Will Fuller - Pro Football Rumors

Teams Calling Texans On Fuller, Cobb

October 28th, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite trading DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans entered the season with a bloated wide receiver payroll. They are now 1-6 and between GMs, leading teams to inquire about some of their players.

Teams have contacted the Texans about their wide receivers, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, who notes the team has fielded calls on Will Fuller and Randall Cobb (Twitter link).

The trade deadline looms Nov. 3, though teams who would like to deploy their new players in Week 9 would need to make deals this week in order for them to begin practicing ahead of those games. COVID-19 testing protocols require players to pass six tests — each a day apart — before practicing with new teams.

Fuller and Cobb represent half of Houston’s veteran receiving corps, which also includes 2020 trade acquisition Brandin Cooks and 2019 trade get Kenny Stills. Fuller, who is playing on a $10.16MM fifth-year option salary, would bring far more value back to the Texans in a deal than a Cobb swap would. The then-Bill O’Brien-run Texans signed Cobb to a three-year, $27MM deal in March. Shipping out the 30-year-old slot receiver would not bring especially notable compensation, and Wilson adds the Texans are not receiving strong offers for either player as of Wednesday afternoon.

Houston having dealt Hopkins would seemingly make a Fuller trade less likely. He has emerged as Deshaun Watson‘s top target, hauling in 31 passes for a team-high 490 yards and five touchdowns. Although the former first-round pick is a free agent at year’s end and has been unable to stay healthy for most of his career, the Texans do not have any surefire building blocks at this position for Watson moving forward. Cooks would qualify, but the O’Brien acquisition is on his fourth team. Cooks, 27, has also come up in trade talks. While the Texans appear ready to deal one of their veteran wideouts, it is unclear as of now which one will go.

Trade Rumors: Giants, Ryan, Fuller

October 25th, 2020 at 11:07am CST by Rory Parks

After dealing Markus Golden to the Cardinals, it appears the 1-6 Giants have officially declared themselves sellers at this year’s trade deadline. Though GM Dave Gettleman may be reluctant to trade away veteran talent that could theoretically help Big Blue win a few games — and perhaps save Gettleman’s job in the process — players like Evan Engram, Kevin Zeitler, and Golden Tate could be available, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes (though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the club is unlikely to deal Engram).

2017 second-round DT Dalvin Tomlinson could also be on the move, per Dunleavy. Tomlinson is playing out the last year of his rookie contract, and while he has expressed interest in staying with the Giants long-term, there has been little progress in contract talks.

As we creep closer to the November 3 deadline, let’s round up a few more trade rumors from around the league:

Big names like Falcons QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones are not going to be moved, as Rapoport writes in the same piece linked above. The same can be said for Jets QB Sam Darnold (though Darnold could be dealt this offseason). Gang Green may be more open to trading DT Quinnen Williams, but thus far interested teams have only offered a single second-round pick. That will not be enough to convince GM Joe Douglas to trade the talented interior defender.
The 1-5 Vikings look like sellers after they traded Yannick Ngakoue, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Minnesota is open to dealing S Harrison Smith, TE Kyle Rudolph, and LT Riley Reiff. However, those players are not generating much interest, and the players that rival execs really want — WR Adam Thielen and TE Irv Smith Jr. — seem likely to stay put.
Another 1-5 outfit, the Texans, also anticipate making a trade or two, per La Canfora. Houston is in desperate need of draft capital, and receivers Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller are coming up in discussions. Sources expect at least one of those players to be moved, and the team is also gauging the market for edge defender Whitney Mercilus.
One team that could have an eye on the Texans’ receivers is the Patriots, who are once again looking for a pass catcher, as La Canfora writes. One year after the team’s ill-fated trade for Mohamed Sanu, New England wants to get a weapon for QB Cam Newton, and Cooks, Fuller, and Thielen could all be options.
Washington QB Dwayne Haskins might be on the trade market, but the club hasn’t received much interest. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Haskins could be had for anything more than a sixth-round pick, but Washington hasn’t even gotten an offer that good yet. Although pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan has been the most-discussed Washington trade chip outside of Haskins, Rapoport says Ryan Anderson is more likely to be traded.

