Texans DC Wade Phillips says ILB Darryl Sharpton is still not recovered from his late-season hip injury.

"Darryl's not healthy enough right now to do our offseason stuff," Phillips said. "He's still not been cleared by the doctors." This contradicts earlier comments from Sharpton himself, who claimed in February he was 100 percent healed. We'll find out for sure when the Texans begin OTAs on Monday.


(rotoworld.com)

Texans linebacker Brooks Reed had an offseason operation to address an injury suffered during the season, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said during a radio appearance on 610 AM on Thursday.

Phillips did not indicate the surgery would be a problem for Reed heading into the Texans’ organized team activities, which begin May 20.
He addressed Reed when asked about his level of concern over safety Ed Reed, who had arthroscopic hip surgery recently.

“I’m concerned like I am with anybody that’s coming off an injury, is coming off an operation,” Phillips said. “I believe in our people and they say, hey, he’s going to be fine, (Brian) Cushing’s going to be fine. Even Brooks Reed had an injury last year and was operated (on) in the offseason. You’re always concerned about it. I don’t want to blow it up to say I don’t think they will be back because I think they will.”

Brooks Reed missed four games late last season with a torn groin.

Phillips said inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton was still recovering from the hip injury that landed him on injured reserve in January.

“Darryl’s not healthy enough right now to do our offseason stuff,” Phillips said. “He’s still not been cleared by the doctors from his injury at the end of the season.”


(chron.com)

HOUSTON (CBS Houston) - The Texans are precariously thin at the inside linebacker position, still dealing with injuries from last season.  Darryl Sharpton, who said he was “100% healed up” in February via the Houston Texans website, is unable to participate in offseason training. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips broke the news on SportsRadio 610′s MaD Radio Thursday.

“Some guys just have some injury problems. Darryl is not healthy enough to right now to do our offseason stuff. He still hasn’t been cleared by the doctors from his injuries at the end of the season,” said Phillips.

Sharpton, 25, has yet to play a complete season.  In 2012, the linebacker began Week 1 on the physically unable to perform list, returned in Week 11 for seven games, but then suffered a hip injury in Week 17 that placed him on the injured reserve list.  Phillips still remained optimistic about the fourth-year veteran’s return.

“Hopefully things change for him.  I think luck has a lot to do with it, unfortunately.  He’s just been banged up what, three or four years in a row now.  We hope he’ll get back.”

The Texans did not address the ILB position in the draft but did take two outside linebackers, Sam Montgomery (LSU) and Trevardo Williams (UConn), in the third and fourth-rounds, respectively.  Linebackers coach Reggie Herring said that Brooks Reed could potentially move to the inside if needed.  Phillips said that Reed will stay on the outside for now.

“I think everybody’s putting a lot into we drafted two outside backers but Jesse Nading and Connor Barwin aren’t on our team again.  That’s two outside backers we had. It’s not necessary that we move somebody just because had two outside backers because we lost two. But, Brooks Reed is versatile and right now, we’re playing him outside and going with what we got and see what the young guys can do.”

With Sharpton out and Brian Cushing still in rehabilitation after ACL surgery, the Texans may have to look to free agency to gain some depth at the position.  Phillips did not rule out signing a veteran ILB if needed.  In fact, the Texans did re-sign Tim Dobbins to a one-year deal on April 12. Phillips is hopeful that all three will be ready to play when the season begins.

“We re-signed Dobbins and he played a lot for us last year, started a lot of games.  We won a lot of games with him playing and we also had Sharpton in who played last year and we won games when he was in there. Both of them are very capable of starting and playing. Along with Cushing coming back, that makes us a lot stronger.”

The Texans begin OTAs (organized team activities) on May 20 and training camp on July 26.


(cbslocal.com)

This time last year, inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton was on the comeback trail. He had suffered a gruesome quadriceps injury in October of 2011 and was rehabbing and trying to regain his health. His 2012 season started in the Week 11 overtime win over Jacksonville but ended with a hip injury in the Week 17 loss at Indianapolis.

Now, Sharpton is healthy and has his sights set on the 2013 campaign.

“Everything’s good,” Sharpton said on Tuesday, before participating in a community event in Houston. “The injury’s 100 percent healed up. So right now I’ve just been focusing on training, staying in shape and getting ready to get back out on the field.”

Sharpton spent the first 10 weeks of the 2012 season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list before his return in November against the Jaguars. He started that game and each of the final six before exiting for good after the loss to the Colts. He’s excited to be able to focus on the offseason and 2013, and not on the day-to-day grind of coming back from injury.

“Right now, I feel really healthy, and it’s a good feeling to have right now,” Sharpton said. “I can just run, sprint, lift weights and just get in the best shape possible.”

That’s good news for a defense that never saw Sharpton paired up on the inside with captain Brian Cushing last season. A knee injury in the Week 5 road win at the New York Jets sent Cushing to injured reserve.

