Getty Former Denver Broncos wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton.
Former Denver Broncos wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton has been waived by the Houston Texans, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
The Texans have waived WR Dae’Sean Hamilton with an injury waiver and signed WR Chad Beebe.
Hamilton suffered a knee injury during practice on June 7 and was carted off the field, according to Fan Nation’s Cole Thompson. He is expected to undergo surgery.
#WeAreTexans WR DaeSean Hamilton was carted off holding his right knee after running a route in practice.
Hamilton is coming off a torn ACL last season as a member of the #BroncosCountry and did not play in 2021.
Two of Hamilton’s former teammates, Melvin Gordon III of the Denver Broncos and Shelby Harris of the Seattle Seahawks, reacted to the news on Twitter, with Gordon simply posting a sad-face emoji and Harris writing, “Tough to see man.”
@FieldYates @Melvingordon25 Tough to see man
Hamilton did not suffer an ACL injury and is expected to be able to return to the field at some point this year, according to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson. Still, this is a rough injury for Hamilton, who had been working his way back from an ACL tear he suffered in May 2021. He last appeared in a game on January 3 of that year.
After being waived by the Broncos, he signed with the Texans in March to bolster a thin wide receiver depth chart behind Brandin Cooks and 2021 third-round pick Nico Collins.
Outside of Cooks and Collins, every Texans wide receiver was targeted fewer than 40 times last season. Furthermore, the Texans drafted only one wide receiver, Alabama’s John Metchie III in the second round. So Hamilton seemed to have a good chance to play a role in the Texans’ offense.
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Hamilton Was a Promising Receiver Out of College
Hamilton was an exciting prospect coming out of college. He amassed 214 receptions during his tenure at Penn State, which set a new school record. He also has the second-most receiving yards in school history (2,842).
In 2018, one anonymous AFC scout told NFL Network’s Lance Zierlien: “In this job you deal with some really good guys and some not so good guys. He’s one of the best.”
The scout also said he believed Hamilton would be successful outside of football.
“I also think football is going to be a very small part of what he accomplishes in his life.”
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller compared him to former receiver Pierre Garcon, who played in the league for 11 seasons, including two 1,000-yard campaigns.
“DaeSean Hamilton was a four-year starter and team captain at Penn State and has shown solid leadership skills on the field and kept himself out of trouble off the field,” Miller wrote in 2018. “He wowed everyone in Mobile with excellent route running and ability to catch in traffic. He lacks quickness and top speed to be drafted high but brings a solid work ethic and can contribute on special teams while providing depth as a solid slot receiver.”
Hamilton Never Emerged as a Consistent Playmaker for the Broncos
Hamilton never became a consistent playmaker for the Broncos. In three seasons with Denver, he never reached 300 receiving yards.
His best season came in 2019, when he had 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown. But he and quarterback Drew Lock struggled to get on the same page in 2020, when he caught only 23 of his 44 targets. In addition, the Broncos’ quarterbacks threw three interceptions and recorded a passer rating of 60.1 when targeting Hamilton.