The Houston Texans displayed confidence in one position group during an offseason full of roster-altering moves.
Without any significant additions to the offensive line, Houston will attempt to trot out the starting five it envisioned last season: Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green, Juice Scruggs, Shaq Mason and Tytus Howard.
That group never played a snap together last year since Green suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during the final week of the preseason. And Houston’s trenches were inconsistent at best since it was a revolving door of offensive line combinations due to injury.
According to SumerSports, all six combinations played less than 229 snaps together. Still, they must prove their elevation status if they hope to enter the contender conversation.
Still, they must prove their elevation status if they hope to enter the contender conversation.
Green debuted a noticeably slimmer frame at OTA’s after spending time away from the facility. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans praised the former first-round pick’s work ethic ahead of the season.
“Now we get to see what type of football player he is,” Ryans said.
Green started 14 games with little success during his rookie season. He drew 12 penalties and was graded as one of the lowest offensive linemen in the league by PFF. However, Houston’s improved offensive environment should benefit Green, whose pedigree as a mauler in the run game should help lift the ground-and-pound attack.
Howard and Scruggs played out of position last season because of necessity. With Green back in competition for the left guard spot, they can return to tackle and center, respectively.
Entering Year 1 of his three-year, $56 million extension, Howard played six games at left guard and one at left tackle before an injury ended his season. He’s openly admitted to being happy about returning to his original position for the 2024 season, posting to his X account ‘RIGHT TACKLE ONLY.’
Back on that Island soon🌴🌴 pic.twitter.com/EqU57WDyXc
— Tytus Howard (@tyhoward71) June 16, 2024
Tunsil and Howard are one of the league’s top tackle tandems, landing in the top five of most rankings a year ago, including No. 3 in Touchdown Wire’s.
“It feels like forever ago that we saw Laremy Tunsil enter a draft freefall after a certain video was leaked by who knows who, and fans watched in amazement as a surefire franchise tackle plummeted down draft boards. Now entering his seventh season, Tunsil is in the conversation for the best tackle in the game alongside San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams, and has become a franchise centerpiece after the Texans traded for him in 2018. Alongside Tunsil is an unsung product of Alabama State, who also was a bit of a controversial selection on draft day, having not competed in a bigger conference during his time in college. Both Tunsil and Howard have proven they are much more than their draft day experience, and have turned into a fantastic pair of blockers for their new potential franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud.”
It turned out that Stroud would become a franchise quarterback, and he has a pair of bookend tackles. Tunsil remains one of the game’s best despite falling out of some top-10 rankings, but that should only add more fuel to the fire.
The entire offensive line seems to have a chip on their shoulder ahead of the season. Mason took note of the Pro Football Focus top 10 AFC offensive line rankings, which notably left the Texans off the list.
— Shaq Mason (@ShaqDiesel_70) July 2, 2024
Mason, who joined Houston via trade last offseason, remains steady at right guard as he enters his age 31 season. He allowed three sacks last year, marking seven straight seasons with three sacks or less allowed.
That leaves Scruggs, who did not get an opportunity to play center after being forced to fill in at left guard once Howard went down in Week 12. He’s still a work in progress after starting one season at Penn State.
Houston has some young players for depth purposes. Jarrett Patterson played center for the first six weeks of the season. Kendrick Green returns from injury to potentially push Kenyon Green for first-team reps.
“I think it’s going to be fun, I’m excited.” Kendrick Green told KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson. “I know a lot of other guys are excited. So, we’re going to get after it and see how it comes out.”
The Texans further addressed their depth in the draft by selecting Notre Dame offensive tackle Blake Fisher. Considered by analysts as a raw prospect with future Pro Bowl potential, Fisher should be a depth piece this season as he develops into a long-term option to replace Howard or Tunsil.
The start of training camp next week will unravel the developing offensive line group, but Houston’s front office appears confident it has the right players to protect Stroud.