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Nico Collins

Texans Activate WR Nico Collins, DE Jerry Hughes From IR

November 10th, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 10: Despite his activation from injured reserve, Collins is inactive for the Texans’ Sunday night matchup with the Lions. He is expected to play in Week 11, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC, but did not participate in practice enough this week.

NOVEMBER 9: In three of their last four games, the Texans have failed to pass for more than 176 yards. Those passing struggles can in part be attributed to injuries in the receiving corps and in part are the reason for two losses in those four games. Luckily for second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, he’ll get one of his favorite targets back as the Texans activate wide receiver Nico Collins from injured reserve.

After two solid years for a third-round pick to start his career, Collins broke out last season with a monster 1,297-yard, eight-touchdown season. Collins was on track to improve on those numbers this year, averaging a league-leading 113.4 yards per game through his first five games of the season before suffering a hamstring injury that landed him on IR. Fellow wide receiver Stefon Diggs followed soon after with a season-ending ACL tear, further hindering a potent Texans passing attack.

Collins is still listed as “questionable” on the injury report heading into tomorrow’s game, but if he’s able to return, he provides a huge upgrade to a receiving corps that currently consists of Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, Robert Woods, and John Metchie. Houston has an impressive hold on the AFC South lead, but a struggling offense had the potential to turn the tables on the season. Gifting Collins back to Stroud might be just what the Texans need to right the ship.

Joining Collins off of IR will be veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes. Hughes was moved to IR over a month ago. After a five-game absence, the 36-year-old veteran will reprise his rotational role behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter along the edge.

The Texans needed to open up a roster spot for the two activations today. To clear space, cornerback D’Angelo Ross was waived from the 53-man roster. Starting the season on the practice squad, Ross was signed to the active roster shortly into the regular season. He’s made two starts in eight game appearances.

Texans Designate WR Nico Collins For Return, Place G Kenyon Green On IR

November 8th, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans’ receiving corps could see a notable boost in time for Week 10. The team announced on Friday that wideout Nico Collins has been designated for return.

Collins now has 21 days to practice before being activated or reverting to season-ending IR. A hamstring injury shut him down for a four-game stretch, interrupting his impressive start to the campaign. The 25-year-old led the NFL in receiving yards at the time of the injury, and Houston’s passing attack has suffered in his absence.

Of course, the Texans’ WR room was dealt another blow recently when Stefon Diggs suffered an ACL tear. The pending free agent will miss the remainder of the season as a result, but Collins being back in the fold would compensate for that to an extent. Houston was optimistic the latter could be back in the fold this week, so today’s move comes as little surprise. It will be interesting to see how involved Collins is in today’s practice and as such what his status is for Sunday night’s contest.

The Michigan product landed an extension this offseason, and he is now attached to a $24.25MM-per-year deal. Collins faces high expectations as a result, but his 113.4 receiving yards per game when healthy this year suggests he is capable of living up to them over the long term. He will reprise his WR1 role once activated, with second-year wideout Tank Dell operating in a key complementary role. The Texans were floated as a potential buyer at the receiver position ahead of the trade deadline, but no moves were made on that front.

Houston was also considered a team to watch with respect to making an addition along the offensive line given the team’s struggles up front. Another reason to be active, of course, was the injury to guard Kenyon Green; the former first-rounder is dealing with a dislocated shoulder and has now officially be placed on injured reserve. After suffering the injury in Week 9, that was the expected outcome. Green could return at some point in the year, depending on his rehab process and how deep of a run the Texans make should they qualify for the postseason.

The team has five IR activations remaining as things stand. That figure will drop to four once Collins is brought back into the fold, but his return will be welcomed on offense as the 6-3 Texans prepare for a primetime matchup against the Lions in their attempt to remain in control of the AFC South.

Texans Not Expected To Add WR

November 2nd, 2024 at 12:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans recently lost wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a season-ending ACL tear. Despite the veteran representing one of the organization’s biggest offseason acquisitions (as well as signifying the organization’s desire to truly contend), the Texans won’t make any reactionary moves to replace the injured star.