In a "Texans All Access" interview on Feb. 19, Cushing said his rehab from the torn anterior cruciate ligament was “going well." The prospect of being paired up with Cushing for the first time since October of 2011 is invigorating for Sharpton, a fourth-round draft pick out of Miami in 2010.

“I think it’ll be great,” Sharpton said. “I think me and Cush have great chemistry and we’ll be a forced to be reckoned with.”

A healthier inside linebacker corps, which also could get bolstered via the draft in late April, will greatly benefit the Texans’ defense.

Before offseason voluntary workouts get going in a month or so, Sharpton plans to return home to South Florida.

“I’m gonna go back home to Miami, visit with my parents, my family a little bit, train down there at the University of Miami and just get a little bit of home experience,” Sharpton said.


(houstontexans.com)

Texans ILB Darryl Sharpton's 2013 base salary increased from $575,000 to $630,000 after he hit escalators in his rookie deal. Sharpton battled a hip issue all season long and ended the season on injured reserve after starting five games.



(fantasysp.com)

The Texans are down a linebacker for their playoff game against the Bengals.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that Darryl Sharpton is done for the season as a result of a hip injury. Sharpton was injured in Sunday’s loss to the Colts, an injury that coach Gary Kubiak said left him concerned after the game.

The Texans have a fair amount of practice at playing without Sharpton this season. He started the year on the PUP list because of a quad injury that ended his 2011 season and made his debut in Week 11 against the Jaguars. He started five of the final seven games at inside linebacker, providing the Texans with help they needed after Brian Cushing was lost for the season.

Tim Dobbins, the likeliest replacement next to Bradie James, hurt his shoulder against the Colts and the Texans have still more injury concerns at linebacker. Outside linebacker Brooks Reed is battling a groin injury and did not play against the Colts. Kubiak said if Reed can walk, “he’s going to play.”

McClain reports that the Texans have brought back linebacker Mister Alexander to take Sharpton’s spot on the roster. That’s Mr. Mister Alexander to you, though.


(profootballtalk.com)

Head Coach Gary Kubiak on how encouraging it was to see ILB Darryl Sharpton step up on Sunday: “It’s very encouraging and I think the biggest thing there is a couple things that took place defensively in the game, getting (NT) Shaun (Cody) back, as I’ve said all along. Cody gave us some versatility inside and took some snaps off some players. We got our pass rush back. We got it from a lot of places. (ILB Darryl) Sharpton took a whole week of practice. He had every rep in practice running our defense. You could see the difference in Sharpton and how he played. (ILB Tim) Dobbins came in and helped and played extremely well in the game. I think a couple things going on right there helped us get back to playing our type of football defensively. I think Sharpton is more comfortable. This is three games he now has under his belt and he’s going to have to be because he’s going to be big going down the stretch here.”


(enterprisenews.com)

Texans inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton will start on Thursday at the Detroit Lions.

Sharpton, who had seven tackles on Sunday in his first game off the Physically Unable to Perform list, will play at Mo linebacker on the weakside. Tim Dobbins, who has started the last four games, will be a game-time decision because of a shoulder injury. Bradie James will continue to start at Mike linebacker on the strongside.

“It means a lot to me,” Sharpton said Tuesday in the Texans’ locker room. “I’m going to go out there, give it my all, make sure my body’s ready to play. We’re going to try to bring home another victory.”

Sharpton played 45 snaps Sunday against the Jaguars, including 32 on defense. It was his first action since Oct. 30, 2011, when he tore his right quadriceps tendon in the eighth game of last season.

“I thought Sharpton played well,” Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. “He made a couple of big plays, several big hits. I know he’s sore this week; he hadn’t played in a year and a half. I thought he played well. He’s gonna start this game, so I thought he played well enough to start.”
A fourth-round draft pick out of Miami (Fla.) in 2010, Sharpton said he went to every single meeting and practice during his year-long absence from the field, taking notes and staying on top the Texans’ defense mentally while he was unable to play.

“He stayed with it the whole time,” Phillips said. “Sometimes you have an injury, especially a lingering one like he had (where) he’s on PUP, didn’t know if he was going to play this year, but he knew every defense… He didn’t make many mistakes out there. He’s a very instinctive player, which helps, and he’s a real hard hitter, which helps also, but I just thought he was ready to play when he played. A lot of guys would get distracted and not be able to do that.”
Sharpton showed no signs of hesitation in his first game back, tackling Jaguars players with reckless abandon and jarring hits. Now, just four days later, he’ll start for the first time since late in his rookie season in 2010.

“After not playing for a year, there’s a lot of built-up thoughts when you’re watching football, like, ‘Man, if I was out there, I would do this, I would do that,’” Sharpton said. “And now I actually have a chance to do it, so I’m just trying to take advantage of every snap I get and really appreciate it and just give it my all every play.
“After that long break and now I’m back, I feel like, yeah, I came back to life. It feels good, and I’m just trying to stay healthy and keep contributing.”