Will Fuller Undergoes Surgery

January 25th, 2020 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

A key component in the Texans’ offense, Will Fuller again struggled to stay healthy this season. Houston’s No. 2 wide receiver missed five regular-season games and the team’s first-round playoff contest.

Fuller took a big step toward a full recovery recently, undergoing sports hernia surgery to repair the groin issues he dealt with this season, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

The Texans’ top deep threat aggravated the injury in the divisional-round loss to the Chiefs. Fuller has yet to play a full season, coming closest in a 14-game rookie campaign. This will mark another offseason of rehab for the former first-round pick. He spent the 2019 offseason rehabbing an ACL tear he sustained in 2018. Fuller dealt with hamstring and groin injuries this season, with the latter malady shelving him for Houston’s wild-card game.

The Notre Dame alum is going into his fifth-year option season. He’s on the Texans’ books for $10.16MM. The 2020 campaign will be critical for the former first-round pick. He will need to show he can stay healthy in order to command a lucrative extension or a long-term free agent deal as a 2021 free agent.

Deshaun Watson‘s regular-season QBR was more than 15 points higher with Fuller on the field than when he was sidelined. Despite the five-game absence, the 25-year-old wideout totaled a career-high 670 receiving yards. The Texans have Fuller, DeAndre Hopkins and Kenny Stills under contract going into next season. Fuller and Stills, however, are entering contract years. Thanks to the Stills trade and Fuller’s salary spike, the Texans’ receiver trio is set to comprise more than $31MM on the team’s 2020 payroll.

Injury Notes: Fuller, Jackson, Addae, Akins

January 11th, 2020 at 9:58pm CST by Marc Delucchi

By now it’s no secret that the Texans offense is a different animal when wide receiver Will Fuller is on the field. Without their deep threat, Houston managed to squeak by the Bills in the Wild Card Round, but going up against the Chiefs on Sunday, the team is very happy to expect Fuller to return from his groin injury, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network. Fuller missed time during the regular season with a hamstring injury and only appeared in 11 of the teams games. In those 11 contests, Fuller amassed 49 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns.

Here are a couple other injury notes for Sunday’s games:

The Packers have added cornerback Josh Jackson to the injury report with an illness, according to Ian Rapaport of the NFL Network. While it is not expected to prevent Jackson from taking the field, it very well could limit him from playing to the top of his talents.
Texans safety Jahleel Addae and tight end Jordan Akins did not travel with the team to Kansas City and will not play Sunday against the Chiefs, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network. Neither Addae nor Akins are massive contributors for Houston, but both have been solid role players for the team. Addae compiled 41 tackles and two interceptions, while Akins started 9 games and caught 36 passes for 418 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Injury Notes: Ingram, 49ers, Thielen, Fuller

January 8th, 2020 at 8:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

With every team booked into divisional-round action having now begun practice, here is the latest from the injury front going into Round 2. We’ll start with a midweek Vikings setback:

Stefon Diggs has missed two Vikings practices because of illness this week, but Mike Zimmer expects him to suit up in San Francisco. However, Adam Thielen suffered an ankle injury at practice and was limited on Wednesday as a result. Thielen was not on Minnesota’s Tuesday injury report. The Pro Bowl wideout missed much of this season with a hamstring injury. He caught seven passes for a game-high 129 yards against the Saints.
The NFL’s other purple-wearing team will likely go into its second-round game with backfield uncertainty. Previously expected to return for the Ravens‘ playoff opener, Mark Ingram has missed both Ravens practices this week. Ingram experienced a setback with his injured calf last week, leading to the Ravens to shut him down for a bit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). The Ravens are indicating there is a “realistic chance” Ingram plays. Baltimore backup Gus Edwards‘ 5.2 yards per carry ranked third in the NFL this season.
49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander has been cleared for game action, per Rapoport (video link), meaning it’s now Kyle Shanahan‘s call on whether to redeploy the high-priced defender Saturday. The 49ers used their second IR-return spot on Alexander, who is attempting to return from a midseason pectoral tear, but have not activated him yet.
Winding down an oft-injured season, Dee Ford is back at 49ers practice and appears ready to return at a key juncture. The veteran defensive end has dealt with a few maladies, his most recent being a hamstring issue that he aggravated in December. Ford’s gone through limited practices the past two days.
One of the NFL’s most important No. 2 wideouts, Will Fuller is trending in the right direction for the Texans‘ divisional-round rematch in Kansas City. The Texans expect their deep threat to return against the Chiefs, Rapoport tweets. Fuller was limited Wednesday. Deshaun Watson‘s QBR figure is 16 points higher when Fuller is on the field compared to when he’s not. The injury-prone wideout missed six games this season, the latest because of the groin injury he sustained in December.
Among the healthiest of the divisional-round teams, the Packers will have their right tackle back in the mix. Bryan Bulaga suffered a concussion in Week 17 but passed the protocol Wednesday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes. Kenny Clark, however, missed practice with a back injury. The contract-year defensive lineman played all 16 Packer games this season.

Texans Notes: Fuller, Watt, Anger

January 4th, 2020 at 10:11am CST by Ben Levine

The Texans will be without a major offensive weapon when they open the playoffs against the Bills this afternoon. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that wideout Will Fuller will not play today as he continues to recover from his groin injury.

Fuller suffered the injury during Houston’s Week 16 victory over the Buccaneers. There was some optimism that the 25-year-old would be ready to return for the playoffs, but the groin injury will sideline him for at least another week. The former first-rounder finished the 2019 regular season with a career-high 49 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns.

With Fuller out of the lineup, Wilson suggests that receiver Keke Coutee will be active for today’s game.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Houston…

While the Fuller absence will certainly hurt, the Texans can at least look forward to J.J. Watt‘s return to the lineup. The veteran played in the Texans’ first eight games before suffering a torn pectoral muscle. While the risk of re-injury does exist, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the team isn’t planning on using the pass rusher situationally (Twitter link). Rather, the team is expected to “unleash him” instead of hold him back.
The Texans extended punter Bryan Anger last week, and Wilson has the details on the new deal (Twitter link). The three-year, $7.5MM contract includes $2MM guaranteed and a $1.25MM signing bonus. Anger will have a cap number of $2.312MM in 2020 and $2.812MM in 2021 and 2022. His base salary peaks at $2.5MM.
Anger wasn’t the only Texans player to ink an extension last week. In case you missed it, Whitney Mercilus signed a four-year deal with Houston.

Texans’ Will Fuller To Miss Time

December 23rd, 2019 at 8:34am CST by Zachary Links

Texans wide receiver Will Fuller will miss the team’s regular season finale against the Titans with a groin injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). On the plus side, he has an outside chance to play in their first playoff game and will likely be available if they win and advance to the next round.

Fuller went down in Saturday’s game against the Bucs, though the Texans went on to win 23-20. Fuller has already missed time this year thanks to a hamstring injury and he’s no stranger to the injury bug as a pro. The speedster has yet to play a full season since entering the league in 2016.

Without Fuller, the Texans are expected to lean on DeAndre Hopkins as well as Kenny Stills and DeAndre Carter, who reeled in a clutch 39-yard catch following Fuller’s exit. Keke Coutee, who has been a healthy scratch in recent weeks, is expected to be active for the final game.

Fuller’s regular season will end with 49 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns through eleven games. He’ll now shift his focus to adding to his playoff totals. In his two playoff games in 2016, Fuller logged seven receptions for 53 yards.

The 25-year-old (26 in April) will return to the Texans next year on his $10.2MM fifth-year option.

