Tag: Christian Harris

TeX’s and O’s: Edgerrin Cooper could buffer Texans in AFC South arms race

Don’t rule out star Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper for the Texans later this month.

The Houston Texans are without a first-round pick.

Ever since general manager Nick Caserio pulled the trigger on a trade that sent the 23rd overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 42nd overall pick and a second round pick next year, the Texans draft discourse has been in disarray.

Originally, Houston seemed very well positioned to attack their biggest needs in the first round. They were perfectly slotted to take either the first or second defensive tackle off the board, one of the elite cornerback prospects, or even benefit from one of the best wide receiver classes in recent memory.

Now, still armored with two picks in the second round but without a clear path to top talent, the Texans’ draft strategy is murkier. There are a variety of strong players that they could look to add on Day 2 of the draft, but none of them are as clear a fit from either a position perspective or a talent perspective as names that were mentioned around 23rd overall.

One of the new names is Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.

Cooper, the consensus All-American and First-Team All-SEC player, has a Top 30 visit scheduled with the Texans and also saw heavy interest during the Aggies pro day, with Caserio himself in attendance to watch who many consider the draft’s top linebacker.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker had 84 total tackles with 17 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks during his senior year with the Aggies. Cooper, a great athlete, further solidified his draft status when he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash and measured with 34-inch arms during the NFL Combine. Explosive, lengthy and productive in college football’s best conference.

It should be no surprise that Texans head coach and former linebacker DeMeco Ryans might be interested in the local Texas product.

The team’s interest has still perplexed some fans. The Texans have breakout second year linebacker Christian Harris on the roster, as well as priority free addition Azeez Al-Shaiir from the Tennessee Titans. In a league where ‘nickel’ defense (two linebackers, five defensive backs) is the primary package, would it really be prudent to invest a high pick in someone who may not see all the snaps?

Although it may not be the strongest value play, the tape suggests that Cooper is someone who could help transform Houston’s defense and may represent the natural evolution of how Ryans wants to play football.

Cooper was the twitchiest athlete on the field at Texas A&M and nowhere did that better show up than how he plays the run. He trusts his eyes and commits once he’s read out the play. This allows his excellent athleticism to trigger and make excellent plays on the football.

Against Alabama, Cooper’s skills were on display against a team that loves to run and a quarterback who represents a serious threat on the ground. This play is a great example of Cooper reading the option play, correctly diagnosing that Jalen Milroe kept the football, and committing to make a tackle for loss.

Whether it’s against a quarterback or navigating traffic in the box to stuff the running back, his skills against the run show up time and time again. Notably, especially for tackling big backs, Cooper is a violent and disciplined tackler. He rarely misses available plays and his long arms make it difficult for offensive players to escape once they’re within his grasp. It’s also a punishing experience for whoever has the unfortunate privilege of taking the tackle.

That same twitchiness and athleticism becomes an additional asset on passing downs, particularly against quarterbacks that can move.

Cooper is more than capable of running down great athletes at the quarterback position and his ability to both commit early and take good angles can quickly eliminate running lanes for passers that might believe they have an easy first down available on the ground.

Factor in his ability to blitz, as evidenced by his eight sacks on the season, and a fascinating player is available to be selected.

This is a linebacker that is capable of lining up on the line of scrimmage to show a ‘simulated pressure’ and equally capable of doing three things. He can use his strength and athleticism to blitz the quarterback, he can drop back into coverage and change the passing equation or he can simply stay home and spy the quarterback. It’s a headache for opposing passers to diagnose after the snap and a huge asset for defensive coaches.

He’s not a perfect prospect. There are times where his eagerness to make a play and quick commitment can leave him out of position to play the run. Cooper is also not someone who, when blitzing, you would task to take on an offensive lineman 1-on-1 at this point in time, rather the blitzes would likely need to be built within the scheme.

Where does that leave him for the Texans?

If drafted in the second round, Cooper is a player who could develop into an every down middle linebacker for Ryan’s defense. As a rookie, he could immediately contribute on passing downs and gradually take more and more passing responsibility from Al-Shaiir during obvious passing situations as he becomes more ready.

In San Francisco, Ryans was able to run 4-3-4 on 27% of their defensive plays. With the Texans in his first year, that value was just 18.7%. It is not difficult to imagine that Ryans might return to playing more defense with three linebackers on the field with better personnel.

Similar to Harris, Cooper’s athleticism is a legitimate asset on passing downs and the team would be less vulnerable than they were last year when playing their base 4-3 defense. Cooper could either play the middle linebacker position or start at the strong side while he figures out the responsibilities of the defense.

