HOUSTON -- The Texans practiced inside on Monday to get away from the heat, and after a slow start by the offense, quarterback Brock Osweiler and his receivers got on the same page and finished practice with some nice connections.
1. Injury update: Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney missed his second straight day of practice on Sunday. Coach Bill O’Brien said he was held out for “precautionary reasons,” and that his injury is “nothing that’s serious.” After his absence on Sunday, O’Brien said Clowney was just given a day off.
Center Nick Martin also missed his second consecutive practice, and Derek Newton (hamstring) and Christian Covington (concussion) continue to be sidelined. Running back Lamar Miller and receiver Braxton Miller both returned to practice after being held out on Sunday.
2. Midway through practice, a scuffle broke out between wide receiver Keith Mumphery and cornerback Robert Nelson. Both are guys who are fighting for a roster spot. Nelson threw a few punches at Mumphery’s helmet (including at least one that made solid contact) before the fight was quickly broken up.
3. First-round pick Will Fuller was all over the field in practice. He made a one-handed catch on the right side of the field on a huge throw from Osweiler. Osweiler noted how impressed he has been with the receiver.
“One of those things that a coach can’t teach is speed, and Will has a lot of speed,” Osweiler said. “Will did what he does. He got on the cornerback’s toes, broke to the post, and just ran. So, Will’s an extremely special football player, obviously has great speed. We all know that. It’s good to see some of that stuff finally come together.
4. Receiver Wendall Williams, an undrafted rookie out of the University of the Cumberlands, also showed his speed at practice today, especially while returning the ball. Osweiler said he was doing a drill on the sideline, and he turned his head and saw Williams taking a kickoff return and “it looked like he was going 100 miles per hour.”
5. The battle of the kickers is still ongoing: Nick Novak and Ka’imi Fairbairn didn’t get too many opportunities in Monday’s practice to impress O’Brien. The indoor practice facility only had a field goal on one side, which probably was the reason for the limited attempts. O’Brien said Sunday that the kicking battle is “very close.”
