Cornerback remains a question mark entering the 2024 season for the Houston Texans.
Starter wise? Houston is content with breakout star Derek Stingley Jr. and rookie standout Kamari Lassiter.
Depth-wise? There are questions entering the final week of training camp. Houston hasn’t seen former first-round pick Jeff Okduah play because of a shoulder injury.
The Texans have also seen hit-or-miss play from backups like C.J. Henderson, Mike Ford and D’Angelo Ross through three preseason outings.
DeMeco Ryans might not look to bring in any new names before roster cutdowns, but he could target a former player from his days with the San Francisco 49ers.
Bleacher Report thinks that while the Texans might not need to bring in defensive back depth, one of the top names to watch is free-agent Ahkello Witherspoon.
“It’s hard to find too many needs that the Texans must address now. They had a ton of cap space this season and have been proactive in addressing any faults on the current roster. Cornerback could be the exception, though. Their answer there was to throw some short-term contracts on Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson. Both are former first-round picks with varying levels of disappointment thus far. Ahkello Witherspoon isn’t a shutdown corner, but he was a solid starter for the Rams last season. He played all 17 games and gave up a passer rating of 75.7.” – Bleacher Report
Witherspoon, a former third-round pick out of Colorado, spent four seasons under Ryans’ watch before bouncing around the NFC West with Seattle and Los Angeles. He’s capable of playing both in the nickel near the line of scrimmage or on the boundary.
Witherspoon, 29, has the knowledge and frame to fit in Ryans’ defense as a depth piece. The transition period would take no time, meaning he’ll be cleared to debut for Houston perhaps no later than Week 2’s matchup against the Chicago Bears at home.
The Texans still have one more preseason game, so anyone could catch the ground and earn their spot on the final 53-man roster. If Henderson, Ford, Ross, Kris, Myles Bryant and Desmond King all struggle, Ryans could be looking to target a name in free agency.