Beyond his fit on the team, his fit against an evolving landscape in the AFC may be even more compelling.

Last year, the Texans defense struggled the most against mobile quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson and Anthony Richardson. Notably, those two players represent important hurdles. Houston will have to work past Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts if they want to continue to win the AFC South. They’ll have to find a way to beat Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens if they ever want to go to the Super Bowl.

That’s before you mention other stars such as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert who are also more than capable of scrambling to move the chains.

Even during Week 18, the Texans nearly missed the playoffs because of their inability to stop Indianapolis on the ground. Running back Jonathan Taylor had a dominant day and the task would have been even more difficult if Richardson had been under center. They were bailed out by Gardner Minshew, but they can’t count on that again.

Drafting Cooper with their first pick at 42nd overall would signal that the Texans refuse to be run on. They would upgrade their ability to play the run at the second level from their linebackers and also create a defense that is more comfortable living in base (three linebackers) when they can, rather than constantly needing to play nickel because of how porous their linebackers were in coverage last year.

The Texans would also give themselves an avenue to finding their middle linebacker of the future and have a prospect that Ryans could develop into his next Fred Warner, a player who defined his dominant defenses with the San Francisco 49ers.

It may not be the biggest need for Houston, but it certainly would not be a redundant choice for the Texans. Don’t rule out the star linebacker when the NFL Draft comes later this month.

Frankie Luvu could be DeMeco Ryans’ dream linebacker

Could the Texans take a run at signing soon-to-be free agent linebacker Frankie Luvu?

Any discussion about the Houston Texans’ upcoming free agency discussion starts with the words that DeMeco Ryans left the media with to conclude his final press conference of the 2023 season.

“You have to invest the resources there up front, so that’s what we’ll do. That’s where our focus is heading into the offseason is to make sure our front gives us an opportunity to win some games.”

It should be no surprise the former linebacker has a personal focus on improving the Texans’ front seven. It was a huge part of their downfall against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round and nearly cost them their playoff berth against the Indianapolis Colts during Week 18 when Jonathan Taylor exploded.

The defensive front includes the down defensive linemen but it also includes the linebackers. Much has been made of Houston’s potential investments in the front four, especially with the status of free agent Jonathan Greenard in limbo, but that discussion often misses the importance of the linebackers to this equation.

Houston isn’t exactly set there either.

Christian Harris had a breakout season in his second year with 104 tackles and two sacks, not to mention an incredible pick-six in the playoffs against the Cleveland Browns. He is considered a budding star at the position but who his running mates will be is uncertain. Veteran Blake Cashman had 104 tackles and Denzel Perryman had 76, with both players playing over 50% of Houston’s regular season snaps. However, both are free agents entering the off-season and it leaves a huge gap for Houston’s defense. It’s a logical question of who they’ll pair alongside Christian Harris to elevate the defense.

If general manager Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans want to put their money where their mouth is, there are some excellent options on the free agent market. Furthermore, the best fit may be found if they examine their loss in Charlotte, North Carolina this past season.

Linebacker Frankie Luvu was a nightmare for the Texans. He’s also about to hit the market.

After transitioning from an edge rusher role to a true inside linebacker after signing with the Carolina Panthers in 2021, Luvu’s career has exploded the past two years. Starring in a 4-3 scheme akin to Houston in 2022, Luvu had 111 total tackles, 7 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. This past year, even transitioning to a 3-4 scheme under Ejiro Evero and with the team struggling, Luvu still found his way to 125 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He even wore the green dot while piloting the Panthers defense.

It’s ludicrous production for an inside linebacker and represents just the kind of versatility that Houston may be searching for

His coverage grade of 64.9 per PFF in 2023 was a career high and represents a huge upgrade from Perryman who ranked in at 46.0 and was frequently abused by defenses last season. However, he still represents the same level of run defense with a grade of 74.0 against the run and 90.1 when blitzing.

In a way, Luvu is a summation of the best parts of Perryman and Cashman. A run thumper that isn’t a liability in coverage – with the added dimension of attacking the quarterback.

His ability to blitz is something that neither player brought to the table in 2023, with that responsibility usually left to Christian Harris, and it could add a new dimension to the defense. Not only would Luvu need to be accounted for in protection schemes but it would also create a degree of difficulty as to when and from where Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke would bring heavier blitzes.