Texans Activate TE Jordan Thomas From IR

November 21st, 2019 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans will have an additional tight end option beginning Thursday night. They activated Jordan Thomas off IR.

A second-year player acquired in the 2018 sixth round, Thomas has spent the entire regular season on IR. Thomas, who saw a cracked rib delay his sophomore NFL season, returned to practice last week.

The Mississippi State product started 10 games last season and played in 16. He caught 20 passes for 215 yards and scored four touchdowns as a rookie. Houston has seen Darren Fells deliver as a red zone option this season; his six receiving TDs already match the Texans’ single-season record. Adding Thomas to this mix stands to help Deshaun Watson, who will also get Will Fuller back tonight.

The Texans also promoted safety Jonathan Owens from their practice squad. Justin Reid and Mike Adams are out tonight, leaving Houston shorthanded on its back line. Houston waived defensive end Joel Heath and wideout Steven Mitchell to clear the necessary roster space.

WR Notes: Hilton, Fuller, Rams, Brown

November 21st, 2019 at 3:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hours ahead of a key matchup featuring questions for both teams’ pass-catching situations, let’s take a look at some wide receiver news from around the league:

T.Y. Hilton believes he will be given the green light to play in Thursday night’s Colts-Texans game, per James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Colts do not have an issue with Hilton playing despite not practicing this week. Indianapolis’ top skill-position talent has missed the past three games with a calf injury. Hilton has dominated during recent games in Houston. In two games there last season, he combined for 14 receptions for 284 yards.
Will Fuller will return to action for the Texans tonight, Bill O’Brien said (via ESPN.com’s Ed Werder, on Twitter). Fuller has also missed the past three games, with the Texans deep threat’s absence due to a pulled hamstring.
The Rams look set to have their top three receivers back in action Monday. After Sean McVay expressed optimism Brandin Cooks will play against the Ravens, Robert Woods returned to the team on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Woods missed the Rams’ Week 11 game due to a personal matter, leaving Cooper Kupp as Los Angeles’ only starting wideout to play in what became a run-oriented game.
Antonio Brown‘s countersuit against accuser Britney Taylor centers on a confidentiality agreement the receiver claims to have signed under duress, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The free agent wideout claims that during her meeting with the NFL, Taylor refused to waive the agreement — one the twice-released player contends would shed more light on his case against Taylor. Brown’s former acquaintance accused him of sexual assault. A statement from Taylor’s attorney (via Florio) indicates Brown is trying to blame the first of his two accusers for his 2019 actions and that Taylor “will not be bullied.”

South Notes: Fuller, Quinn, Leftwich

November 10th, 2019 at 4:27pm CST by Marc Delucchi

The Texans are hopeful that wide receiver Will Fuller will be able to retake the field next week in Baltimore against the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Fuller has missed the team’s previous two games after suffering a hamstring injury against the Colts.

Fuller is one of the best deep threats in football, especially when he takes the field opposite of all-pro DeAndre Hopkins. Prior to his injury, Fuller was on pace to eclipse 70 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Those marks may be unattainable now, but at 6-3, the Texans are in the thick of the AFC playoff picture coming out of their bye. Fuller would surely aid them in their pursuit of a Super Bowl title.

Here’s more from the NFC and AFC South:

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn has been firmly on the hot-seat for many weeks. However, after a dominating victory over the Saints on Sunday, Quinn has bought himself at least a temporary reprieve, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Just a few seasons away from a Super Bowl appearance, this year has fallen far short of expectations, especially on defense. However, New Orleans potent offense looked overwhelmed for much of the game.
After a 30-27 victory in a shootout against the Cardinals, the Buccaneers offense continues to produce in spit of Jameis Winston‘s propensity for turnovers. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich deserves a large amount of credit as the playcaller, however, he almost never got the responsibilities in the first place. In the offseason, head coach Bruce Arians had to convince ownership that someone other than him should call plays, according to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times.