[RubberMallet]

Report: Texans acquire Gado for Morency
Samkon Gado - RB - GB - Sep. 13 - 3:27 p.m. ET
Profootballtalk.com reports the Texans have acquired Samkon Gado for Vernand Morency.
Former Green Bay coach Mike Sherman coaches the offensive line and surely was a major factor in Gado's acquisition. It's great news for Gado, who should be picked up if available in all leagues. Gado should have a better chance to get carries and vie for a bigger role in Houston.Sep. 13 - 3:27 p.m. ET
Source: Profootballtalk.com

obviously the texans realized that dayne was a terrible error....lundy is decent but Gado could certainly supplant him....Gado is now in the perfect situation to actually get some pt....too bad its on a terrible football team..

[A.G.]

FlameFans.com: The new place to go for all your breaking fantasy football news.
Time to troll the waiver wire and pick up Sam in my league before someone else grabs him.

[Innocent Bystander]

That's great. I already had him on my roster and I was looking for RB help.

[Flamesfanva]

That's great news that he will still be around.

[Sly Fox]

Anybody have his mobile #? I'd like to meet him at the airport tonight.

I was the only one jumping around the newsroom when news broke about the trade. The rest of the guys are like, "Why on earth would you be excited about Samkon Gado?"



Again, if any of you guys are friends with him IM me and I'll get my contact info. I can help him get settled into Houston.

[sandman]

Anybody have his mobile #? I'd like to meet him at the airport tonight.

I was the only one jumping around the newsroom when news broke about the trade. The rest of the guys are like, "Why on earth would you be excited about Samkon Gado?"



Again, if any of you guys are friends with him IM me and I'll get my contact info. I can help him get settled into Houston.

Heh, same reaction around here for me. Heard Rich and Mark talking about it on 610 and was just waiting for something to post on the team web site.

[Sly Fox]

Here is the Texans official release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 13, 2006



TEXANS ACQUIRE RB GADO FROM GREEN BAY
IN EXCHANGE FOR VERNAND MORENCY



HOUSTON – The Houston Texans have acquired RB Samkon Gado from the Green Bay Packers in a trade for RB Vernand Morency, it was announced today.



Gado became one of the biggest surprises in the NFL in 2005, rushing for 582 yards and six touchdowns in eight games of the season. His 582 yards led the Packers, making him the first Packers rookie to lead the squad in rushing since Kenneth Davis did so in 1986. His six rushing touchdowns set a Packers rookie record and tied Offensive Rookie of the Year Cadillac Williams for the most among NFL rookies.



Gado earned NFL Rookie of the Week twice last season, in Weeks 10 and 14, and was named the NFL Rookie of the Month in November after he rushed for 283 yards and scored five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) in the month. He was also named to USA TODAY’s ‘All-Joe’ team, which is comprised of players who go unrecognized for their hard work.



He made his first career start at Atlanta on his 23rd birthday, November 13, and rushed for 103 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 25 carries. He also caught four passes for five yards and a touchdown in the game. His performance earned him a slew of accolades, including NFL Rookie of the Week, NFL Offensive Player of the Week and NFL Player of the Week.



Gado again won NFL Rookie of the Week honors in Week 14 against Detroit (12/11) when he carried 29 times for 171 yards – both career highs – and scored a touchdown. The 171 rushing yards broke a 34-year old Packers single-game record for rushing yards by a rookie, surpassing John Brockington’s total of 149.



Gado began the season on Kansas City’s practice squad, then joined the Green Bay practice squad on October 17. He was promoted to the active roster two weeks later and made his professional debut on October 30 at Cincinnati.



Morency has played in 13 games with one start since entering the league as a third-round pick of the Texans in the 2005 draft. He has rushed for 197 yards on 51 carries and two touchdowns and has caught 11 passes for 93 yards. His first career start came in the final game of 2005 (1/1/06 at San Francisco) when he rushed 21 times for 83 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 46 yards.



Samkon Gado

RUSHING RECEIVING

Year Team G GS Att. Yds. Avg. Lg. TD Rec. Yds. Avg. Lg TD

2005 G.B. 8 5 143 582 4.1 64t 6 10 77 7.7 30 1

2006 G.B. 1 0 2 -7 -3.5 -3 0 1 5 5.0 5 0

NFL Totals 9 5 145 575 4.0 64t 6 11 82 7.5 30 1



Following are the players the Texans have acquired via trade:

Eric Moulds (6-2, 210) Last team: Buffalo Bills

Samkon Gado (5-10, 226) Last team: Green Bay Packers





TEXANS TRADE HISTORY



Mar. 4, 2002: Traded QB Danny Wuerffel to Washington in exchange for DT Jerry DeLoach.

Mar. 25, 2002: Traded first of three 2002 seventh-round draft picks to Pittsburgh as compensation for restricted free agent K Kris Brown.

