Texans receiver Jaylin Noel dealing with hamstring, finger injuries

When the Texans activated slot wide receiver and returner Jaylin Noel from the non-football injury list, he was officially cleared to practice.

Noel had been sidelined because of a right pinkie injury he sustained days before training camp while training independently.

Now, Noel, who has a protective brace on his hand, is recovering from a different injury: a strained hamstring.

The injury is regarded as a minor setback, and the team is optimistic that Noel will be ready for the start of the regular season.

Noel, though, has missed valuable time after a promising spring during which he built chemistry and timing with quarterback C.J. Stroud and scored a touchdown nearly every day.

The Texans can't wait to get their starting slot receiver and his vertical presence back into the lineup. Noel is training on the side during practice.

"I expect him when he hits the grass to be ready to roll," Texans receivers coach and passing game coordinator Ben McDaniels said Sunday afternoon. "He's extremely diligent with his preparation and being ready to go when he's going to be healthy."

Noel didn’t have a large role carved out as a rookie after being drafted in the third round out of Iowa State. His first NFL season netted 26 catches for 292 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games, three starts and 35 targets. It was a good catch to target ratio that included 13 first downs.

And Noel averaged 10.8 yards per punt return with a long return of 53 yards and 27.6 yards per kickoff return. The former Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year finished the season with 1,438 all-purpose yards. While backup running back Woody Marks is competing for the kickoff returner role with him, Noel figures to still have a heavy special-teams role again.

At Iowa State, Noel, one of the fastest players on the roster with 4.39 speed in the 40-yard dash, showed what he can do as far as run after the catch capabilities. He caught a career-high 80 passes for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns in his final college season.

Noel was one of the fastest and highest-jumping wide receivers at the combine with a 41 1/2 inch vertical leap. The Texans signed him to a four-year, $6.466 million contract that includes a $1.34 million signing bonus.

“Looking forward to it a lot, being able to be a game-changer, being able to make big plays,” Noel said this spring. “I think that’s what I bring to the Texans, so just go out there, roll, be myself. A lot of growth for me, whether that’s just on the field, off the field, all those different things.

“Just building confidence with everything I do, perfecting my route running and just being ready to go for next season. I’m very excited. Any opportunity I can get in this league, it’s an opportunity to show what I can do, and I’m excited to roll this year.”

Wide receiver Tank Dell continues to work his way back from a major knee injury suffered two years ago: a dislocated knee and torn anterior cruciate, medical collateral and lateral collateral ligaments.

Dell has participated in some team drills, but he hasn't been exposed to any contact or one-on-one drills. Teammates have avoided jostling Dell in drills. He's on his own individual program of return as he comes back from a serious injury that required two surgeries.

Dell didn't practice Sunday in any capacity, in an apparent designated rest day.

"Kind of just excited for his process to keep going," McDaniels said. "His attitude has been great, how he comes into the building every day. Ready to progress and keep working along his process."

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL insider for KPRC 2 and Sports Talk 790. His YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AaronWilsonSport

Texans QBs coach on C.J. Stroud: 'Proud of him'

New Texans quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski is pleased with the progress he's seeing from Stroud, who's in his second season in offensive coordinator Nick Caley's system.

"He's kind of led the way and set the tone for us," said Schuplinski, a former New England Patriots assistant quarterbacks coach who worked with Tom Brady on Super Bowl winning teams. "All the goals that we had from the spring, I feel like we accomplished from a pre-snap standpoint. Now, it's just going and executing post-snap wise. He's done a great job of that. He's in good shape. He looks good physically. He's kind of just leading the charge in there, in the huddle, at the line of scrimmage, mixing up cadences and executing. Proud' of him."

Noticeably lighter after an offseason dedicated to fitness and diet, throwing sessions and hours collaborating with offensive coordinator Nick Caley and Schuplinski, the Texans quarterback is looking to rebound from a rocky performance during the NFL playoffs.

Stroud could have even more reason to be happy if contract negotiations between Texans general manager Nick Caserio and agent David Mulugheta culminate in a lucrative long-term deal.

Caserio characterized the talks positively, not ruling out a potential scenario of completing a deal before the start of the regular season. League sources described the chances of a possible blockbuster deal for Stroud as a possibility with no deal imminent. There is no certainty and no financial compromise as of yet, but the fact that the Texans are interested in securing Stroud long-term is a development. Especially after utilizing a $25.9 million fifth-year club option through the 2027 season during the spring.

The Texans have noticed how Stroud has been locked ever since uncorking a career-high four interceptions in a playoff meltdown during a divisional round loss to the New England Patriots at snowy Gillette Stadium in January.

“He had a really good offseason, it’s probably the best offseason he's had since he's been here," Caserio said when asked about the chances of doing a deal with Stroud and his overall outlook. "He’s had a good attitude. He's been consistent. He's got the right mindset. I'd say we've definitely had productive conversations over the course of the spring. There’s a possibility that something could come to fruition. We'll work through it and see what happens.”

Caserio didn't set a hard deadline on contract talks, but stated a preference for doing something before the season begins.

