Houston Texans training camp ramps up tempers, prompting coaches to intervene
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After six practices in the heat and humidity, tempers are bound to flare. Every year, you see it in training camps around the NFL, and on Wednesday, it's "go time" at Texans camp.
Safety Jimmie Ward appeared to start it all with a hard hit to receiver Stefon Diggs. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. then rushed in and knocked tight end Dalton Schultz to the ground as players from the offense and defense rushed into the scrum.
Texans coaches intervened just in time, holding back players as the intensity reached the boiling point. Afterward, defensive back coach Dino Vasso told me he wanted his group to play "within the whistle," but there were lines that he couldn't cross when he practiced against his teammates.
"I like to see the competitive, and the emotions are high, but can't do that after the whistle," Vasso said.
Stingley started a competitive day between the offense and defense with a leaping interception that turned into a wrestling match with Tank Dell for control of the football.
Later, Nico Collins used a sharp cut to dance away from rookie Kamari Lassiter. Collins returned to practice on Wednesday and made a big impact on one of the top offenses in the NFL.
I also talked with 2022 first-round pick Kenyon Green. He explained that in addition to a knee injury, he also suffered from a shoulder injury that derailed his first two NFL seasons.
Green has drawn praise from DeMeco Ryans for a great offseason, during which he got back in shape and regained the explosion and movement that made him a prized prospect.
"He's able to play football a lot better because his body's in shape. He's taking good strides for us," offensive line coach Chris Strausser said.
Green told me he feels like he did when he was an All-American at Texas A&M. That's good news for the Texans offensive line as the first week of training camp draws to a close.
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