Now that veteran Owen Daniels has been released, and Garrett Graham is an unrestricted free agent, the Texans' depth chart at tight end has thinned out considerably.
Ryan Griffin, a rookie in 2013, is at the top of the list for now. He started eight games last year, and played in seven others, only missing the Week 11 matchup with the Raiders because of a concussion. With 19 catches for 244 yards and a score, he leads the way statistically.
Leading the way, service-wise, is Zach Potter. The 6-7, 269-pounder played his college ball at Nebraska before joining the Jaguars in 2009. In four seasons there, he started 14 games and played in 31 others. But Potter last caught a pass on December 9 of 2012, in a Jacksonville loss to the Jets. Altogether, he has 11 receptions for 83 yards in his four-year career.
Phillip Supernaw was a Texan practice-squadder for the first month-and-a-half of the 2012 season before a right foot injury shut him down for the year. The Ouachita Baptist product was
released in late July before the start of 2013 training camp, and then re-signed to the practice squad last December 17. He was added to the active roster for the season finale at Tennessee, but didn't catch any passes.
Brade Smelley played in a pair of games in 2012 for Cleveland, and two contests in December for the Texans. Like Supernaw, he didn't record any catches. He was placed on injured reserve on December 27 of last year and missed the finale against the Titans.
Added together, the current tight end group has combined for 31 catches, 330 receiving yards a touchdown. They've started 22 games, and played in a total of 65.
