HOUSTON — The Houston Texans concluded Day 5 of training camp and will get a much-deserved day off on Thursday before they had back on the field for the weekend.
Here are some observations from Wednesday at Houston Methodist Training Center.
Inefficiency plagues backup quarterbacks
Backup quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Jeff Driskel had a bad outing on Wednesday. You could sense that it was going to be a rough day when Driskel broke one of the video cameras belonging to a national network when he overthrew 6-foot-3 wide receiver Chris Conley during an end zone drill.
The inaccuracy continued between Allen and Driskell as they seemed to miss their targets a lot during 11-on-11 drills. Each QB took sacks they should not have, resulting from them holding on to the ball for too long.
Defensive back Tremon Smith ended what was a terrible showing for Allen when he intercepted his sideline pass and ran it back for what would have been a touchdown during the regular season.
Davis Mills is starting to get it
For as terrible a day as the backup quarterbacks had, starter Davis Mills shined. After a good Day 4 of camp, Mills carried that over and looked very well in successfully leading most of the offensive drills. Two touchdowns highlighted his red zone success, and he consistently found wide receiver Brandin Cooks to move the chains against the defense.
Mills is starting to get more comfortable in the new offensive system, which is showing daily. One play that stood out to most of the media members on the sideline was a perfectly executed play fake to the running back that took the defense one way as Mills reversed field and rolled to his find his wide receiver wide open in the flats.
“He’s getting more reps, and so as a result of just getting more reps, there’s an opportunity for him to really find a little more comfort in some of the things that we’re doing, which ultimately translates to him playing faster,” said offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton about Mills.
DL Thomas Booker's big body may lead to playing time
When you stand at 6-3, and your 301-pound frame doesn’t have a lot of body fat, you tend to stand out wherever you are. For rookie defensive lineman Thomas Booker, his stature isn’t the only thing that stood out on Day 5.
The former Stanford player who the Texans drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft had an outstanding day on the defensive side of the ball. He harassed quarterback Kyle Allen during most of the 11-on-11 drills by being in the backfield a lot and stopping the offense from getting anything going in the running game.
Brandin Cooks vs. Steven Nelson
A matchup that has caught everyone’s attention over the last two days is the battle between wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Steven Nelson. They always seem to seek each other out during every drill involving the receivers and defensive backs.
If a score were kept, Cooks would be winning, but lately, Nelson has been finding ways to stay competitive. He played the ball very well by breaking up a pass intended for Cooks from Mills in the back corner of the end zone. When the two matched up again, Cooks shook Nelson to get open on a fade that resulted in a touchdown.
The former Philadelphia Eagle wasn’t the only one who had trouble with Cooks throughout the day. Yet his battles with the Texans wide receiver stand out because he is expected to play a massive role for the Texans. Nelson will continue to take his lumps during training camp as he is still learning all the nuisances of head coach and defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s system.
Newly acquired WR Chester Rogers is at practice #TexansCamp #Sarge pic.twitter.com/6NOx3rddNQ
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) August 3, 2022
Texans Tidbits
Veteran wide receiver Chester Rogers was at camp and participated in the individual and special team drills, but he did not participate in any 11-on-11 drills. Rogers was signed to a one-year deal by the Texans on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Houston placed wide receiver Davion Davis on the injured/waived list after he suffered a hamstring injury in practice. Injuries have hampered the success of Davis during his tenure with the Texans. Last season he suffered an ankle injury late in the season that caused him to miss significant playing time.
Linebacker Blake Cashman continues to impress his teammates and coaches with his training camp performances. He finished Day 5 with two out of the three interceptions caused by the defense.