(houstontexans.com)

It's been a long road but inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton finally made his return to the Houston Texans on Sunday after nearly 55 weeks out of commission.

Sharpton tore his right quadriceps muscle against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 30, 2011 and will make his return against those very same Jaguars on Sunday after being activated by the Texans from their physically unable to perform list. To make room for Sharpton, the Texas waived safety Troy Nolan.

Sharpton first practiced two weeks ago and due to his placement on the PUP list was not eligible to play until after week six. Though his quadriceps injury should have been healed and ready by the preseason, Sharpton had a setback with a hip injury early in training camp. But now he is ready to go for a Texans team that needs depth at linebacker with Brian Cushing out and Tim Dobbins questionable for Sunday's game, leaving Bradie James and Barrett Ruud as the only healthy linebackers.

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips rewarded linebacker Darryl Sharpton, who came off the physically-unable-to-perform list last week, with a chance to blitz on his first play of the 2012 season. He nearly got a sack.

“It felt great to be back out there,” said Sharpton, who tore a quad tendon against the Jaguars at Reliant Stadium last season. “I wasn’t expecting a game this long or this crazy, but playing football is like riding a bike for me. It clicked the minute I stepped on the field. I felt like I was home.”

Sharpton, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2010, contributed four tackles — one for a loss — and assisted on three others.


(sbnation.com)

Inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton is unlikely to be activated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list this week.

Sharpton practiced for the second time in 2012 on Thursday, but the Texans did not wear pads like they do on most Thursdays. It sounds like Sharpton, a third-year pro who suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury last October, has a chance to return next week.

“He’s doing good,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said on Thursday. “I think he’s moving forward. I took (the pads) off today, but I liked the way we practiced. The next step for (Sharpton) is to get in his pads.

“I think to say that he’s going to be ready to go this week, I don’t think we’re there yet. I know I’m probably early to say that, but I just think it’s the smart thing right now because I think he needs a few more days of work and make sure he comes out of one week clean. But he’s had two good days.”

The Texans have until Week 13 to move Sharpton to the active roster. Otherwise, he will remain on the PUP and not be able to play this season.


(houstontexans.com)

Inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton practiced for the first time in 2012 on Wednesday.

It was 372 days after he tore his right quadriceps tendon against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 30, 2011. Sharpton is still on the Physically Unable to Perform list after suffering a setback in his rehab during training camp, but Wednesday was a major step toward an eventual return to the field on Sundays.

“It felt really good,” Sharpton said on Wednesday afternoon. “Just driving to the stadium today, I felt like a kid on the first day of school or something; I was all nervous. But it felt really good. I can’t even explain it. It felt good just to be a part of the team again.”

Added Sharpton a few minutes later: “I’m sure for everybody else, it was just a regular Wednesday. For me, it was just a huge, huge day. Like, it was bigger than the presidential election for me.”

Sharpton was eased into action at his first practice, playing about half of the scout team reps and doing limited special teams work.

“We’ll go back and look at it,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “If we put on pads on (Thursday), it’ll be good to see him bounce around in pads a little bit. I’ve got to make a decision there. We’ll proceed this week. There is no pressure on him. It’s strictly, we’ve got our window here to figure out when we think we can turn him loose. Today was a step in the right direction.”

The Texans have three weeks to move Sharpton to the active roster. It could happen as soon as this weekend for their game at Chicago. It could happen as late as the week leading up to their game at Tennessee in Week 13.

Sharpton said he “felt good, felt strong” on Wednesday and that he was able to cut and change directions. He wants to be activated as soon as possible but is leaving the decision in the hands of coaches and trainers.

“After I went out there today, obviously, it was the first time getting back out there, so I had my doubts, (was) a little hesitant,” Sharpton said. “I had butterflies in my stomach. I was excited. All kind of different emotions, but after running around, letting the adrenaline flow through my blood, I felt like my old self. I felt like a good football player.

“Honestly, I’ve been blessed my whole life, but for me, this is probably the toughest thing I’ve ever had to deal with, especially as an athlete, my whole life never being sidelined this long, never experienced anything like this. Emotionally, it was really rough on me. I had really bad days. It was ups and downs, but I just kept pushing through it, following directions, and I’m just happy to be back out.”


(houstontexans.com)

As expected, the Texans have cleared inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton to return to practice.

Sharpton will remain on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which means he does not count against the 53-man active roster. The Texans have three weeks to decide whether to place him on the active roster or leave him on the PUP for the remainder of the season.

The earliest Sharpton could return to action is this Sunday at Chicago. The latest he could be promoted to the active roster is the week leading up to the Texans' Week 13 game at Tennessee. The Texans would have to release another player in order to create room for Sharpton, a third-year pro out of Miami (Fla.).


