Talent abounds in the Houston Texans’ defensive backfield heading into the 2023 season, and DeMeco Ryans briefed the media on his expectations for the unit after mandatory minicamp on June 14.
Asked for his thoughts on the trajectory of the Texans’ secondary and whether they might be able to live up to the growing hype around their construction on paper, the former linebacker was ambiguous but seemed optimistic.
“You know, we’ll see,” Ryans told reporters. “I mean right now, being in shorts and helmets, how much can you truly judge? I think when we actually get in pads, we actually play games — that’s when we see the real football players stand up and show out. That’s what we’re looking for.
“Now on paper, it doesn’t really matter how you look on paper. It’s about can you be the best team on Sunday versus whoever you’re going against. That’s all that truly matters. And of course, we hope that our secondary is a strength of our team.”
Though the secondary will surely be a key piece of the Texans’ success next season, the first-year head coach made it clear that all phases of his defense would also be held to a high standard.
Said Ryans: “We hope our defensive line is also a strength of the team, our linebackers — everybody just gels together and plays as one. And that’s what it’s about. You know, we’ll have strengths, weaknesses, but we’re only as strong as our weakest unit.”
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