And I think it’s really elevated our room.”
On a #Texans team filled with talented wide receivers, Noah Brown is one of them. Fully recovered from torn labrum suffered in playoffs against Browns, he caught 33 passes for 567 yards and two touchdowns last season as he averaged 17.2 yards per reception @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/HLHHxs2N19
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 23, 2024
In particular, Diggs’ high-octane personality has provided a boost to the receiving corps. He’s an emotional, passionate athlete.
“First thing with Stefon, I’d say his energy,” Brown said. “Every day he comes out, he’s chirping, he’s got something to talk about, but it’s not fake. It’s something that he believes in and something that he shows every day since he’s been here, so it’s something I appreciate.”
A year ago, Brown endured a lot of painful injuries while flashing his skill as a big-play threat in his first season with the Texans. He averaged 17.2 yards per reception despite suffering a transverse process fracture in his back in two places, a torn labrum in his shoulder that required surgery and a groin injury as he finished the season on injured reserve.
“It’s been good to shake back off the injury I had at the end of last year, come out here full-go and make some plays,” said Brown, who was sidelined during offseason practice sessions. “It’s been exciting to get back out here with the guys.”
Brown finished last season with 33 catches for 567 yards and two touchdowns. He got hurt in a wild-card playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns.
Brown was a key contributor in a pair of November wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals. During a two-game span, he caught 13 passes for 325 yards and one 75-yard touchdown on 14 targets. He averaged a staggering 25 yards per catch as the Texans improved their record to 5-4 before going on to win the AFC South division title.
“Noah, he’s always been a very consistent guy,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Every rep that he’s taken, he’s tough, he finishes, he plays the right way. And he’s just consistent. You know what you’re going to get out of Noah every time he steps on the field.”
Brown was signed to a deal that includes $3 million guaranteed with a $1 million signing bonus, a fully guaranteed $2 million salary with $58,824 per game active roster bonus up to $1 million along with a $1 million playtime and catches incentive.
Brown was placed on injured reserve twice last season for the Texans, but was productive when he was healthy. He didn’t practice Tuesday, wearing a red non-contact jersey, but it didn’t appear to be anything serious.
He has displayed a penchant for one-handed sideline catches, flashing his body control and athleticism.
“I mean, it did happen pretty quick,” Johnson said of one of his notable sideline grabs. “But I honestly made that catch probably a little harder than I had to. I looked up for the ball late and it was on me, so I had to react. But it’s just what comes with the game, trying to make a play.”
“It’s just feel. Just, you know where you’re at on the field. You know what route you’re in and where you started, so you figure you’ve got to be close to the sideline, let me get my feet down.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com