Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Back with another installment, focusing on the positional previews for the Houston Texans roster. Up next, it is time to look at Houston's tight end situation.
The Houston Texans have been seeking a quality tight end since the departure of Owen Daniels in 2013. The Texans believed they found their answer in Ryan Griffin, but off-field issues last offseason forced the Texans to part-ways with their former sixth-round pick. Despite the loss of Griffin, 2019 may have been the Texans' most productive season at the position. Darren Fells emerged as one of the team's top offensive threats, while Jordan Akins provided Houston with a reliable backup option.
The tight end core has the potential to become Houston's most talented position in 2020. The Texans have two potential starters in Akins and Fells, plus a respectable backup with Jordan Thomas back to full strength.
Darren Fells: Starter
It is hard to refute the impact Darren Fells had on the Texans' success in 2019. During his first season in Houston, he sagged 34 catches for 341 yards and set a franchise record for the most end zone receptions by a tight end with seven. Fells' career-season led to a two-year contract extension worth $7 million.
After exceeding expectations as a wild-card free agent last season, Fells will maintain his role as Houston's starting tight end in 2020. He should play the same role as a red zone threat for Deshaun Watson, but may take on a broader responsibility within the offense given DeAndre Hopkins' departure.
However, at age 34, Bill O'Brien should utilize his tight end depth to prevent Fells from experiencing another second half slump — similar to 2019.
Jordan Akins: Backup
By the end of next season, do not be surprise if Jordan Akins has taken the reigns as the Texans No. 1 tight end. Each season he has continuously made strides to improve his game, which has awarded the 6-foot-3 tight end more playing time on game-days. In 2019, Akins received a 25% increase in his snap count (61%) during the 16 games played last season. He led all tight ends in targets with 55 on the year, while pulling down 36 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns.
The improvements Akins made since his rookie year should continue as he enters his third season. He told TexansTV in May that he has spent his offseason working on his physical attribute to become a better blocker in 2020. Needless to say, if Akins takes his game to another level for the third straight season, expect to see the Texans to possess one of the league's top tight end tandems over the next two seasons.
Jordan Thomas: Third String
Jordan Thomas had a breakout rookie season in 2018. He appeared in all 16 regular-season games (10 starts) recording 20 receptions for 215 yards (10.6 AVG) and four touchdowns. The potential he showcased each week gave the Texans more confidences in their decision to part ways with Ryan Griffin last May. Unfortunately, a preseason rib injury caused Thomas to miss 11 games during his sophomore season.
Injuries squandered his chances to become the Texans' starting tight end — given the production of Darren Fells — but Thomas can still challenge Jordan Akins has the team's primary backup in 2020. Although he has the talent to accomplish the goal, it's going to be an uphill battle for Thomas to reclaim his 2018 projection playing behind Akins and Fells.
Kahale Warring: Depth
By far the most intriguing player on the Texans roster is Kahale Warring. In 2019, the Texans used a third-round pick to select the 6-foot-5 tight end from San Diego State, but a preseason concussion placed Warring on injured reserve for the entire season. No one knows what is going on with Warring, but the Texans continue to remain high on the unproven prospect despite never appearing in a game.
In comparison to last offseason, the Texans' tight end core is more stable heading into the 2020 season. Meaning Warring may be on the boundary of becoming another futile spot on the Texans' 53-man roster.Dylan Stapleton: Depth
Dylan Stapleton is one of nine undrafted rookies who signed with the Texans in April. The 6-foot-5 tight end recorded 35 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown last season while at James Madison University in 2019.
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Houston spent time this week practicing an inbound play that coach Kelvin Sampson thought his team might need against Purdue.
Milos Uzan, the third option, ran it to perfection.
He tossed the ball to Joseph Tugler, who threw a bounce pass right back to Uzan, and the 6-foot-4 guard soared to the rim for an uncontested layup with 0.9 seconds left, giving the top-seeded Cougars a 62-60 victory — and a matchup with second-seeded Tennessee in Sunday's Elite Eight.
“Great execution at a time we needed that,” said Sampson, who is a win away from making his third Final Four and his second with Houston in five years. “You never know when you’re going to need it.”
The Cougars (33-4) made only one other basket over the final eight minutes, wasted a 10-point lead and then missed two more shots in the final 5 seconds. A replay review with 2.2 seconds left confirmed Houston would keep the ball when it rolled out of bounds after the second miss.
Uzan took over from there.
“I was trying to hit (L.J. Cryer) and then JoJo just made a great read,” Uzan said. “He was able to draw two (defenders) and he just made a great play to hit me back.”
Houston advanced to the Elite Eight for the third time in five years after falling in the Sweet 16 as a top seed in the previous two editions of March Madness. It will take the nation's longest winning streak, 16 games, into Sunday’s Midwest Region final.
The Cougars joined the other three No. 1 seeds in this year's Elite Eight and did it at Lucas Oil Stadium, where their 2021 tourney run ended with a loss in the Final Four to eventual national champion Baylor.
They haven't lost since Feb. 1.
Uzan scored 22 points and Emanuel Sharp had 17 as Houston survived an off night from leading scorer Cryer, who finished with five points on 2-of-13 shooting.
Houston still had to sweat out a half-court heave at the buzzer, but Braden Smith's shot was well off the mark.
Fletcher Loyer scored 16 points, Trey Kaufman-Renn had 14 and Smith, the Big Ten player of the year, added seven points and 15 assists for fourth-seeded Purdue (24-12). Smith assisted on all 11 second-half baskets for last year’s national runner-up, which played in front of a friendly crowd about an hour’s drive from its campus in West Lafayette.
“I thought we fought really hard and we dug down defensively to get those stops to come back,” Smith said. “We did everything we could and we just had a little miscommunication at the end and they converted. Props to them.”
Houston appeared on the verge of disaster when Kaufman-Renn scored on a dunk and then blocked Cryer’s shot with 1:17 to go, leading to Camden Heide’s 3 that tied the score at 60 with 35 seconds left.
Sampson called timeout to set up the final play, but Uzan missed a turnaround jumper and Tugler’s tip-in rolled off the rim and out of bounds. The Cougars got one more chance after the replay review.
Sharp's scoring flurry early in the second half finally gave Houston some separation after a back-and-forth first half. His 3-pointer at the 16:14 mark made it 40-32. After Purdue trimmed the deficit to four, Uzan made two 3s to give Houston a 10-point lead in a tough, physical game that set up a rare dramatic finish in this year's tourney.
“Smith was guarding the inbounder, so he had to take JoJo,” Sampson said. “That means there was no one there to take Milos. That's why you work on that stuff day after day.”
Takeaways
Purdue: Coach Matt Painter's Boilermakers stumbled into March Madness with six losses in their final nine games but proved themselves a worthy competitor by fighting their way into the Sweet 16 and nearly taking down a No. 1 seed.
Houston: The Cougars lead the nation in 3-point percentage and scoring defense, an enviable combination.
Scary fall
Houston guard Mylik Wilson gave the Cougars a brief scare with 13:23 left in the game. He leapt high into the air to grab a rebound and drew a foul on Kaufman-Renn.
As the play continued, Wilson was undercut and his body twisted around before he landed on his head. Wilson stayed down momentarily, rubbing his head, but eventually got up and remained in the game.