C.J. Gardner-Johnson says facing Texans' WR room is 'like the Daytona 500'
If you wanted speed, the former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back can attest it resides at NRG Stadium.
"It's like the Daytona 500," Gardner-Johnson said Wednesday. "We're running fast every play. Everybody fast. All the cars are competing for first place. We've got a fast receiver corps. I'm going to be honest, it's probably one of the fastest corps I've ever seen. But they're a dynamic group with different skill sets. They're diverse."
Last season, the Texans were poised to have a trio of talented pass-catchers as the foundation for a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Nico Collins, fresh off a 1,000-yard season, was expected to be the go-to target while rookie Tank Del seemed to be an ideal speed threat to throw in on the outside. Add in the arrival of Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs and everything seemed to be trending upward.
Then came the injuries. Collins missed five games with a hamstring injury in the heart of the season. Diggs, who voided the final three years of his contract, suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 and missed the rest of the campaign. Dell missed time early on and eventually was carted off after hauling in a touchdown pass from Stroud in Week 16's loss against the Chiefs.
He's expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season because of recovery. In his place, the Texans added former Jaguars starter Christian Kirk.
Collins, who is one of the best size/speed combinations at the position among league targets, once again leads the way as Stroud's security blanket. Kirk, who is entering a contract season, could be on the league's top slot receivers should he return to 100 percent health.
In his last healthy season, the former Texas A&M standout had 1,108 receiving yards as the No. 1 weapon in the AFC South.
Houston also used two of its first picks on the Iowa State duo Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Higgins, a 6-foot-4, 214-pound target, has similar size and testing numbers to Collins and been impressive in drills.
"Smooth receiver," defensive back Jalen Pitre said of Higgins. "Like you said, he's very tall and very long, but he has every route in his arsenal. So, you definitely got to play him honest. Then, obviously, like we all would guess, when it's up in the air, he's going to go and get it. So, he's a great playmaker for us to have. I'm excited about what the future holds for him."
Noel, who totaled over 1,900 receiving yards during his last two seasons in Ames, is only 5-foot-10, but he's a very explosive route-runner who can win in space and with athleticism. He led all combine wide receivers in the broad jump (11 feet, 2 inches) and tied for the lead in the vertical leap (41.5 inches).
"Jaylin's already ahead of the curve just with the way he prepares and, you know, who he is as a person and as a player. Like I said, he prepares really well," Kirk said. "He's smart. And so, you know, for him, it's just, you know, going out there and playing fast, which I struggled with as a rookie."
After a disappointing second season for Stroud, the Texans' offense was overhauled in the offseason. It's clear Houston loved its speed threat, so that's what fans should expect to see on Saturdays.
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