Will Anderson Jr. has missed the past three weeks of training camp for the Houston Texans with an ankle injury. Even when out at practice, the former No. 3 overall pick has been working away from the rest of the group.
As roster cuts loom, sights turn to the regular season and the Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Anderson’s limited practice time now puts his Week 1 status in jeopardy for the reigning AFC South champions.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans offered a positive update on Anderson, stating he’s inching closer back to full speed. As for his status against the Indianapolis Colts?
“We’ll see where Will is over the next couple of days. Will has been doing really good.”
The former No. 3 overall pick proved to be a franchise building block after posting seven sacks on the way to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. He finished third among edge rushers in pass rush win rate, sandwiched between reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and 2022 recipient T.J. Watt.
#Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said they'll see where Will Anderson Jr (ankle) is over the next couple of days (healthwise), adding he's doing really well. Indications are he'll be ready to go for the opener on Sept. 8 vs Colts.
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) August 26, 2024
Anderson, who only played in 15 games as a rookie, also led Houston with 22 quarterbacks and finished second in tackles for loss with 10. He tied J.J. Watt’s rookie sack record and stepped up big in the playoff win over the Cleveland Browns with three tackles for loss.
Houston’s defense should rank among the league’s best in 2024 after adding in Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. The Texans already had a foreground in the secondary with Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre, both of whom have looked miles ahead of their skills from a season ago this preseason.
But Anderson is the face of the defense. Houston traded ample capital to move up nine spots in 2023 with the intent of turning the Alabama star into its next version of Watt.
At times, it was easy to see “The Terminator” look like a young version of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year win single battles while breathing new life into Ryans’ defense.
Will Anderson Jr. in his rookie season:
59 QB pressures (1st on team)
77.3 pass-rush grade
7.5 sacks— PFF HOU Texans (@PFF_Texans) January 9, 2024
The pieces are in play for Houston to advance past the divisional round for the first time in franchise history. C.J. Stroud has become one of the rising stars in the leauge on offense and should only build off his rookie record-setting season.
The same goes for Anderson, but his top ability throughout the regular season is availability. Ryans’ focus is ensuring Anderson plays more games than he misses in 2024.