(houstontexans.com)

When the Texans return to practice Wednesday, they’ll be joined by inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton for the first time since he blew out his quad tendon and knee last season and suffered a setback with a hip injury in training camp.

The Texans can wait up to three weeks before deciding to activate Sharpton or place him on injured reserve.

“You would love to think he comes out there and practices Wednesday and Thursday and say, ‘Boy, I think he can help us,’ ” coach Gary Kubiak said. “There is no pressure on him.

“Obviously, he wants to get back on the field as quick as he can, but we’ll make sure he’s shown us he’s ready to go.”

Before he was injured last season, Sharpton was rotating with DeMeco Ryans at the inside spot next to Brian Cushing.

“He’s an excellent special-teams player,” Kubiak said. “He’s a very physical player, loves to hit, and can help us. We see a guy that can be factor for our team.”


(chron.com)

Inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton has a lot bottled up at this point.

This week, for the first time all season, he’s started hitting bags at practice, still working on his own while on the physically unable to perform list. The Texans have said he is “very, very close,” and Sharpton thinks he’ll  be off PUP next week.

“It felt good just to get some of those animalistic instincts I’ve been harnessing back all this time on the shelf, just to let it go, and there’s a lot more to let go,” Sharpton said. “So I look forward to letting it go.”

Sharpton tore his quadriceps muscle all the way from his knee last October. He returned to practice for training camp when his injury was still not 100 percent healed. Sharpton said his health was “good enough to play,” but when he returned, he suffered a setback with an injury to his hip. That landed Sharpton on PUP.

“Now I feel a lot better overall,” he said. “I feel pretty good about everything. It’s all about going out there and playing at this opint because nothing I can do in the training room, the weight room can simulate actually playing. I’m just really excited about getting back out there. Can’t wait to put helmet and shoulder pads back on.”

Sharpton might have been starting anyway for the Texans, but with inside linebacker Brian Cushing out for the season, his presence could be even more impactful.

“Even if Cush was still here, I still think I can help the team with what I can bring to the table,” Sharpton said. “I just can’t wait to put what I’m talking about on display.”


(blog.chron.com)

Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak indicated LB Darryl Sharpton (quadriceps) is close to taking part in practice. Kubiak said Sharpton worked with trainers on the side during practice last week and was running very well.



(fantasysp.com)

The Texans’ biggest injury concern heading into their bye week is running back Ben Tate, who may not be available in Week 9 because of a minor hamstring injury. Their biggest question mark is inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton, who is still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a quadriceps injury.

Sharpton, who tore his right quadriceps last season in Week 8, was eligible to return to practice last week. The Texans feel like he’s close. Last week, Kubiak said Sharpton has been working with trainers on a side field during practice and running “very, very well.”

Sharpton has until Nov. 7 to start practicing. From the day he starts practicing, the Texans have three more weeks to activate Sharpton from the PUP list. That means the latest he could be back on the active roster is the week leading up to the Texans’ Week 13 game at Tennessee.

If either deadline passes, Sharpton would not be able to play this season and would remain on the PUP list.


(houstontexans.com)

Texans inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton is not yet ready to come off the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.

Players on the PUP list have to sit out their team’s first six games. They can begin practicing this week. Sharpton is still on the mend after suffering a season-ending quadriceps injury last year in Week 8.

“He’s not ready,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said Thursday. “He’s very close. He’s working with our trainers and running very, very well, but he is not ready to go on the field with the rest of the players yet. I don’t know… We’ll see where we’re at in a couple weeks here.”

Sharpton has three weeks to get healthy enough to return to practice. From the day he begins practicing, the Texans would have an additional three weeks to decide whether to add Sharpton to the 53-man roster. If either of those deadlines passes, Sharpton will not be able to play this season.

The Texans could especially use Sharpton with inside linebacker Brian Cushing on injured reserve. A fourth-round draft pick out of Miami (Fla.) in 2010, Sharpton could have competed for a starting job with Bradie James this offseason if healthy. He was close to returning when he suffered a setback in his rehab on the second day of training camp, causing a hip issue that landed him on PUP.

Kubiak said Thursday that he does not know if inside linebacker Barrett Ruud, who took Cushing’s spot on the roster last week, will be ready to play against the Baltimore Ravens. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said Ruud, an eighth-year veteran, has caught on quickly and is already working as the signal-caller for the defense in practice.

“He’s doing good,” Kubiak said. “I think we’ll have to make a decision here at the end of the week whether we think he’s ready to go there and help us. Wade and (linebackers coach) Reggie (Herring) have been pleased with his progress in learning our defense. I think he’s going to be able to help us. Whether it starts this week or not, I don’t know.”


