The Houston Texans were a night and day difference team with rookie receiver Keke Coutee. They went 6-0 in regular season games he played versus 5-5 in games he did not.
The task for the coaching and training staff in 2019 is determining how to keep the former 2018 fourth-round pick healthy enough to contribute on the field.
“He’s a great kid, hard worker but he was injured a lot,” coach Bill O’Brien told reporters at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. “We have to figure that out. He has to figure that out.”
Coutee caught 28 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown in his limited action. In his first career game, a 37-34 overtime victory at the Indianapolis Colts that was the catalyst for Houston’s nine-game winning streak, Coutee caught 11 passes for 109 yards. The catch total was a NFL record for a player in his first career game.
“Here’s a guy that has a bright, bright future but we’ve got to figure out how we can keep him on the field because again, with every player, availability equals dependability basically,” said O’Brien. “He wants to be dependable. I know he’s working hard right now. We’re looking forward to having him. He’s a good football player. It’d be really good if we can have him for 16 games and then some.”
In the Texans’ 21-7 AFC wild-card playoff loss to the Colts at NRG Stadium, Coutee was the only thing going for the stagnant offense as he caught 11 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.
Coutee represents a slot receiving threat in Houston’s offense, a nice complement to All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Coutee also gives quarterback Deshaun Watson a quick out when facing blitzing situations. If Coutee can stay healthy and give the Texans quality playing time in 2019, then it will lead to Houston playing in 16 games and then some.
