Tag Archives: owen daniels

NFL

Daniels, Owen (3)

Card: 2006 Flair Showcase
Acquired: 2013, EBay
See Also: Owen Daniels, Owen Daniels (2)

Owen has some fine cards, and for the cheap price that I got this certified for, I just couldn’t resist. Owen Daniels was a really good TE for the Houston Texans and he always left it all out on the field. Unfortunately injury played a bit of an issue in his playing time there and in 2013 Owen’s season ended during game 5.  I felt he had a lot left in the tank but the Texans felt otherwise and let him walk in free agency after 2013.

Daniels signed with the Ravens in 2014 rejoining former head coach Gary Kubiak who was now the OC with the team. He put up his usual solid numbers posting 527 yards on 48 catches with 4 TDs for Baltimore.  Owen then jumped ship for Denver in 2015, again rejoining now head coach Gary Kubiak there. In his swan song, Daniels posted 46 receptions for 517 yards and 3 TDs while helping the Broncos win Super Bowl 50.

G/GS 131/125     REC  479     YDS  5661    AVG 11.8     TD 36     LG 44

NFL

Daniels, Owen (2)


Card: Prestige 2010, Score 2010
Acquired: In Person 12/6/2011, Go Texans Store
See also: Daniels, Owen

While I was in Houston getting Mario Williams and JJ Watt at the Community Player of the Month event, I figured if I might be able to square away another name while I was down there. It came down to Owen Daniels and Jacoby Jones, but with me having frozen to death outside for JJ and Mario, I opted for Owen knowing that the line would be queued inside the store.  Following another fan to the Go Texans store in Reliant Stadium during rush hour I got to the store a few minutes after the event began and surprisingly was able to get him twice.

The first time I came around I was a bit too starstruck and just honestly didn’t know what to say to Owen. The event was definitely more intimate than the cattle call of the Whataburger event and it was just an awkward exchange. I told him I’d come around again, and when I finally did  I told him that I was happy the team was able to lock him up for a few years, and that I consider him bionic because of his 3 knee surgeries. Daniels was very gracious and looked me in the eye after knocking on wood (about the knee surgeries), and thanked me for driving from Austin to visit him that day.

Looking at these cards, I liked where Score was going with their look from 2009 to 2010, but they totally lost it in ’11. Still the thing I can appreciate most about this set is its level of coverage of players as there seems to be a nice balance of offense and defense. I wasn’t too enthusiastic about the lineup of Prestige cards. The Texans’ logo looks like it’s about to attack Owen’s shoulder and the metal look has been done and over done along with that annoying fade. I do however like this card in particular as it seems well suited for the set, especially Owen’s pose silhouetted against the design and certainly the autograph took well enough.

Daniels in 2011 is off to his best season since 2008 when he recorded 70 receptions. After a slow week 1, Owen has recorded at least 3 receptions in each contest through week 13 of 2011.  He’d have season highs in week 5 against the Raiders with 7 receptions for 89 yards.  An integral weapon to the Texans play action system, Daniels also serves as the team’s emergency quarterback.

NFL

Daniels, Owen

Card: Fleer 2006
Acquired: TTM 2009, Texans Blitz
See Also: Daniels, Owen (2) 

Owen Daniels was originally a quarterback at Wisconsin, but was moved to tight end where he became one of the Big 10s best receivers. The Houston Texans, always looking for tight ends in head coach Gary Kubiak‘s system drafted Owen Daniels in the 4th round of the 2006 draft. At 6″3’ and 245, Owen was an ideal fit for the Texans tight end heavy system.

He’d start 12 games his rookie season and be named to the All rookie squad at the end of the season after making 34 receptions for 352 yards and 5 touchdowns.  Daniels would follow his 2006 up with a full 2007 making 63 receptions for 768 yards.  In 2008 Owen would make the Pro Bowl after making 70 receptions for 862 yards thus indeed proving what a key cog he was to the team. However in 2009, Owen would be shelved after 8 games after sustaining a knee injury during a game against the Bills. (Owen was on pace for 80 receptions and over 1000 yards receiving at the time of his injury.)  He’d miss a good portion of the 2010 season but return to the lineup starting 10 games and make 38 receptions.  Although financial negotiations between the Texans and Daniels had been acrimonious at one point,  he finally was rewarded with a long term contract in 2011 at the end of the season, after nearly 2 years. Since joining the Texans Owen has moved into 3rd all time in receptions and yards behind current players Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter and is the franchises’ all-time leader at tight end.

A solid receiver that causes mismatches against most linebackers with his speed, hands, and ability to locate the soft spot in a zone, the knock on Owen is that he still needs to improve on his blocking and overcome his injury prone reputation. Daniels is expected however to return to form in 2011 and will make an excellent late round addition to most fantasy owners’ teams. Admittedly he has a track record of blowing out his legs in some capacity, but he has an almost bionic approach to rehabilitation.

G/Gs 65/62   Rec  245    Yds  2972   Avg  12.1    Td   17   Lg 44