GOAL LINE WORK FOR TEXANS
11 observations from Texans training camp, July 31
Jul 31, 2019, 1:40 pm
GOAL LINE WORK FOR TEXANS
Will Fuller Texans Training Camp 2019
If you missed the observations from Monday, you can find them here
Kahale Warring getting work in his first practice for the #Texans pic.twitter.com/lVt5w4pwsy
— Cody Stoots (@Cody_Stoots) July 31, 2019
Texans third round draft pick Kahale Warring made his debut for the team today. It was his first practice with the team. He is a physically imposing tight end from the looks but his development will be interesting to watch going forward. He will need to make strides in a hurry after missing almost a week's worth of practices.
Bill O'Brien was not willing to praise Warring just yet. He mentioned he didn't feel like he moved around as well as some have said he did today. O'Brien stressed he thinks being available and on the field is one of the most important factors for the young players.
I was impressed with the little we saw Warring work. He didn't have any awful blocking reps from what I saw. He had one really bad drop that would have been a nice play. It hit in the hands and bounced off of them to the turf. He might be one of the patented members of Bill O'Brien's rookie doghouse.
“Great day to be a Texan.”@Djread98 | #TexansCamp pic.twitter.com/4UpvaXzz9N
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) July 31, 2019
The coaches on defense have to be smiling ear to ear when they see Reader work in camp. He has been fantastic in all his reps. Rarely is a lineman beating him or pushing him to a draw. He wins rep after rep. If Reader keeps this up, the Texans defensive line could be even stronger than it has been.
The Texans finally did goal line work with a full complement of their offense and defense. It is later than some years for the first goal line work but it was still very entertaining. I would say the offense and defense each had things they should be proud of but also a few things to work on here or there. It was the most fired up we have seen the players in a few days.
A really solid day for Damarea Crockett the rookie from Missouri. He had some juice to his runs and in the goal line work he really shined darting through whatever holes he could find to gain yards or score. He is in a dog fight for the chance to make the roster and there have been a few backs taking turns at that third running back spot. It was a good day for Michigan rookie Karan Higdon too as he had a nice jump cut to the crease and took off.
Angelo Blackson's contract was a bit of a surprise this past offseason but the defensive lineman has had a nice camp so far. Today he announced his presence with authority in the goal line drills. He darted past the offensive line cutting through blocking to blow up a play. Blackson needs to be a factor for this team's rotation.
Matt Kalil wasn't an exciting addition to the Texans, but he has been more than solid at camp. He got smoked by Whitney Mercilus on one rep today but held his own for the rest I saw. One play saw him throw a defensive lineman down, then block another downfield as he cleared the way for the running back. If the Texans had to play a game tomorrow, he would be the left tackle.
Peter Kalambayi is making this team and could have a key role. Wednesday saw him do a little bit of everything. He was running step for step with backs in coverage, filling the hole in the rushing attack, and darting through the line to make a backfield tackle. He was perhaps a surprise addition to the roster out of camp last year but there will be no surprise with his status going forward.
Martinas Rankin is struggling in camp. He is getting work on the interior of the offensive line but he has yet to put together an impressive or solid performance. He disappointed last year after getting hurt and missing some camp. He has seemingly been healthy, but he hasn't shown much. The numbers game is getting tight on the offensive line and Rankin might have to hope the investment, a third rounder last year, gets him some leeway.
There are two today really so I will cheat a little here. Angelo Blackson's huge stuff in the goal line drills is the first one. The second one was rookie on rookie crime as Tyron Johnson put Lonnie Johnson in a blender and cut outside for an easy catch.
"It was alright. They miss all this time and they come out there. What you may think is moving around well, I'm not sure that I would agree with you...Getting him out there, that was a miracle in and of itself."
Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien on his third-round tight end who practiced for the first time today. O'Brien was obviously joking with the last part but Kahale Warring clearly has some catching up to do.
Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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