Even after a sophomore slump in a new defensive formation, expectations remain high for Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre.
A former second-round pick out of Baylor, Pitre shined in Love Smith’s Cover-2 system as a rookie and looked poised to be a fixture in Houston’s secondary for years to come. Once DeMeco Ryans arrived, his play regressed, especially in deep coverage and when asked to line up in man downfield.
The Texans believe there’s a middle ground to Pitre’s game to where he can still be a long-term answer at strong safety entering 2024. Executives around the league also view Pitre as a do-it-all defender who could need a bit more time to flourish under Ryans’ scheme.
In a recent poll conducted by ESPN between 80 NFL personnel members, Pitre was listed as an honorable mention and just outside the top 10 safeties entering 2024.
Jalen Pitre blowing up a lineman on his way to stop the end around pic.twitter.com/g5sm9Ozads
— Theo Ash (@TheoAshNFL) July 3, 2024
“Just a good all-around safety. He’s got a chance to be a great player with time,” an AFC executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Pitre showed his range in coverage with five interceptions during his rookie season. He also finished second on the team in tackles in 2022 with 147 stops, 99 of which were solo tackles.
Two significant areas of concern entering the year are his tackling and coverage ability against the vertical pass. Last season, the Texans allowed 60 explosive plays over 20 yards downfield, 28 of which came in the final six weeks of the regular season when Pitre moved deeper into coverage in place of Jimmie Ward.
While Pitre has been an exceptional tackler to begin his career, he’s also whiffed on a handful of stops. Last season, his missed tackle rate improved, but only about two percent from his rookie campaign.
There goes that man 🔒 @jalenpitre1
📺 » @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/IpLAdRkIwQ
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 1, 2023
It’s not uncommon for players to take time developing in Ryans’ system. Former San Francisco linebacker Dree Greelaw struggled sporadically during his rookie campaign, as did All-Pro Fred Warner. They now are two of the best defenders at their positions because of the second-year Texans coach.
Pitre knows his numbers for the AFC South champions can improve after a roller-coaster campaign. He finished with 84 tackles, but also allowed three touchdowns in coverage, all coming on deep passes.
He considers repetition the best tool for all young players and continuity in plays makes the job easier. The Texans are looking to make coverage more simplistic with an established identity.
“That’s the next step for me,” Pitre said earlier this offseason. “Just being calm and understanding what the coaches want from me.”