Conducting contract talks during the season and closing deals is something Caserio has done in the past, but typically on smaller extensions. That included defensive tackle Tommy Togiai and linebacker Jake Hansen last season.

"We've had pretty constructive discussions here over the course of the spring," Caserio said. "I'd say it's a possibility something can happen in training camp. If it doesn't happen in training camp, we'll probably have to make a decision about what we feel makes the most sense. We try to take it one day at a time. If we reach an end point, great. If we don't, I think everybody understands what that will entail as well.”

As much praise as has been heaped on Stroud from Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, Cal McNair and Hannah McNair and teammates, the team weren't initially planning to engage with Stroud in long-term contract negotiations this year. However, the Texans have changed course.

The Texans have rewarded several of his teammates with new market-setting deals, including All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. becoming the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a three-year, $150 million extension and All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr. a year ago with a three-year, $90 million extension. However, Stroud’s long-term future with the Texans remains uncertain.

Ideally, he would like to remain in Houston.

Although Stroud has emphasized he believes he has earned a new deal, he isn’t making waves.

“I think everything has been great, I'm focused on ball," Stroud said. "I’m trying to hold my end of the bargain down on just the football side and do what I can and what I should be doing as the quarterback of this team. I'm letting them handle it and seems like everything is going great.

“I think pressure is part of my job. That's just something I think is part of the gig and something that I'm not naive to, but I've learned you have to keep the main thing the main thing. You have to just focus on one day at a time, one play and the football is what's gotten me to even have the conversation, to be able to get a second contract. I have to focus on football.”

Compartmentalizing football and the financial aspect of the game is something that Stroud feels well-equipped to handle.

There's a time for play and a time for pay. He's determined to separate the two entities. 

“I think that's exactly right," Stroud said. "What I've done is what I've done on the field and what I will do, we'll see. I think I've had some success and I think I'll continue to have success as a quarterback in this league. I'm excited for the future and to pass all the contracts stuff, I love playing football.”

Would Stroud want to table talks until next year if contract discussions don't lead to a finalized deal before the opening game against the Buffalo Bills?

It's a fluid process.

“Not really, I'm leaving that to David," Stroud said. "I don't really have that answer for you.”

Running back Woody Marks said that Stroud is running faster times in the Texans’ conditioning program and might be in line for an increased running role this season.

In the wake of five interceptions and five lost fumbles in two postseason games, Stroud has used the setback as motivational fuel.

“I feel great, I think I've taken steps in the offseason of what it looks like," Stroud said. "If you're going to be in one place, multiple places whatever it is, you have to get the work done. I think I've been able to do that. I've grown as a man; I'm growing in my faith. I'm growing in my football ability. I think I'm taking strides just as a person.”

NOTES: Hard-hitting nickel Jalen Pitre returned to practice. ... The Texans officially re-signed tight end Louis Hansen, an undrafted free agent from Connecticut who transferred from Michigan. ... Besides Dell, not practicing: cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram (shoulder), cornerback Collin Wright (soft-tissue strain), linebacker Jake Hansen (ankle, worked out on side field), tight end Brevin Jordan (knee), running backs Jawhar Jordan (strained hip flexor) and British Brooks (broken hand, surgery). ... Rookie wide receiver Lewis Bond caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud, getting behind Pro Bowl corner Kamari Lassiter. Otherwise, Lassiter was dominant as he won his matchups with Pro Bowl receiver Nico Collins and other receivers. ... Tight end Foster Moreau caught a touchdown pass. ... Rookie center Keylan Rutledge, a projected starter, played offensive guard Sunday. The Texans' other primary centers are Jake Andrews and Evan Brown. ... Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins beat right guard Ed Ingram for a sack. ... Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter has been practically unlockable. Rutledge, a first-round draft pick from Georgia Tech, has been as advertised: a gritty, feisty blocker who has excelled in run blocking and pass blocking situations. He started his first NFL game last week against the Los Angeles Chargers and graded out highly. "He's what we thought we were going to get," offensive line coach and run game coordinator Cole Popovich said. "Really tough, really smart, plays really hard. I think he's fitting in with the room really, really well and just the team as a whole. Really encouraged by what he's done so far." .... The first-string offensive line against the Chargers was comprised of left tackle Aireontae Ersery, left guard Wyatt Teller, Rutledge at center, Ingram at right guard and Braden Smith at right tackle. Trent Brown didn't play in the game. Brown and Smith are competing for the right tackle job. "It was good to get all those guys out there together and repping," Popovich said. "I don't know if that's like necessarily like the first team. You know, it was the team that we put out there first within that preseason game. I thought they did a nice job communicating. They threw a lot of pressures at us. You know, if you watch that game back, it seemed like they were damn near 70% pressure. And so that was great for us just to see all that throughout the whole game." ... When does Popovich foresee settling on a starting five across the line? He didn't put a specific time on that decision. "We'll have that by the first game for sure," Popovich said of the season opener against the Buffalo Bills. "I'd like to have it a year ago, but by the first game we'll know who our top five are. I don't want to put any timetable on it. Things happen. We'll kind of see. I think we've got a long camp here and we'll kind of see how it all shakes out."

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL insider for KPRC 2 and Sports Talk 790. His YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AaronWilsonSport