Mar. 28, 2002: Traded future draft pick to St. Louis in exchange for CB Jacoby Shepherd.

Apr. 17, 2002: Traded RB Charlie Rogers to Buffalo in exchange for LB Jay Foreman.

Apr. 21, 2002: Traded fourth-round draft pick (116th overall) to Atlanta in exchange for 2003 third-round pick.

Mar. 6, 2003: Traded fifth-round pick to New England in exchange for T Greg Randall.

Apr. 26, 2003: Traded second-round pick (36th overall) and fourth-round pick (117th overall) to New England in exchange for second-round pick (41st overall) and third-round pick (75th overall); Traded third-round pick (83rd overall) and seventh-round pick (262nd overall) to Oakland in exchange for 2004 second-round pick.

Apr. 27, 2003: Traded fifth-round pick (138th overall) to Indianapolis in exchange for 2004 fourth-round pick.

Mar. 19, 2004: Traded QB Drew Henson to Dallas in exchange for 2005 third-round pick.

Apr. 24, 2004: Traded second round pick (40th overall), third-round pick (71st overall), fourth-round pick (103rd overall) to Tennessee in exchange for first-round pick (27th overall); also exchanged fifth-round picks (138th to 159th overall).

Apr. 25, 2004: Traded fifth-round pick (159th overall) to Jacksonville in exchange for sixth-round pick (175th overall) and seventh-round pick (210th overall).

Apr. 20, 2005: Traded second-round pick (47th overall) and third-round pick (78th overall) to Oakland in exchange for CB Phillip Buchanon.

Apr. 23, 2005: Traded first-round pick (13th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for first-round pick (16th overall) and 2006 third-round pick.

Apr. 6, 2006: Traded fifth-round pick (134th overall) to Buffalo in exchange for WR Eric Moulds.

July 27, 2006: Traded a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2007 to the San Francisco 49ers for QB Cody Pickett.

Sep. 13, 2006: Traded RB Vernand Morency to Green Bay in exchange for RB Samkon Gado.



For more information, call the Houston Texans Communications Department at (832) 667-2140. To access the Houston Texans media website, go to www.houstontexans.com/media. The section contains all of the Texans press materials, historical and team statistics

###

[Libertine]

This is fantastic for Sam! Houston was already going to be better this year and, even in that sorry division, Green Bay is going to be the worst team in the league.

[Sly Fox]

And he'll be getting carries right away simply battling rookie Wali Lundy from UVa. I think this is an ideal situation. I know Kubiak thinks Gado is a Denver-type RB. I look forward to catching up with Samkon. I'm off Thursday so I won't see him at practice.

[PeterParker]

If he can have another breakout year and turn some heads again in the Texans system, it will help to soften the blow to Texans fans who were pretty sure they were going to get that little known RB from USC.

[sandman]

If he can have another breakout year and turn some heads again in the Texans system, it will help to soften the blow to Texans fans who were pretty sure they were going to get that little known RB from USC.

It's hurts enough without you twisting the knife a little more.

[whmatthews]

The ESPN.com release...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers traded running back Samkon Gado to the Houston Texans on Wednesday for another young running back, Vernand Morency.

The trade is pending both players passing physicals with their new team.

The Texans have been looking for reinforcements at running back since Domanick Davis, the franchise's leading rusher, was placed on the injured reserve two weeks ago. Houston claimed 1999 Heisman Trophy Winner Ron Dayne off waivers after he was released by Denver last week.

Coach Gary Kubiak said he made the trade for Gado because he wanted to add a big, power runner to his duo of smallish running backs -- rookies Wali Lundy and Chris Taylor.

Taylor, who has been on the active roster, is currently on the practice squad.

"We feel like it gives us two big, banging-type backs and we've got two younger smaller backs in Wali and Chris," Kubiak said. "We like the way that evens out and we hope he can help us."

Houston's running game struggled in a 24-10 opening loss to Philadelphia where the running backs gained just 55 yards. Morency had five carries for 13 yards.

Gado, in his second-season, was one of the few bright spots in the Packers' 4-12 season last year, advancing from the practice squad to become the team's starting running back near the end of the season. But Gado has struggled to adjust to the zone-blocking scheme being run by new Packers coach Mike McCarthy -- interesting to note since Kubiak employs a similar scheme.

Season-ending injuries to running backs Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport gave Gado, who started just two games in four seasons at Division I-AA Liberty University, an improbable chance to start for the Packers last year.

In eight games, including five starts, he gained 582 yards on 143 carries and scored six touchdowns.

Kubiak said Gado would be valuable in short-yardage situations, but Texans general manager Rick Smith said he thinks he could do even more.

"I think he's already proven that he can be an every-down back," Smith said. "He's a kid that is a power type of back with good speed and balance and agility. So to put him in this offense will be an asset for us."

Morency was a third-round pick in 2005 after running for 1,454 yards and 12 touchdowns in his last season at Oklahoma State. He's a bit older than most second-year players at age 26, having played four seasons of minor league baseball before enrolling at Oklahoma State.