[RELATED: Texans’ Stefon Diggs Suffers Torn ACL]

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Texans aren’t expected to make a “big splash” at wide receiver ahead of the trade deadline. Russini’s careful wording seemingly keeps the door open to some kind of WR transaction, but it seems unlikely that the front office will bring in any of the big names that remain available.

This approach could partly be due to the reinforcement the team will soon be receiving in wideout Nico Collins. The Texans are confident the wide receiver will return for the team’s Week 10 showdown with the Lions. If there was any time to add reinforcement, it would have been on Thursday night when the Texans were down to only one top wideout in Tank Dell. That game resulted in a loss, but the Texans can rest easy knowing they’ve already overcome their one-game stint with a decimated depth chart.

When the Texans had all three of their top WRs available, the team was already struggling to give the trio a full workload. Through the first three weeks of the season, Dell never got into more than 70 percent of his team’s offensive snaps; Dell topped that total in all but two of his healthy games in 2023. While the Texans may bring Collins along slowly following his return from a hamstring injury, the team can eventually turn to their duo for a full workload during the stretch run of the season.

Still, the Texans will have to look to the rest of their receivers room to step up with Diggs out of the lineup. Xavier Hutchinson has likely established himself as the team’s third WR, and the Texans also have steady veterans in Robert Woods and John Metchie. Assuming the Texans don’t make an addition to the receivers room, one of those aforementioned wideouts will still be called on to step up.

Texans Confident Nico Collins Will Return For Week 10

November 1st, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Despite a disappointing loss to the Jets, the Texans have reason to be hopeful looking into the future with wide receiver Nico Collins expected to return to the lineup in Week 10.

Collins was placed on injured reserve after injuring his hamstring in Week 5, sidelining him until at least Week 9. The Texans expected him to be “ready to go” after those four weeks off, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

After playing on Thursday night, Houston now has a mini-bye with 10 days before their next game, a Sunday night matchup against the Lions. The team has “great optimism” that Collins will return for that game, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Collins’ return could not come at a better time for a Texans offense that just lost Stefon Diggs to a season-ending ACL tear. Against the Jets, C.J. Stroud only completed 11 of his 30 passing attempts – a career-low 36.7% completion percentage – for 191 yards and zero touchdowns, taking eight sacks in the process. Houston’s lackluster offensive line was certainly a factor in Stroud’s struggles, but he lacked another consistent receiving target outside of Tank Dell.

Despite his lengthy absence, Collins still ranks ninth in the NFL in receiving yards with an average of 113.4 yards per game before his injury. With more than a week to ramp up his participation in practice, the fourth-year receiver should be able to hit the ground running in Week 10.

Diggs’ injury stirred speculation that the Texans could get involved in the NFL’s active wide receiver trade market. Diggs’ 496 receiving yards accounted for 23.1% of Stroud’s production this year, and any setback to Collins would leave Dell and Dalton Schultz – who have combined for just 72.1 yards per game – as the team’s top two targets. No other receiver has more than 100 yards this season, but the Texans feel confident that Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson, and John Metchie can all step up if needed.

However, Houston made “some cursory calls to teams shopping receivers” after Diggs tore his ACL, according to Breer, indicating that they could add a wideout before the deadline if the price is right. A Day 3 pick swap like the Ravens used to acquire Diontae Johnson might bring in enough talent without sacrificing too much future draft capital.

Texans Place Nico Collins On Injured Reserve

October 9th, 2024 at 9:33am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Texans have placed wide receiver Nico Collins on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury suffered in Houston’s Week 5 win over the Bills, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

His absence will be a blow to the Texans offense, but Collins is expected to be back “sooner, rather than later,” according to Rapoport.

Collins is the NFL’s leading receiver with 567 yards through five weeks despite going down in the first quarter last week. Now, he’ll be sidelined until at least Week 9, depriving Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud of his most efficient and explosive offensive weapons.

