HEADLINES

Cade Stover

Texans Waive WR Diontae Johnson

January 14th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Diontae Johnson‘s latest NFL gig has proven to be short-lived. The Texans waived the veteran wideout today, per a team announcement. In another roster move, tight end Cade Stover has been placed on injured reserve.

This continues an astoundingly eventful year for Johnson, who entered the 2024 offseason as one of the NFL’s top route runners and as a player who could have commanded considerable value in free agency — once he reached that point. A year later, a receiver who had been attached to a two-year, $36.7MM contract has torpedoed his value by wearing out his welcome everywhere he has gone. And he has now traveled to many NFL cities.

A fourth team has now given up on him in a 10-month span. Traded from the Steelers and Panthers, Johnson has now seen the Ravens and Texans waive him. Two teams — the Texans and Chargers — claimed Johnson once Baltimore moved on last month. Johnson, 28, now appears headed to free agency. It is difficult to overstate the damage the sixth-year wideout has done to his NFL stock.

Following the Texans’ wild-card rout over the Chargers, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports Johnson was visibly upset and needed to be calmed down by teammates. Issues with his usage, the theme of his Baltimore tenure, resurfaced in Houston.

Johnson played 16 offensive snaps for the Texans, who used the former Steelers target commander on 22 plays against the Titans. Johnson caught one pass for 12 yards against the Bolts; he snared two passes for 12 yards against the Titans in Week 18. This usage reminded of the role the Ravens gave the depressed asset, and Johnson has voiced considerable displeasure about this participation downturn.

It should be expected Johnson will generate internal discussions from teams who need receiver help for 2025, but anything beyond a one-year “prove it” deal seems unrealistic at this point. Johnson’s regular production with the Steelers aside, it will be difficult for teams to divorce that from his tumultuous 2024 season. Johnson still resembled his Pittsburgh version in Carolina, averaging 51 yards per game (30 catches, 357 yards); that is in line with some of his lower-octane Steelers seasons. But he has either wanted to leave teams (Steelers, Panthers) or seen them move on from him (Ravens, Texans). That will be a tough sell for personnel departments moving forward.

Johnson had wanted the Texans to trade for him at the deadline, but the Ravens did so instead. The former Steelers third-round find griped about his playing time in Baltimore and eventually refused to enter a Ravens-Eagles game, leading to a suspension. After that one-game ban, the Ravens did not activate him for their Week 16 game against the Giants. Days later, Baltimore waived the sunk cost. While Johnson was connected to the Chargers and Chiefs, the Texans swooped in with a claim. DeMeco Ryans had praised Johnson as recently as last week. Ditto Joe Mixon, via Wilson. None of it ultimately mattered, and the former 1,100-yard Ben Roethlisberger target will seek a fifth NFL home soon.

The Texans have not seen C.J. Stroud take a step forward after his breakthrough rookie season, but in the 2023 No. 2 overall pick’s defense, he lost his No. 2 and No. 3 receivers — Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell — for the season. Dell’s injury, a severe knee setback that required ambulance transportation from Arrowhead Stadium in Week 16, prompted the Johnson claim. The Texans, however, used Robert Woods, John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson in front of Johnson in the wild-card round. That trio will again complement Nico Collins as the Texans aim to derail the Chiefs’ threepeat bid Saturday.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

NFL Injury Updates: Lions, Nubin, Stover

December 15th, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

The Lions spent Sunday afternoon going blow-for-blow with the Bills, combining for the highest-scoring performance in the NFL this season. They ended up falling just short of Buffalo, and that loss compounded with a number of injuries to make this a rough day for Detroit.

The first such injury occurred when cornerback Khalil Dorsey appeared to suffer a serious leg injury. He was carted off the field with the injured leg in an air cast. Per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, head coach Dan Campbell told the media after the game that Dorsey’s injury was similar to what happened to Aidan Hutchinson. In short, Dorsey is not expected to play again in the 2024 NFL season.

Additionally, today’s game saw defensive tackle Alim McNeill and cornerback Carlton Davis depart with injuries, as well. McNeill left the field with a knee injury and, after a visit in the blue medical tent, was carted off to the locker room, while Davis suffered a jaw injury. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Campbell relayed that “he doesn’t feel good about the chances” of either player returning this year.

If all three players are placed on injured reserve, they would join 18 other players on IR. They would up the number of defensive players on IR from 13 to 16. The Lions have overcome incredible adversity so far this year and still currently hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Here are some updates on a couple other injuries around the NFL:

  • We mentioned earlier this week that Giants rookie starting safety Tyler Nubin would miss the rest of the season on IR with an ankle injury. Per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, head coach Brian Daboll believes that Nubin’s injury will probably require ankle surgery. This means that Nubin will likely spend most of the offseason working to recover in time for the 2025 season.
  • The Texans needed to elevate practice squad tight end Irv Smith today as rookie fourth-round tight end Cade Stover was a surprise scratch from today’s game. Stover logged the first absence of his NFL career due to an emergency appendectomy performed last night, according to Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN. Stover is expected to make a full recovery.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/24

May 9th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

As a number of teams prepare for rookie minicamps this weekend, Thursday has represented a signing day of sorts for rookie draftees. Here is the latest batch of mid- and late-rounders to sign their four-year rookie deals:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

  • T Travis Clayton (seventh round, England)

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

  • QB Spencer Rattler (fifth round, South Carolina)
  • WR Bub Means (fifth round, Pittsburgh)
  • LB Jaylan Ford (fifth round, Texas)
  • DT Khristian Boyd (sixth round, Northern Iowa)
  • T Josiah Ezirim (seventh round, Eastern Kentucky)

New York Giants

Tennessee Titans

Texans Acquire No. 123, Select Ohio State TE Cade Stover

April 27th, 2024 at 12:18pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles have made yet another trade. Philly is sending No. 123 to the Texans for No. 127 and a 2025 fifth-round pick, per Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano.

Houston has used their new pick on tight end Cade Stover. The Ohio State product is the eighth TE off the board, including the fifth of the fourth round.

The six-foot-four, 255-pound tight end had productive 2022 and 2023 seasons at Ohio State, combining for 77 receptions, 982 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns.

The Texans continue to add to their offense. Besides the team’s headline-grabbing Stefon Diggs trade, the team has also signed lineman David Sharpe and drafted lineman Blake Fisher. Now, they’ll be adding Stover to a depth chart that is led by veteran Dalton Schultz.