The Houston Texans are among the several teams that will open training camp next week. The Texans will have rookies and veterans report to Houston Methodist Training Center on Tuesday, July 22.
This year’s training camp should be intriguing as you have multiple players on the roster bubble competing for a spot on the 53-man roster. Some of these players, who are recent draft picks of the team, will make the team out of camp, while others will have to go elsewhere to find another gig in the league.
At the same time, there’s many ex-Texans players still sitting in free agency, waiting for a team to invite them to training camp. Time is of the essence for some of these former Texans as they might not get many chances.
Ex-Texans TE Jordan Akins Still Waiting to Be Signed Ahead of Training Camp
One of those players in this position is veteran tight end Jordan Akins. Akins, who began his career in Houston, is still unsigned with training camp underway.
The 33-year-old pass catcher spent the last two seasons with the Cleveland Browns as the TE2 behind standout tight end David Njoku. Last year, Akins saw an increase in production as Njoku missed some time.
The ex-Texan capitalized on the extra snaps as he turned in 40 receptions (58 targets) for 390 yards and two touchdowns. The last time Akins had at least 50 targets in a season was in 2022 with the Texans.
Akins won’t blow you away with his speed or route running, but he’s a big-bodied tight end, who can help out in blocking and be that safety valve for the quarterback.
However, given his age and this year’s draft class, it's not surprising that teams have opted to go with younger and unproven options at the position. That said, Akins could fill that void as a TE2 or TE3 for a team that’s looking for more experience.
As we previously mentioned, the veteran pass catcher got his start in Houston, where he spent five years. The former third-round pick wasn’t a full-time starter with the Texans, despite Houston not having a star-studded TE1.
But the passing game revolved around Houston’s WR core, which featured DeAndre Hopkins, who was in his prime, and speedster Will Fuller V. They also Brandin Cooks too, for a short time.
That said, Akins’ best year in Houston came in 2022, when he racked up 37 receptions (54 targets) for 495 yards and five touchdowns. Akins also averaged 7.3 yards after catch per reception, which illustrates how he wasn’t easy to bring down.
Akins might not be the most spry tight end, but after seeing what he did last year in Cleveland, the ex-Texans tight end should be on someone’s roster in the coming weeks.