(houstontexans.com)

Texans ILB Darryl Sharpton (hip) is "not ready" to come off the PUP list.

Sharpton is first eligible to return in Week 7, but the Texans are hoping he'll be ready "in a couple weeks." Sharpton's return has taken on an added importance with Brian Cushing (torn ACL) out for the season. Sharpton could rotate snaps with veteran Tim Dobbins whenever he's finally ready to make his 2012 debut.


(nbcsports.com)

Houston Texans LB Darryl Sharpton (quadriceps) suffered a setback in rehab from a quadriceps injury, and he will start the regular season on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) list.



(kffl.com)

Texans ILB Darryl Sharpton recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a torn right quadriceps.

Sharpton suffered the injury all the way back in October, so this is becoming a long-term issue. Coach Gary Kubiak stated that Sharpton's injury is now affecting his hip. It looks like the 24-year-old may open the season on PUP.

Sharpton, who tore his right quadriceps tendon last October, was on the field Friday morning but did not practice on the first day of training camp. The third-year pro is expected to return shortly and potentially push veteran Bradie James for a starting job.

“Sharp looked really good this morning,” Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’re going to ask him to show us one more time tomorrow, and then he can be back on the field very quickly. He’s real close.”


(rotoworld.com)

Texans ILB Darryl Sharpton is still rehabbing his torn right quadriceps injury.

"I've kind of transitioned from the training room to the weight room," said Sharpton. "I'm definitely gotten over that hump, I'm feeling good and I'm pretty much there." Likely to be eased into training camp, Sharpton won't have a fair shot to beat out Bradie James for the starting job next to Brian Cushing.


(ap.com)

Houston Texans linebacker Darryl Sharpton was injured at the mid way point of the 2011 season when he tor his right quadricep. The injury cost Sharpton the second half of his season, and after months of rehabbing Sharpton says he will be ready to go once the Texans begin training camp on Saturday July 28:

...linebacker Darryl Sharpton says he's still recovering from a torn right quadriceps that forced him to miss the entire second half of last season.

"I've kind of transitioned from the training room to the weight room," said Sharpton, who made 12 tackles in eight games. "I'm definitely gotten over that hump, I'm feeling good and I'm pretty much there, ready to go."

A fourth-round draft pick in 2010, Sharpton is expected to see more playing time this season after the Texans traded DeMeco Ryans to Philadelphia. Sharpton, speaking during a break at the Texans' annual youth football camp, says he expects to be ready when Houston opens training camp on July 27.

"I've been running around, cutting, and doing pretty much everything full-speed," Sharpton said. "There's nothing like actually going out there and running into the `A' gap and blowing up a fullback. There's no kind of preparation you can do for that, so I've just got to go out there and test it."

The Texans defense was very good last year, but they did lose Mario Williams to free agency to the Buffalo Bills as well as DeMeco Ryans heading to the Eagles. So, Sharpton will need to show he is deserving of the extra playing time he will be get this season.


(sbnation.com)

Darryl Sharpton, ILB - Sharpton is aggressive and started to show signs of improvement last year until an injury sidelined him.  With DeMeco Ryans gone, the thought was that Sharpton would get his chance, but with the signing of Bradie James and with Sharpton slow to recover from his quad injury, Sharpton’s playing time may be more limited to special teams if he can’t beat out James in camp.


(chron.com)

Houston Texans LB Darryl Sharpton (quadriceps) said he's still recovering from a torn right quadriceps. "I've kind of transitioned from the training room to the weight room," said Sharpton, who made 12 tackles in eight games. "I've definitely gotten over that hump, I'm feeling good and I'm pretty much there, ready to go." He's expected to see more playing time in 2012, and he's expected to be ready for training camp July 27.


(kffl.com)

Texans ILB Darryl Sharpton (quadriceps) looks "real close," according to coach Gary Kubiak.

Sharpton has been running on the side as the Texans conduct their OTAs. The third-year run-stuffer should have no problem getting to 100 percent ahead of training camp.


(rotoworld.com)

Houston Texans LB Darryl Sharpton (quadriceps) is still not participating in organized team activities (OTAs). "He's behind. How far is he behind? When he comes back, we'll find out," head coach Gary Kubiak said.




(kffl.com)

Third-year inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton has not practiced through two days of organized team activities (OTAs), and it sounds like he won’t practice until training camp.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak compared Sharpton’s health situation to that of quarterback Matt Schaub, who is expected to return from a Lisfranc injury in camp. Sharpton tore his quadriceps tendon last season in Week 8 against Jacksonville and has been limited to rehab work so far in OTAs.

“He’s doing really well,” Kubiak said on Tuesday. “I would put him in Matt’s category. There’s a lot of things he could be doing right now, individual-wise and stuff, but (if a) guy can’t pass a physical right now, we’re not going to put him on the football field. But he is heading in the right direction; should be ready for camp. I hate to see him miss it, but we’re going to be smart with him.”