Houston will lean on its receiver depth to withstand Collins’ absence, starting with offseason acquisition Stefon Diggs. The former Bill started out slow with 70 yards through two games, but he’s averaged 85 yards per game in Weeks 3 to 5 as his chemistry with Stroud improves. He will have to keep up the pace to help replace some of Collins’ production.

The Texans will also be hoping that second-year wideout Tank Dell can recapture some of his explosive rookie form now that he is recovered from the fractured fibula that ended his 2023 season and an offseason shooting. He is only averaging 34.3 yards per game after posting nearly double that last season, which is partially due to Collins’ emergence as an alpha and the arrival of Diggs. Dell could also be dealing with some physical limitations from his fibula surgery; Tony Pollard and Mark Andrews suffered similar injuries in recent years and had to work back up to their Pro Bowl level of play.

Collins’ injury could also mean more opportunities for third-year receiver John Metchie, who sat out his rookie year after a leukemia diagnosis. Metchie has been unable to carve out a role in the Texans offense since returning to the field in 2023, catching just 16 of his 30 targets for 158 yards. He has just one catch for seven yards in 2024 after watching the first three weeks from the sidelines as a healthy scratch. While the Texans are likely to rely on veteran Robert Woods as a known quantity and strong run-blocker, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik could take the opportunity to expand Metchie’s role and help him find his footing in the NFL.

The Texans signed tight end Teagan Quitoriano off the Bears’ practice squad to fill Collins’ spot on the 53-man roster, per Rapoport. Quitoriano was originally a Texans fifth-round pick in 2022 but struggled to stay healthy across his first two seasons. A preseason calf injury ultimately led to Quitoriano’s before the start of the regular season, and the Bears signed him to their practice squad a few weeks later. Now, Quitoriano will return to Houston after his brief stint in Chicago where he will take up a depth tight end role in the Texans’ offense.

Texans, WR Nico Collins Agree To Extension

May 29th, 2024 at 4:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

MAY 29: Further details on the Collins deal are in, courtesy of Wilson. The pact includes guaranteed base salaries in its first two years (including $13.5MM in 2025), with $10MM of his $20MM 2026 salary becoming guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2025 league year. Collins will see the other half shift to a full guarantee in March 2026; the final year includes a non-guaranteed $21.25MM in base compensation.

To maximize the extension’s value, $750K in annual incentives from 2025-27 will need to be met. Collins will earn an additional $250K each for a Pro Bowl selection, recording 95 catches and posting 1,460 yards those seasons. Each year of the pact contains $625K in roster bonuses.

MAY 28: The Texans’ offensive success in 2023 included a breakout year for Nico Collins. The ascending wideout has landed a lucrative new deal as a result.

Collins and the Texans have agreed to a three-year extension, Dianna Russini of the Athletic reports. This pact will keep him on the books through 2027. Providing further details, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes the deal has a base value of $72.75MM which can max out at $75MM. $52MM is guaranteed, and Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 adds Collins will collect a $17MM signing bonus.

The 25-year-old had a modest start to his career as a member of a low-output Texans passing game. Collins nevertheless showcased his potential as a deep threat in particular during that time, and expectations were raised with C.J. Stroud‘s arrival last year. The two formed a productive partnership in 2023, with Collins posting 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns on 80 catches.

With an annual average value of $24.25MM, this agreement is a strong indication the Texans feel Collins can continue to develop into a focal point on offense. The Michigan product was the team’s top option at the receiver position for much of the 2023 season, although Stroud initially showed a strong connection with third-round rookie Tank Dell. The latter’s season-ending injury paved the way for Collins to take on a larger role, and he will now be expected to remain a top producer.

A February report indicated a mutual interest existed between team and player in Collins’ case. Since then, Houston has acquired Stefon Diggs via trade, a move which adds a four-time Pro Bowler to the mix. Diggs has received at least 149 targets in five of the past six years, and it will be interesting to see how he fits in an offense returning Collins, Dell and tight end Dalton Schultz. The Texans signed Schultz to a three-year deal of his own this offseason, and Collins will join him as a member of the team’s long-term offensive plans.

