STOOTS ON TEXANS
11 observations: Houston Texans training camp, Tuesday August 16
Aug 16, 2022, 12:56 pm
STOOTS ON TEXANS
The Houston Texans had a lighter workout just a few days after their preseason win. Here are 11 observations from the practice.
1. Despite using the word “scrimmage” to describe the workout earlier in the week, Lovie Smith’s team took it easy on Tuesday. There were some fun one-on-one drills and a few team sessions, but it was one of the lighter workouts.
2. Davis Mills was tossing some deep passes in one-on-one work today. He completed a few strikes downfield, including one to Phillip Dorsett and one on the sidelines to Nico Collins. It will be interesting to see when the deeper passing shows up in a game. The Texans took a few workouts when training camp started to showcase that, this may be a similar situation for game reps.
3. Chris Moore had a nice catch in the above-mentioned drill. He beat Jonathan Owens soundly. Moore is a factor in the wideout room, but his eventual role is hard to tell right now.
4. Preseason star Dameon Pierce had a nice run in a team session. He darted through a big hole on the right side of the line. Credit to A.J. Cann for opening it up, it looked like the veteran did some work to spring the rookie.
5. Marlon Mack and Rex Burkhead should not be forgotten. The veterans are still a factor in the rushing attack, especially with Pierce never having had huge workloads in his college career. Mack and Burkhead each had a nice run Tuesday.
6. Max Scharping bullied Ross Blacklock on a rep in one-on-one work. It will be interesting to see between Scharping and Justin McCray who ends up playing more left guard in the second preseason game.
7. Kenyon Green was at practice but didn’t practice again. He is dealing with a knee injury.
8. Justin Britt and Roy Lopez were a fun watch. The veteran center bested Lopez in an encounter but then moments later Lopez won himself a round. The defensive line and offensive line worked to about a stalemate in the one-on-one session I watched. Rookie Kurt Hinish had a nice win over Scott Quessenberry.
9. Tavierre Thomas had a nice interception. He stepped in front of a pass and would have taken it to the house for a score. Thomas has had a quiet camp in my opinion, but the flashes of one of the better slot corners have been there.
10. Kyle Allen was back at work after Covid forced him to miss a little time and the preseason game. Allen connected with rookie Teagan Quitoriano for a nice chunk play. The rookie tight end has started to show a little more as he has been practicing.
11. Just one more workout before the next preseason game against the Rams. Lovie Smith explained there would be a reveal on playing time expectations, so perhaps there will be some more clarity on how much the team will showcase Davis Mills and if Derek Stingley plays in the preseason.
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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