It was a rough night for the Houston Texans in their preseason opener, with a 27-7 blowout loss at home, and the Los Angeles Chargers rubbed some salt in the wound for rookie cornerback Stephen Hall.
Hall was a college free agent this year.
He was caught in an unfortunate situation on Thursday night, and the Chargers’ renowned social media team did not hesitate to send him a message afterward.
Chargers Send Rough Welcome to Texans’ Stephen Hall
GettyDevonte Ross got the better of Stephen Hall in the Chargers’ win over the Texans.
Hall, who came off the bench for the Texans in the opener, was in coverage against Chargers wide receiver Devonte Ross.
Chargers quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei found Ross while rolling to his left, as the receiver had made his way across the field, in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, leaving Hall to gather himself off the Reliant Stadium turf.
“Welcome to the league,” the Chargers posted on X on August 13, including a clip of the play.
Despite the rough moment, Hall tied for the Texans team lead with 5 combined tackles.
“I would say my physicality, I can beat blocks and my man coverage,” Hall told Draft Diamond’s Justin Berendzen when asked what stands out about his film in comments published in March.
“The team that gets me will get a high character person and a hard working person no matter the outcome. I’m not results driven, meaning I don’t only work hard when things are going my way I still work hard even when they aren’t.”
Moreover, Pro Football Focus gave Hall the 10th-best game grade on the Texans’ defense.
His coverage grade ranked 12th. That still ranked fifth among the Texans’ corners in the contest. He also earned the fourth-best run defense grade and fifth-best tackling grade.
PFF grades are imperfect. However, the Texans are also unlikely to judge Hall on one play in his first preseason game. A game in which many of his teammates also failed to hold up their end of the bargain, as head coach DeMeco Ryans explained.
Texans CB Room Built to Withstand Veteran CB’s Injury
GettyJa’Marcus Ingram’s status is uncertain following the Texans’ loss to the Chargers.
Hall’s performance is key in light of the Chargers’ efforts to draw attention to his lowlight, since the Texans are navigating a pair of injury concerns.
Veteran Ja’Marcus Ingram exited the contest in the third quarter due to an apparent arm or shoulder injury. He was spotted after the contest with his arm in a sling. That creates some uncertainty about his availability for next week against the Las Vegas Raiders next Thursday.
Texans rookie Collin Wright, a training camp standout, is also dealing with an undisclosed issue.
Wright went to the sideline and, ultimately, to the blue medical tent for an evaluation earlier in the Texans’ loss. He was quickly cleared, but his status is worth monitoring, too.
The Texans are fortunate that cornerback is a strength, both in terms of talent and depth. Pro Bowlers Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter headline the room. It also includes 2025 third-round pick Jaylin Smith and veteran Super Bowl champion Tremon Smith.
Ingram’s former Buffalo Bills teammate, Brandon Codrington, also flashed against the Chargers.
The Texans can withstand hits to their cornerback depth like Ingram. Options like Hall are making a case for at least a practice squad spot. It could get tricky beyond that.
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