HOUSTON — Houston Texans Coach Bill O’Brien says that injured star J.J. Watt is feeling much better and that it “looks decent” for him to play in the season opener against Chicago on Sept. 11.
Watt missed the entire preseason on the physically unable to perform list after having back surgery in July. Last year’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year has started every game in his five-year career.
O’Brien was asked Friday if he expected the defensive end to come off the physically unable to perform list next week. O’Brien says: “I think the arrow is pointing toward that. I think we’re heading in the right direction with him.”
He added that they weren’t ready to activate Watt on Friday, but that the move could come soon.
CHIEFS/CARDINALS TRADE: Kansas City sent cornerback Marcus Cooper to Arizona for an undisclosed draft pick as it began the process of trimming its roster.
The Cardinals have been trying to find a cornerback to start across from Patrick Peterson.
Brandon Williams and Cariel Brooks struggled in their preseason finale against the Broncos on Thursday night. Mike Jenkins was lost to a torn ACL during camp and veteran cornerback Justin Bethel has been dealing with a lingering foot problem.
Cooper made six starts and had three interceptions in 2013, playing well enough to be the Chiefs’ rookie of the year. But he lost his starting job the following season and was unlikely to have kept his spot on the roster when it was trimmed to 53 players Saturday.
CHIEFS: Running back Jamaal Charles remains iffy for the season opener against the Chargers.
Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said on a conference call with reporters that Charles “might need some more time to get himself back,” though Reid did not rule him out of next weekend’s game.
Charles tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 5 last season. He has been working out for several weeks, though he did not participate in any of the Chiefs’ preseason games.
TITANS: Tennessee waived wide receiver Justin Hunter and running back Bishop Sankey and 20 other players as they trimmed their roster ahead of Saturday’s deadline.
Hunter and Sankey were Tennessee’s second-round draft picks in 2013 and 2014. The Titans also released veteran running back Dexter McCluster.
BILLS: Veteran linebacker Manny Lawson and fullback Jerome Felton are among 21 players who have been released by Buffalo.
BROWNS: Former Washington defensive lineman Stephen Paea says he has signed with the Browns.
Paea, released earlier this week by Washington, posted a photo on Twitter of him signing a contract. It included the caption: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
COLTS: Indianapolis put cornerback D’Joun Smith on the waived-injured list, one day before all NFL rosters must be trimmed to 53 players.
If Smith clears waivers, he will go on Indy’s injured reserve list.
BENGALS: Cincinnati released safety Jimmy Wilson, a day before the NFL’s mandatory roster cutdown.
The sixth-year veteran signed with Cincinnati on July 28 and got a chance to win a backup role.
He was on the field for 71 percent of the Bengals’ defensive plays against Indianapolis on Thursday night and had one tackle.
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