A fourth-round draft pick out of Miami (Fla.) in 2010, Sharpton could compete with Bradie James and Tim Dobbins for a starting inside linebacker role this season. Before getting injured last year, he played well while sharing snaps with DeMeco Ryans, who was traded to the Eagles in March.
Sharpton, 24, started six games as a rookie and has 30 tackles, one sack and 16 special teams tackles in two NFL seasons.


(houstontexans.com)

ILB Darryl Sharpton has not worked out in OTAs thus far as he continues to recover from a quadriceps injury that cost him the latter half of the 2011 season. Coach Gary Kubiak said that Sharpton will be ready in time for training camp, where he is expected to replace the departed DeMeco Ryans (Eagles) opposite Brian Cushing in the middle of the defense.



(cbssports.com)

For what the Texans need out of their second inside linebacker, I think they are quite happy with the idea of Darryl Sharpton filling what used to be DeMeco Ryans’ spot.

Sharpton created a solid buzz back in his first training camp in 2010, when the Texans were still playing a 4-3. As a rookie he started six games as an injury fill-in, five on the weakside and one in the middle.

Coming off a quad injury that cost him most of the 2011 season, he could have to battle a draft pick for the inside spot next to Brian Cushing. The other veteran on the inside last year, Tim Dobbins, is a free agent whose name hasn’t come up at all to this point.

Here’s what Scouts Inc. has to say about Sharpton:

Sharpton is a bit shorter than you'd like a linebacker to be but is a superior athlete. He has excellent lateral range and does a good job of coming to balance as he squares up, in the hole, to make the tackle. He needs some work on recognizing blocking schemes and making quick decisions. Once he makes the diagnosis he is quick to pull the trigger. He can deliver a big hit when tackling the ball carrier and flashes good pop to neutralize blocks. He needs work on using his hands. He gets excellent depth in his pass drops but needs work on route recognition and reading the quarterback's eyes.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Sharpton doesn’t automatically get the spot, but will get the opportunity to take it.

“He’s physical, he can run, his problem has been staying upright, staying healthy,” Kubiak said. “So I think if he can stay in one piece he’s got a heck of a chance to help us out.”

Ryans likes him, and thinks he will fare well as a starter.

“Sharpton is going to be a good player,” Ryans said. “He’s a very instinctive player and he’s going to make a lot of plays in the open field. He’s a good young linebacker and he’s capable of stepping in and making plays.”

The Texans don't head into the draft with a long list of needs. They need restocking.

They'll draft a receiver, an outside linebacker and an offensive lineman, I feel certain. Beyond that they have a lot of freedom to find the best players available. Cornerback, inside linebacker and tight end qualify as secondary areas where they need new depth.


(espn.com)

By trading linebacker DeMeco Ryans to Philadelphia, the Texans will receive a fourth-round pick from the Eagles and exchange third-round selections in next month’s draft.

The Texans get the fourth pick in the fourth round. Philadelphia got it in a trade with Tampa Bay.

By switching positions in the third round, the Texans move up 12 spots and have the 77th overall pick and the Eagles’ the 89th.

It’s a win-win situation. Ryans gets to play middle linebacker in the Eagles’ 4-3. And the Eagles are a Super Bowl contender.

Ryans, a seven-year veteran, was not suited to be a one-down player in the Texans’ 3-4. His role was diminished. He was removed every time the Texans went to their nickel defense.

Ryans will be replaced by Darryl Sharpton. who is expected to take his spot next to Brian Cushing in Houston’s starting lineup.

He rotated with Ryans until he suffered a season-ending torn quad tendon. Sharpton was a fourth-round pick in 2010.


(chron.com)

NFL Houston Texans Darryl Sharpton & Friends Invade Main Stage This Saturday March 17th.| $4 ciroc happy hour wit live band performance from 9pm - 11pm.| $100 rozay bottles all night| Food served on patio| Gift bags given out by Revamped Boutique | Dress Code Strictly enforced| For Free Entry Or Vip text/call 832.816.4070

On the first series of the second quarter, backup inside linebacker Darryl Sharpton suffered what coach Gary Kubiak described as a "torn quad tendon," and he will miss the rest of the season.

Sharpton, who had been getting playing time in each game behind DeMeco Ryans, was injured making a tackle on a 4-yard run by Maurice Jones-Drew He'll undergo surgery and be placed on injured reserve.

Sharpton follows Mario Williams (torn pectoral muscle) as linebackers placed on injured reserve.

"He'd been playing very well," Kubiak said about Sharpton. "I feel terrible for him. He's another player lost that we'll have to replace."

Click here to order Darryl Sharpton’s proCane Rookie Card.


