In the first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, the Houston Texans suffered a minor setback to their receiving corps. During the 28-26 loss, second-year wideout Keke Coutee made an early exit after he suffered a sprained ankle in the first half. Although the injury did not appear to be serious, Coutee has yet to return to the field, and there is no timetable for him to do so.
While the Texans were hoping to rely heavily on the production of Coutee, his backup, DeAndre Carter, has done a solid job filling in for the injured receiver. And after putting on a show Saturday night at NRG Stadium, Carter is making his case a reliable slot receiver and return specialist for the Texans.
“DeAndre Carter did a nice job [Saturday night],” coach Bill O’Brien said following the Texans’ 30-23 victory over the Detroit Lions. “He’s been a good player since the day he walked into the door here. Tough, dependable guy, smart guy, great guy in the locker room.”
Carter caught three passes and led all Texans with 40 receiving yards in the win. His biggest play of the game, however, was a 24-yard kickoff return. And after connecting on two of his five completions with Carter as his intended target, Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson believes he can be a valuable piece to the Texans offense heading into the 2019 season.
“He’s light-years ahead just because he knows the offense,” Watson said. “Last year, he was just kind of thrown into the fire. D.C. knows that he’s a part of this team, that he can help this team on special teams but also on the offensive side.”
Carter, 26, is hoping to have more of an impact in his first full season as a member of the Texans. In 2018, he only appeared in seven games after the Texans claimed him off waivers following a short stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“He’s a great team player. He’s a great person. He’s always working hard, always making sure that everyone is on the same page,” Watson said. “He helped me out with all of the experience that he’s seen from team to team and then also what he sees in the slot. He’s a great addition to this team, and we’d love to have him.”
