Nico Collins has yet to play a complete season since entering the NFL as a third-round pick in 2021.
The feat has gotten slightly harder since Collins’ rookie season when the league added a 17th game. With the regular season becoming even more of a long march through the calendar, teams are being deliberate with how much exposure they give their banged-up players.
Nevertheless Collins desires to be available for all 17 games for the Houston Texans in 2023.
“Being there for the team, ballin’ out, making plays,” Collins told reporters June 6 after organized team activities. “Most definitely, that’s my goal. That’s everybody’s goal, to stay healthy throughout 17.”
Collins has logged 14 games and 10 games in each of his first two seasons. The former Michigan product’s season was over after Week 12 as he was placed on injured reserve.
“Finishing the season on IR, that’s not anybody’s plan,” Collins said. “You want to finish the whole games of the season with your team. I was on IR, so, I took it as just ‘get healthy.’ Just continue to get healthy.”
With the changes to the Texans’ receiving corps, Collins is de facto one of the top targets in Houston’s offense. If Collins is able to give the Texans 17 games, it should be a boon to their passing game.
