DeMeco Ryans had seen enough from Myjai Sanders.
The former Arizona Cardinals 2022 third-round defensive end played 39 snaps over the course of two games against the San Francisco 49ers last season. The 6-5, 248-pound edge defender generated five combined tackles and a tackle for loss against their NFC West rivals, where Ryans was finishing out his stint as defensive coordinator.
Arizona placed Sanders on injured reserve to start the 2023 campaign, and eventually released the 25-year-old on Oct. 17. The Texans claimed Sanders the next off waivers.
“He was a young pass rusher we wanted to add,” Ryans said. “Feel like giving him another chance here to see what he can bring to our unit.”
Sanders also has familiarity with Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke, who was the defensive line coach for the Cardinals last season. The Texans not only have staff who know Sanders, but can also project how he can fit in with Houston’s objectives.
Said Ryans: “His first day was out there was today, so we’ll see throughout the week how Myjai gets adjusted to what we do, but I really liked Myjai coming out of college, and liked what he’s done last year in Arizona. I thought he was effective in getting after the quarterback, so I’m excited to add him to our team.”
Sanders produced 23 combined tackles, 3.0 sacks, three tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, three pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery through 13 games last year, four of which he started.
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