Dell – who is recovering from a minor gunshot wound suffered this offseason – is on the books for three more years via his rookie pact. With he and Stroud under team control for years to come, Houston can afford to make investments such as this one. Diggs is due just over $22.5MM in 2024 before hitting free agency. Especially if he were to depart next year, Collins would comfortably reside as the Texans’ highest-paid receiver.

This deal will slot the former third-rounder into seventh in the NFL in terms of annual average compensation amongst receivers. The top of the market has been on an upward trajectory with recent deals, and number of ascending talents at the position are set to move the bar even higher in the near future. Collins has understandably not moved to the top of the pecking order, but his 2023 production has vaulted him near the league’s top earners at a premium position.

Nico Collins Open To Texans Extension; Latest On Team’s WR Plans

February 26th, 2024 at 11:08am CST by Adam La Rose

A major element of the Texans’ surprise run to the divisional round was an uptick in passing efficiency with C.J. Stroud at quarterback. The play of the Offensive Rookie of the Year helped wideout Nico Collins enjoy a career year, and it could help him land a lucrative extension.

Having played three seasons in the NFL, the latter is now eligible for a second contract. Collins’ value saw a major spike over the course of the 2023 slate given his production compared to his first two seasons. The former third-rounder averaged 35 receptions and 464 yards per campaign in 2021-22, but Stroud’s arrival sparked a major step forward. Collins posted a statline of 80-1,297-8 in 2023, operating as Stroud’s top target.

To little surprise, the 24-year-old is open to parlaying his production into an extension. Collins recently confirmed his willingness to open negotiations when speaking to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Wilson notes, however, that it is currently unclear if the Texans and Collins’ agents have discussed a deal. Nevertheless, he adds that there is “definitely mutual interest” in an agreement keeping the Michigan alum in the fold beyond 2024.

Collins and 2023 third-rounder Tank Dell profile as giving Houston a productive 1-2 punch at the receiver position. For that reason, Wilson writes that the Texans are likely to be interested only in second- or third-tier WR options on the free agent market. The team is set to have considerable spending power in March, but other positions will represent more pressing roster needs. Collins could further boost his value with a strong follow-up campaign in 2024, something which will of course be easier if he remains the team’s leader in targets.

A new contract for tight end Dalton Schultz is also on the team’s radar, Wilson notes. The ex-Cowboy is interested in a re-up, and agreeing to one could provide Houston with three familiar pass-catching options for at least one more season. Changes on offense (including at the running back spot) could be taking place in the near future, but a major addition amongst available receivers would come as a surprise. Collins is therefore on track to showcase himself for the Texans or outside suitors next season in the event an extension does not come to fruition in the coming months.

Latest On Texans’ WR Corps

July 9th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans’ wide receiving corps was among the league’s worst last season, finishing 26th in combined receptions, 28th in receiving yards, and 28th in receiving touchdowns. Things aren’t looking any easier as the team’s top receivers from 2022, Brandin Cooks and Chris Moore, will find themselves in different uniforms next season. Still, according to DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN, new head coach DeMeco Ryans appears to be fairly comfortable with how the position is currently lined up.

With veteran leader Cooks just up north in Dallas, Houston will be looking for a former division rival to lead their young group. Playing in another room bereft of star talent last year, Robert Woods looked like a shell of his former self in Nashville. Part of that may have had more to do with the scheme and personnel around him, as he still led the Titans in both receptions and receiving yards, but in 17 games, Woods failed to surpass his total from his final year in Los Angeles, when his season ended after only nine games. Still, Woods is not far removed from some of the best football of his career. Just two years ago, a torn ACL prevented Woods from extending a streak of three consecutive seasons with over 900 receiving yards. From 2018-2020, Woods was dominant with the Rams combining for 3,289 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns, even adding 427 yards and four more scores on the ground.

After the experience of Woods, the Texans will rely on the familiarity of third-year wideout Nico Collins. Collins was fourth on the team in receiving last year behind Cooks, Moore, and tight end Jordan Akins despite putting up similar numbers that had him ranked second on the team as a rookie the year prior. The team hopes he can progress past those numbers in Year 3. He doesn’t need to suddenly become a No. 1 receiver with Woods in town, but Houston will want him to surpass his careers-highs last year of 37 receptions, 481 yards, and two touchdowns.