(chron.com)

Houston Texans’ linebacker Darryl Sharpton recently visited Schindewolf Intermediate School’s special education teacher Heather Williams and her students.   The Texans and First Community Credit Union named Williams as a Star in the Classroom after Jonathan Charo, one of her students, and his mother nominated her for the honor.    Williams and her classroom received a visit from a Texans player as a benefit of winning the award, and the program donated $500 to the Klein ISD general fund.   Students decorated the classroom with cutouts of Texans jerseys and Sharpton spent over an hour answering questions ranging from his favorite color, to his favorite part about living in Texas, to what it is like being a professional football player.   Each student was able to ask a question, including the non-verbal students through the use of assistive technology devices. 

Click here to order Darryl Sharpton’s proCane Rookie Card.


(ultimatespringtx.com)

LB DeMeco Ryans missed another start for the Houston Texans because of his elbow injury. He was replaced By Darryl Sharpton who has gotten a lot of playing time this preseason and has proven he is worthy of a starting spot on the Texans 3-4 defense.

As for Darryl Sharpton, he’s not big enough to just sit back and let the play come to him.  He’s at his best when he’s playing downhill into gaps.  I love the fact that Sharpton plays with good violence and is a willing combatant around the line of scrimmage.





(chron.com)

The horde eagerly anticipated the self-analysis of Texans linebacker Brian Cushing, who on Wednesday practiced for the first time during training camp after battling a protracted recovery from knee surgery.

Meanwhile, several moments earlier, second-year linebacker Darryl Sharpton slipped away under the cover of broad daylight, almost too inconspicuously given how critical a role he might play this season.

Though Cushing expressed pleasure with the progress he's made over the course of a week, going so far as to reveal that last Wednesday he wouldn't have predicted that he would have practiced in seven days, there are no guarantees Cushing will be prepared to reprise his 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year performance by the opener against the Colts. That is the sobering reality for a team under the stewardship of a new defensive coordinator (Wade Phillips) installing a new scheme (the 3-4) with a corps of starting linebackers either new to the position (former end Mario Williams) or returning from catastrophic injuries.

Whereas DeMeco Ryans (Achilles) and Connor Barwin (ankle) have been full participants throughout, Cushing is returning at a gradual pace. That has Sharpton in the mix alongside Williams and Ryans and Barwin, heady position for the fourth-round pick out of Miami, Fla.

"Honestly, I'm the type of person no matter where I am on the depth chart I'm just going to play my game, which is go all out as hard as I can," Sharpton said. "Whether I'm going with the 1s, the 2s or the 3s, I'm going to still have the same game and mindset, and I'm going to just leave it to God. Like my old (position) coach (Michael Barrow) in college used to tell me, 'If you're doing your best, don't worry about the rest.'"

That simplistic mantra has paid dividends for Sharpton, 23, whose athleticism and physicality have been hard to miss. As a rookie, Sharpton recorded 34 tackles and one sack while participating in 12 games, including six starts. His season was cut short by a shoulder injury in the penultimate game against the Broncos in Week 16, but Sharpton returned healthy and clearly ready to embrace opportunity.

Also clear: Sharpton was undaunted by the challenge of switching to the 3-4. Only one year removed from first learning the rigors of the NFL, Sharpton has absorbed the schematic changes taking reps with the first-team defense. Having Phillips at the controls has eased that transition.

"Wade Phillips is a guru," Sharpton said. "He has a great track record for what he does. I'm getting information and coached up from a very good source, so I have 100 percent confidence and faith in what he's saying."

Texans coach Gary Kubiak needs to feel as confident in his reserves at linebacker as Sharpton is in Phillips, especially considering the hurdles strewn about the path of the projected starters returning from injury or unfamiliar with formulating an attack without one hand on the ground.

If the Texans are to rebound from putting the third-worst defense in the league on the field last season, their search for security extends to fourth-year pros Xavier Adibi and Stanford Keglar, as well as rookie Brooks Reid.

"I think Sharpton's had a very good camp," Kubiak said. "We brought the new guy in, (Tim) Dobbins, so we're trying to take a look at him. I think Xavier has had a good camp. That's very important. The depth at that position is very important.

"It's been a process of a bunch of young players getting reps with the first group. With Cheta (Ozougwu), it's the same type of deal. I'm pleased up to this point of where we're at, but at the same time we got to get DeMeco and Cush up to full speed. That's why we're here working."

Much of the progress displayed on the practice field by Sharpton has come via establishing himself as a pro. Having spent his entire life in Miami prior to the 2010 draft, Sharpton had a lot to juggle as he settled in for a new life in Houston, both professionally and personally. Now there is serenity present, an aura of comfort that has allowed Sharpton to move beyond being star struck by some of his teammates last season to tackling with greater ease the responsibilities presently on his plate.

Sharpton has embraced that he belongs. Whatever comes next will be part of the game that isn't as complicated as some make it out to be.