He had 46 carries for 184 yards with two touchdowns in 13 games last season.

Kubiak wasn't too fond of his running style when he arrived in Houston and encouraged him to cut to the hole quicker instead of "dancing" in the backfield. He noted Morency's improvement in that area and praised him after he ran for 95 yards and two scores in a preseason win over St. Louis.

With the trade, Gado will be reunited with former Packers coach Mike Sherman, who was hired as an assistant head coach and offensive line coach for the Texans after he was fired by the Packers.

"We've got coaches on our staff who know this player very well," Kubiak said. "We feel good about this kid's chances of helping us."

Gado also brought an infectious sense of optimism into an otherwise downtrodden locker room. Gado, who worked at a Green Bay hospital in the offseason, hopes to become a doctor after his football career is over and return to his native Nigeria to help fight the AIDS crisis in Africa.

Gado was in the middle of an interview session in the Packers locker room on Wednesday when running backs coach Edgar Bennett summoned him to a private meeting.

Gado had just been asked whether the Packers could recover from a 26-0 defeat by the Chicago Bears in their season opener at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

"The season's not over yet," Gado said. "It's just beginning. And we got off on the wrong foot, and I think it's just foolhardy to just go ahead and throw the whole season out."

Gado should arrive in Houston early Thursday and is expected to available for Sunday's game at Indianapolis.

Morency was informed of the trade about 10 minutes before Houston's afternoon practice, Kubiak said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2586476[/quote]

[bigsmooth]

like i said in the thread on the football board, i will have to watch the texans a bit more closely. with lundy and gado, it will be fun. two good guys who will push each other.

[RubberMallet]

i think it will be 2 good guys each getting pushed DOWN by linebackers and lineman.....texan o-line isn't good...

[A.G.]

http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustice/

Players like Samkon Gado are one of the reasons I like my job. He's an underdog in ever sense of the word. He was a backup at Liberty who probably never figured to have a shot at the NFL. The Packers signed him last season, and according to Mike Sherman, the entire team rallied around him.

''You're going to love this kid,'' Sherman said. ''He's got quite a story to tell.'' His first name means "truth" in Tangale. His family moved from Nigeria, to Wheaton, Ill., when Samkon was 6 months old. They returned when Samkon was 2, then moved back to the United States in 1991 and settled in Columbia, S.C.

Gado has used his platform to speak out on the AIDS epidemic in Africa and spent part of his offseason doing grunt work at a hospital. His ultimate dream is to become a doctor and return to Nigeria.

After scoring a touchdown in one game last season, he shook every offensive lineman's hand. He also asked center Mike Flanagan (now with the Texans) about joining the offensive linemen for their weekly dinner. He offered to pay.

[RubberMallet]

After scoring a touchdown in one game last season, he shook every offensive lineman's hand. He also asked center Mike Flanagan (now with the Texans) about joining the offensive linemen for their weekly dinner. He offered to pay.

most qb's and rb's do this....

but with the texan line...hes going to need all the help he can get....this a very smart move on gado's part

[Sly Fox]

For the record I don't care for Justice one bit. But I obviously agree with him on this subject. It won't take Samkon long to fit into the Texans locker room. And knowing his penchant for keeping expenses down to pay for medical school, he's going to love our cost of living in Houston.

[RubberMallet]

gas under 2.00 yet?

[Sly Fox]

Its under 2 bucks over in Austin and down in Corpus Christi. But here in Houston we have to pay the fed tax for having too high emissions from all of the refineries. So we aren't quite there yet.

[A.G.]

For the record I don't care for Justice one bit. But I obviously agree with him on this subject. It won't take Samkon long to fit into the Texans locker room. And knowing his penchant for keeping expenses down to pay for medical school, he's going to love our cost of living in Houston.

I imagine he's not a Sly Fox fan, either.

Hey, I should have posted the other blog by McClain that called it D-II Liberty College.

[Sly Fox]

McClain will get my wrath over that one. Justice doesn't like anyone other than himself and Jeff Bagwell. Now that Bags is through he's back to just himself IMHO.

[A.G.]

Sic 'em, Sly!!

[sandman]

McClain will get my wrath over that one. Justice doesn't like anyone other than himself and Jeff Bagwell. Now that Bags is through he's back to just himself IMHO.

Justice is the worst thing a person could be with 7 inches above the fold on the front sports page- narcissic.

Gado is not going to get much write up in any Chrons columns. McClain will go off on the Texans D and Justice will go off on Garner for the next month.

btw Sly, I need to talk to you about some goings on at Alkek. I'll PM you.

[givemethemic]

gas was $1.97 at WAWA just outside of DC at 3 this morn!!!!

[SuperJon]

We stopped there for food and I must say, I'm not a WaWa person and have converted from Sheetz.

Gado had 3 runs for like 38 today.