Rounding out the potential starting three is last year’s second-round pick John Metchie III. Metchie is still waiting to make his NFL debut after sitting out his rookie year after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. The young receiver is now over a year and a half removed from his last meaningful snap of football and has worked his way back from a torn ACL, leukemia, and now a hamstring strain in order to play in the NFL.

Beyond those three, the team’s depth fades quickly. Former Cowboys receiver Noah Brown joins the group after a breakout year in Dallas. Brown performed as a No. 2 receiver for Dallas last year, gaining career-highs in receptions (43), receiving yards (555), and touchdowns (3), after combining for 39 catches for 425 yards and no touchdowns in the four years prior.

After Brown, the team’s depth is unproven. Amari Rodgers returns after starting one game in six appearances last year. Two rookies join him as depth pieces in the receivers room. Nathaniel Dell was drafted in the third-round out of Houston. Dell was dominant for the Cougars as an undersized wide receiver, catching a combined 199 passes for 2,727 yards and 29 touchdowns in his final two collegiate seasons. In the sixth-round, the team added Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson, who delivered strong performances in all three years as a Cyclone before bringing his best football last year.

“I’m not concerned with where we are with our wide receivers,” Ryans claimed. “I like our group. I like where we are. We have a lot of talented guys and have a lot of different qualities.”

He’s certainly not wrong there. Collins provides the team with a big, 6-foot-4 body and strong hands. Brown and Hutchinson also bring the group ideal body-types for a wide receiver. Woods and Metchie both sit around six-foot and bring completely different playing styles to the offense. Finally, Dell and Rodgers bring explosiveness in smaller packages.

Ryans can certainly back up his claim of confidence in covering the gamut of receiver-types, but experience remains a concern. On paper, the Texans’ wide receiving corps is ready to provide rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud with an assortment of weapons. In reality, the team will need young players to step up into big roles quickly in 2023 if they’re going to prove wrong position rankings from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell and Pro Football Focus’s Trevor Sikkema, both of whom have the team’s group ranked last in the league.

Texans Activate S Grayland Arnold, Place WR Nico Collins On IR

December 23rd, 2022 at 9:28pm CST by Ely Allen

Today, the Texans used their final allowed activation from the injured lists to return backup safety Grayland Arnold to the active roster from injured reserve, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26. Making room on the active roster, Houston placed second-year wide receiver Nico Collins on IR.

Arnold originally signed as an undrafted free agent to Philadelphia in 2020, making his NFL debut as a rookie with the Eagles. After appearing in four games only playing on special teams, Arnold finally appeared on an NFL defense in Week 16 of his rookie season and followed it up with his first and only career start. The next year, Arnold failed to make the team’s final 53-man roster and was released from the practice squad days before the regular season. Arnold signed with the Texans shortly after, spending most of the season on the practice squad. Since joining Houston last season, Arnold has appeared in nine games, almost exclusively on special teams.

The loss of Collins should really hurt an already struggling Houston offense. In his sophomore season, Collins was building off of a strong rookie year. After catching 33 balls for 446 yards and a touchdown last season, Collins had just surpassed his rookie numbers, racking up 37 receptions for 481 yards and two touchdowns this season. He’s been Houston’s No. 2 wide receiver all season, with increased responsibility in the four games missed by the team’s leading receiver Brandin Cooks.

With some doubting that Cooks will return at all this year, the Texans could go the rest of the season without Cooks and Collins. With rookie second-round pick John Metchie already out for the year, this would leave the Texans with a receiving corps composed of Chris Moore, Phillip Dorsett, and Amari Rodgers for the final few games of the season. The team did add receiver Malik Turner to their practice squad today, perhaps in anticipation for the extended absences in their receivers room.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/16/21

October 16th, 2021 at 4:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Week 6 Saturday minor move blitz:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

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