The fit would be natural next to Harris. He started 13 games last season at middle linebacker for the Carolina Panthers and would slide into that same role for Houston. It allows Ryans to keep Harris at the weakside linebacker spot and to continue to utilize Harris’s special athleticism at that position. Meanwhile, Luvu could even assume green dot responsibilities and would have the ability to spy, blitz, cover or crush the run while Harris is freed to be a star.

There’s one big question for Houston with this acquisition: What’s the cost?

Luvu is expected to command somewhere between $10-11M APY and it would represent a huge investment of the linebacker position. If the reason they move on from Cashman is due to cost, it would be hard to imagine they decide this is where they want to spend big dollars.

However, if Houston is as serious about improving their front seven as they’ve preached, this investment would easily be worth it. Luvu’s contributions to the running game, versatility with blitzes, and overall reliability in coverage would represent a next level investment alongside Harris.

It could give Houston one of the best linebacker duos in football.

Ryans was once himself a former all-pro at the linebacker position and it would be amazing to watch him deploy and create havoc with two players of this caliber. He’ll have to work alongside Caserio to decide what type of investment the team is willing to make if they want to put another star alongside No. 48.

15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023: No. 9 Christian Harris

Up next in our “15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023” series is Christian Harris, who had a breakout year.

The Houston Texans had an extremely successful 2023 campaign.

They cruised to a 10-7 record under new head coach DeMeco Ryans and captured several accolades along the way. They won the AFC South and won a playoff game for the first time since the 2019 season. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud won PFWA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, rookie edge rusher Will Anderson won PFWA’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, and even Ryans took home hardware with PFWA’s Coach of the Year.

With a revamped team effort that led to dramatic improvements compared to both the 2021 and 2022 Texans, it’s worth examining who created that impact this past season and what their future projects moving forward.

This series has taken a look at defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, running back Devin Singletary, rookie receiver Tank Dell, and veteran tackle George Fant, and upstart linebacker Blake Cashman.

Entering the top 10, we took a closer look at cornerback Steven Nelson and now transition to breakout second-year linebacker Christian Harris.

AFC Divisional Round picks: Who the experts are taking in Ravens vs. Texans

The NFL experts have made their picks, and the Baltimore Ravens are favored to defeat the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round

We’re a little over 30 hours away from the Ravens (13-4) and Texans (11-7) kicking off the AFC divisional round of the playoffs on ESPN.

Houston advanced to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history with a 45-14 win over the Browns in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The playoff win earned the Texans a rematch against the Ravens, and they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium hoping to avenge a 25-9 loss in Week 1.

With kickoff fast approaching, here’s the NFL expert picks.

Ravens divisional round preview: 10 things to know about the Houston Texans

We’re looking at ten things to know about the Houston Texans ahead of their AFC Divisional Round matchup against the Baltimore Ravens

The Texans advanced to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history with a 45-14 win over the Browns in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The playoff success earned Houston a rematch against the Baltimore Ravens, and they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium hoping to avenge a 25-9 loss in Week 1.

The Texans are a different team since that humble welcome to the NFL moment for C.J. Stroud, and all the former Ohio State star has done is shatter records and lead his team to the postseason as a rookie.

With final preparations for Saturday’s kickoff underway, we’re looking at ten things about the Houston Texans.

DeMeco Ryans walked Texans’ Christian Harris through his pick-6 on Joe Flacco before it happened

DeMeco Ryans is really good at coaching football.

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans earned his first playoff win in his first-ever season leading the franchise, and a glimpse of an interaction with Texans linebacker Christian Harris shows why.

Right before Harris picked off Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco for the Texans defense’s second pick-6 of the afternoon, Ryans walked Harris through how to pull the turnover off in the formation.

It’s the kind of in-game coaching moment that proves that Ryans is one of the game’s brightest minds, one capable of turning a franchise like Houston around after a few years of poor results.

Having quarterback C.J. Stroud definitely helps, but Ryans is a huge driving force behind the Texans revival.

The Texans will head to Baltimore to take on the top-seed Ravens in the AFC divisional round, and we’re betting that Ryans will make a big impact on that matchup after his team lost to the Ravens in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season.

Maybe Houston can pull off the upset?

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Joe Flacco makes the wrong kind of history with back-to-back pick-sixes

Joe Flacco’s consecutive pick-sixes put a pin in the Flacco renaissance, made postseason history, and advanced the Texans to the divisional round.

Well, the Joe Flacco renaissance was nice while it lasted.

The Cleveland Browns are on their way to being forcibly eliminated from the playoffs by the Houston Texans, and if Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud’s brilliance wasn’t enough to make that happen, Flacco threw pick-sixes on back-to-back drives.

