Brandon Hill

Texans Place Case Keenum On Season-Ending IR, Reduce Roster To 53

Several vested veterans hit the chopping block in Houston. Here is how the defending NFC South champions reached 53 today:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on season-ending IR:

Placed on IR/designated for return:

Placed on reserve/non-football illness list:

Placed on reserve/suspended list:

Keenum was headed into the second season of a two-year deal with his original NFL team, but a major injury will sidetrack the veteran arm. A foot injury will sideline the 36-year-old quarterback, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Keenum is expected to be down for three or four months, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds. Houston still has Davis Mills, who is in a contract year, as its top backup behind C.J. Stroud.

A calf injury will shut down Harris for the time being, Wilson adds. The Texans used both their allotted IR-return moves. The team used the 2022 third-round pick as a 12-game starter last season. Harris has played at least 71% of the Texans’ defensive snaps in both of his seasons, explaining his being prioritized via the NFL’s IR rule tweak. Despite being a 2022 UDFA, Hinish has been a key rotational player in Houston in each of his two pro seasons.

Horton is in remission from his bout with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The second-year player completed his final treatment this spring but did not practice with the team during training camp. The Texans’ run of WR cuts leaves 2022 second-rounder John Metchie, who missed his rookie season after a leukemia diagnosis, and Robert Woods on the roster behind starters Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs. Cutting Jordan, a sixth-round pick from Louisville, leaves Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale and Cam Akers rostered behind Joe Mixon.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/22/24

Today’s reserve/futures contracts:

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These ColtsJaguarsTexans and Titans moves are noted below.

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Placed on IR:

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad: 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Tennessee Titans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Released:

Released from IR via injury settlement:

Texans Set 53-Man Roster

The Texans are in the midst of a rebuild, but that doesn’t make their roster decisions any easier. The organization ultimately settled on 53 players today:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Three veteran tight ends were let go in Mason Schreck, Eric Tomlinson, and Nick Vannett. Vannett has the most epxerience of the bunch, having seen time in 86 career games. He spent the 2022 seasons with the Giants and Saints, hauling in six catches. Tomlinson has appeared in 85 career games, including 34 over the past two seasons. He started 12 of his 17 appearances for Denver in 2022, serving mostly as an extra blocker.

Adam Humphries was an 800-yard receiver with the Buccaneers in 2018, but he’s compiled only 985 yards in three years since. He didn’t get into a game during the 2022 season, but he did haul in 41 catches for Washington in 2021.

Rookie Notes: Winston, Shelton, Fowler Jr.

According to a document obtained by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston has filed a counterclaim against Erica Kinsman, the woman who initially sued the rookie for sexual assault.

The player’s lawyers claim the first-overall pick didn’t do anything wrong, and they cite numerous people who have rejected the claim. Furthermore, they say Kinsman launched a “false and vicious media campaign to vilify Mr. Winston with the objective of getting him to pay her to go away.”

Florio opines that the case is “destined to linger in the court system for months” and will ultimately result in a jury trial.

Let’s take a look at some more notes pertaining to this year’s rookies…

  • Danny Shelton, the No. 12 overall pick in this year’s draft, still hasn’t signed with the Browns, but Mary Kay Cabot of Ohio.com says the rookie is close to signing his four-year contract. The reporter notes that Shelton signed an injury protection waiver prior to his initial rookie practice, guaranteeing money in case of injury.
  • Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley confirmed that Dante Fowler Jr. will miss the entire season, tweets Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo. The writer notes that the rookie won’t even attempt to come back towards the end of the season, a la Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram in 2013.
  • Defensive end James Rouse tore his ACL yesterday, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien told ESPN’s Tania Ganguli (via Twitter). The undrafted free agent joined Houston earlier this week.
  • The Bills have brought in quarterbacks Austin Trainor (West Georgia) and Brandon Hill (Monmouth) for tryouts, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW in Buffalo (via Twitter).
  • The Dolphins also have a pair of quarterbacks in for tryouts, according to ESPN.com’s James Walker (on Twitter): rookie Hutson Mason (Georgia) and 2014 undrafted free agent Chase Rettig (Boston College).