"There's only so many ways you can play football," Sharpton said. "At the end of the day you've got to tackle the man with the ball and defend passes. There are slight differences in how things are called and how you line up, but at the end of the day football is football and we all have the same goal: make tackles."


(foxsportshouston.com)

When DeMeco Ryans couldn't practice Thursday morning while his contract was being redone, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips plugged in second-year pro Darryl Sharpton at Ryans' right inside linebacker slot. Sharpton proved up to task and then some.

"He got the chance to go in and run the defensive football team," coach Gary Kubiak said. "Just watching him, I thought he did a helluva job."


(chron.com)

Texans LB Darryl Sharpton (torn rotator cuff) expects to be ready to go when training camp opens.
The injury was first reported as a dislocated shoulder. Sharpton is expected to be eased in slowly along with ILB DeMeco Ryans next month. Last year's fourth-round pick is headed for a reserve linebacker and special teams role in Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense.


(rotoworld.com)

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

34. Tavares Gooden LB Baltimore Ravens: The knock on Gooden since his college days has been his inability to stay healthy and 2010 unfortunately was no exception as Gooden played in 10 games, he did not start any and only tallied 18 total tackles last season. He was used by the Ravens on obvious passing situations because of his speed and coverage skills, but missed six games due to injury and was not able to secure a starting spot. At one point the Ravens saw Gooden as Ray Lewis’ successor but his inability to stay healthy has put that in doubt. It would be great to see him be able to play an entire season, hopefully 2011 will be the year.

33. Kelly Jennings DB Seattle Seahawks: Jennings under new Head Coach Pete Carroll had a solid mini camp which translated to him starting 14 games for the Seahawks and tallying a career high 13 pass deflections. Jennings also had his first interception since his rookie season in 2006, was far more consistent this year and wasn’t pushed around as much by opposing receivers. Jennings will be a free agent, but look for him to draw interest from teams including the Seahawks.

32. Rashad Butler LT Houston Texans: Butler who has been activated for all 16 games the last two years for the Texans started four games this past season and performed quite well at left tackle. Butler as a matter of fact opened the eyes of opposing coaches with his solid play and most probably will be snatched up by a team in need of a starting left tackle this offseason.

31. Phillip Buchanon DB Washington Redskins: In his first year with the Redskins, Buchanon, who played in all 16 games and started 5 had a career high in pass deflections (18) and recorded two interceptions. Overall, Buchanon had a solid year, but was at times inconsistent and found himself in Shanahan and Co.’s doghouse on several occasions. Buchanon didn’t contribute as much as was anticipated on punt returns but is still a threat on special teams as well. With one year under his belt with the Redskins look for Buchanon to have a bigger impact in 2011.

30. Calais Campbell DE Arizona Cardinals: There were high expectations coming into the 2010 season for Campbell as he was expected to record double digit sacks and more than adequately replace free-agent departee Antonio Smith. Unfortunately in 15 games Campbell only recorded six sacks, 1 less than the 2009 season though he did have more total tackles (60). The 2011 season will be an important one for Campbell to prove that he can be an elite pass rusher in the NFL, because most expected him to already be one.

29. Darryl Sharpton LB Houston Texans: Sharpton in his rookie season with the Texans was a surprise contributor on defense as he started 6 of the 12 games he was active for before sustaining an injury which ended his season prematurely. When playing though, Sharpton was solid both on special teams and defense where he accumulated 34 tackles and a sack. Look for Sharpton to work his way up the Texan depth chart and eventually become a full-time starter, if not in 2011 then 2012.

28. Vernon Carey RT Miami Dolphins: Carey battled a knee injury for most of the 2010 season but still started 12 games for the Dolphins before being put on injured reserve. Carey playing with a below average Dolphins offensive line was one of the few bright spots. Carey has been solid throughout his career and talk of him moving to the guard position is unfounded. Carey, though still recovering from his knee injury should be 100% by the start of the season.

27. Roscoe Parrish WR Buffalo Bills: Parrish was having the best season of his six-year career as through eight games he had career-high receiving yards, rushing yards and receiving touchdowns. Parrish was the Bills’ #2 wide receiver after finally being given opportunity to shine on offense while he continued to be a threat on punt returns as well. Unfortunately his season was cut short in week 8 after he sustained a season-ending wrist injury, but look for him to return as a starter to the Bills’ offense despite the emergence of Steve Johnson last season.

26. Frank Gore RB San Francisco 49ers: Gore was on pace to have another stellar season for the 49ers with their new-found dedication to the running game. Through 11 games Gore had 853 yards on the ground and over 450 yard receiving along with five touchdowns before fracturing his hip and being placed on injured reserve. It was the fourth consecutive season that Gore was unable to play in all 16 games, but when Gore is healthy, there are few in the league that are better than him especially with how involved he has become in the passing game as well.

Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 25th through 16th!