There was this Steven Nelson 82-yard return touchdown with 6:05 left in the third quarter, predicated by pressure from Derek Barnett:

And then, this 36-yarder from linebacker Christian Harris on a throw Flacco telegraphed like Samuel Morse.

Flacco is the fifth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw two pick-sixes in a postseason game…

…and he may be the only quarterback to do so on back-to-back plays.

Houston Texans with back-to-back pick-sixes of Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco threw a pick-six and the Browns were in a deep hole against the Texans

The magic of Joe Flacco has faded. Big time.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback committed major gaffes in the third quarter of their playoff game on Saturday with the Houston Texans.

The veteran was under pressure when he threw a pass that wound up in the hands of Houston’s Steven Nelson.

The Texans’ DB was off and running, going 82 yards for the score. After the PAT it was 31-14 for the Texans past the midway point of the third quarter.

It was the ninth pick thrown by Flacco since he was signed by the Browns and had the team rolling.

The next time the Browns had the football they faced a fourth-and-2 and Flacco connected with Christian Harris.

The problem is he plays for the Texans.

Harris returned it 36 yards for a score and after the PAT the Texans were romping, 38-14.

The pick-sixes came 1:59 apart in the third quarter.

Texans secure playoff spot with 23-19 win vs. Colts

The Texans defeated the Colts, 23-19, to secure a spot in the playoffs.

It was unimaginable a year ago.

The Houston Texans were the poster child for dysfunctional NFL franchises and had just lost the No. 1 overall pick on the road in Indianapolis. They fired their second consecutive head coach in as many seasons while many questioned how general manager Nick Caserio was retained in his position.

Fast forward a calendar year and the Texans face a different picture. Their rookie quarterback, C.J. Stroud, is one of the hottest stars in the league. Their new head coach, former star linebacker DeMeco Ryans, is one of the ascending stars in the coaching circle. Overall, they look like one of the more dangerous teams in their conference.

Most of all, the Texans are advancing to the AFC playoffs after a huge 23-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Receiver Nico Collins made a statement as a No. 1 receiver with an incredible performance that included nine receptions, 195 yards and one touchdown helping Stroud to a 264-yard and two-touchdown game. Their connection was highlighted early in the contest with an almost too easy 75-yard touchdown off play action from Stroud to Collins.

Running back Devin Singletary, despite a hefty effort from the Indianapolis defense, was able to pace the Houston offense. He totaled 24 carries for 63 yards and a pivotal fourth quarter touchdown. It was a key difference in how the team adapted from their earlier Week 2 loss to the same Colts team.

Defensively, despite Indianapolis outpacing the Texans in yardage (360 to 306), Houston was able to hold on when it counted most. The Colts were a measly 1-for-11 on third down and failed on a pivotal fourth down conversion late in the fourth quarter when running back Tyler Goodson dropped an off-target checkdown from quarterback Gardner Minshew.

Linebackers Blake Cashman and Christian Harris paced the team in tackles, with 13 and 12 respectively, while Harris gathered the team’s only sack of the entire evening.

It was the kind of game that summarized the story book season that Houston has gone through over the past few months. Now, the team will move past the story and into the reality of the AFC playoffs. They’ll either host the Cleveland Browns or travel to Buffalo to face the Bills or Kansas City to face the Chiefs, depending on the results of Sunday’s contest.

Regardless, this team has accomplished more than anyone could have anticipated. Their advancement after finishing in the bottom of the AFC the past three seasons is more than anyone could have hoped for. Now, they await Sunday’s results.

Texans vs. Saints Wednesday injury report: LB Christian Harris limited

The Houston Texans released their first injury report for Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints.

The Houston Texans released their first injury report ahead of their Week 6 tilt with the New Orleans Saints Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium.

Houston had five players who did not participate in practice: LT Laremy Tunsil (knee), WR Robert Woods (ribs), WR Tank Dell (concussion), CB Shaquill Griffin (calf), and DT Maliek Collins (abdomen).

The Texans had four players who were limited: LB Blake Cashman (wrist), OT George Fant (hip/shoulder), RG Shaq Mason (ankle), and LB Christian Harris (concussion).

Houston also had WR Noah Brown (groin), CB Tavierre Thomas (hand), G-T Tytus Howard (hand), G-T Josh Jones (hand), and LB Denzel Perryman (hand/wrist) as full participants.

For New Orleans, DE Cam Jordan was limited with a back injury while WR Chris Olave was limited with a toe injury.

For more information on the Saints’ injury report, check out the Saints Wire.

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