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- Mar 20, 2019
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The Texans signed inside linebacker Daren Bates and long snapper Anthony Kukwa, the team announced Sunday.
They waived inside linebacker Jan Johnson in a corresponding move.
“Daren Bates, he’s been a very productive special teams linebacker,” Texans coach and General Manager Bill O’Brien said, via a pool report. “He played at Tennessee and Oakland, and [special teams coach] Tracy Smith had a familiarity with him.”
Bates, 29, appeared in 13 games with the Titans last season, making six tackles, forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble.
Kukwa, 27, had a tryout for the Texans at their rookie minicamp in 2019 but didn’t sign. He signed with Houston after this spring’s draft, but the Texans cut him July 28.
He has had stints with the Chargers and Raiders, too, but has never played in a regular-season game.
Johnson chose the Texans over the Steelers, Titans, Saints and Jets following the 2020 draft. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports Johnson signed a three-year contract that included $15,000 guaranteed.