Tag: Texans defensive end

Texans DE Will Anderson not committed to jersey No. 51

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson hinted that he may be open to changing his jersey number from 51 at some point.

When the Houston Texans picked C.J. Stroud No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL draft, smart money said the quarterback would keep his No. 7 jersey number and kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn would more than likely switch to another number.

However, Will Anderson wasn’t able to have the incumbent sporting his college No. 31 — running back Dameon Pierce — make the same gesture. The No. 3 overall defensive end has been wearing No. 51 throughout the Texans’ rookie minicamp May 12-13.

The former Alabama product told reporters Saturday he isn’t particularly married to the jersey number.

“Yeah, really just the number they gave me right now for rookie minicamp,” Anderson said. “I mean, just being at Alabama and them giving me the No. 31, my coach told me just make a name out of it. So if 51 decides to stay here, I’m going to do my best to make a name and just be me. Numbers really don’t matter to me.”

There will be another opportunity for Anderson to switch numbers in case they do start to mean more to him. At the end of preseason, Houston will have to finalize their 53-man roster, and in doing so, more numbers that he may like will be available to choose from.

The last Texans player to wear No. 51 was linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, who played 20 games with Houston from 2021-22.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans clarifies Will Anderson’s role on defense

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans explained the role Will Anderson will have in their defensive scheme.

Will Anderson is an edge defender. All of the pre-draft materials on the former Alabama product labeled him as such.

The Houston Texans have a better understanding of where they place their No. 3 overall pick in new coach DeMeco Ryans’ 4-3 defense.

Ryans met with reporters on May 12 and noted that what the Texans are asking of Anderson is, “not a huge position change for Will.”

The technique for how the Texans plan to use Anderson’s edge defense skills is what will alter from his playing days with the Crimson Tide.

“Mostly at Alabama he was standing up; we’ll have him down in a three-point stance,” Ryans said. “It’s not a big time position change for him. We won’t have him playing over the guard like he did some there later in his career, so it’s not a huge position change for Will.”

With Anderson getting to play more on the edge, it should keep him fresher since he won’t have to balance going against interior offensive linemen.

The Texans have a quartet of effective defensive tackles in Maliek Collins, Roy Lopez, Hassan Ridgeway, and Sheldon Rankins that should keep Anderson’s talents on the edge.

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Texans DE Will Anderson’s family chides him in the group chat over bad plays

New Houston Texans DE @will_anderson28 says that his family will light him up in the group chat after games over bad plays.

Will Anderson has been prepared for the sweet talk that comes with success.

Call it from being an All-American Bowl participant in high school, or being a stellar part of the Alabama football program as a defensive end. Anderson is used to praise from anyone.

“You would get in a situation like this where you’re coming to something big and it’s going to be a blessing for you and your family,” Anderson said. “So everybody around you wants to kiss your butt and not tell you what you need to work on. For me, that’s not the case with my family.”

Anderson’s family keeps him grounded to reality, and the new Houston Texans defensive end is appreciative of his family’s efforts to ensure he contributes his best on the football field.

“Like they don’t care about any of that,” said Anderson. “They just want me to be the best version of myself any time I’m on the field, any time I’m off the field. So that the one time I slip up, they’re going to let me know.”

There haven’t been too many slip ups, at least as far as fans and the media are concerned. Anderson was a two-time Bronko Nagurski Award winner along with the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Lott Trophy. The No. 3 overall pick was also the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and helped the Crimson Tide win the College Football Playoff national championship in 2020.

Nevertheless while Anderson was racking up 34.5 sacks over 41 games at Alabama, his family was finding ways to keep Anderson humble.

Said Anderson: “Even if I did have a good game, they’ll find at least one play where ‘you could have been running faster, or you looked slow on this play. What were you doing on this play?’ They even take a picture and put it in the group chat like, ‘yeah, we just seen it.’ And I love them for that. As long as I have people in my immediate circle that I love the most and they care about me like that, I’m going to be fine.”

As the 6-4, 253-pound edge defender develops as a leader in new coach DeMeco Ryans’ defense, there will be plenty for his family to critique in his rookie year.

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WATCH: Texans DE Will Anderson embraces family taking the draft stage

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson embraced his family just before taking the stage to meet Roger Goodell during the 2023 NFL draft.

The Houston Texans’ decision to trade up to the third overall pick was a draft night surprise that few expected as the 2023 NFL draft got underway on Thursday night. They took Alabama defensive end Will Anderson Jr. with the coveted pick, a player who many believe to be the best defensive prospect in the draft.

Anderson embraced his family after being selected by the Texans before heading to the podium at Union Station in Kansas City to meet NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell.

It may take some time for Anderson to develop into a cornerstone player, but his presence on Houston’s defensive front could prove to be crucial to the team’s success next season.

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DeMeco Ryans get his Nick Bosa with Texans DE Will Anderson

The Houston Texans earned an A-minus grade for their drafting of Alabama defensive end Will Anderson.

The Houston Texans stunned the NFL on Thursday night when they made a deal with the Arizona Cardinals to select at third overall.

Just moments after selecting Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, it was announced that general manager Nick Caserio and the Texans were in discussion to move up from the 12th overall pick.

Ultimately, Houston worked out a deal with the Arizona Cardinals to take Alabama defensive end Will Anderson.

Anderson was often the best defensive player in college football during his time with the Crimson Tide. He had 17.5 sacks as a sophomore and followed it up in 2022 with an additional 10-sack campaign. His impressive college career won him the Bronko Nagurski award, Lott Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik award and he was a two-time unanimous All-American and first-team All-SEC at defensive end.

Anderson immediately slots in as one of the foundational players of coach DeMeco Ryans’ defense and will play a huge part in pressuring quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Anthony Richardson in the AFC South. Houston will ask him to be the team’s premier edge rusher and hopefully create pressure that allows players like Derek Stingley and Jalen Pitre to thrive in the secondary.

The price was high, which keeps this from being an A-plus but Houston got the best player in the draft in Anderson and a player they desperately needed. This is an A-minus selection for Houston and one they should feel very good about as Ryans and the roster try to compete immediately in 2023.

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Texans take Tyree Wilson with first Round 1 pick in latest NFL.com mock draft

The Houston Texans use their first pick of the 2023 NFL draft to take Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson in an intriguing NFL.com mock draft.

By April there are more mock drafts than year-to-date fares on the Sam Houston Tollway.

However, “Good Morning Football” cohost Peter Schrager released his first mock draft of the season, and it is unlike most others. Rather than going what he thinks a team should do, Schrager uses some of his insider information to lend insight as to what teams are thinking at their particular draft spots.

What could the Houston Texans be thinking at No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL draft? Try trading out of the pick. Schrager has Houston striking a deal with the Indianapolis Colts to help them move up to take a quarterback as the Texans bow out of the sweepstakes.

Would Indianapolis trade DeForest Buckner and the No. 4 overall pick to move up two spots? I think Houston would have to listen if it’s offered. Remember, new Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was with Buckner for three seasons in San Francisco, and “DeFo” just restructured his contract. If Buckner is not included in the trade, how about adding a second- or third-round pick instead?

Schrager adds that the quarterback at that spot — Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud — shares the same representation as Houston’s former quarterback.

The Texans then use their No. 4 pick to grab Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson:

After trading out of No. 2, Houston passes on a QB again and continues to build up the defense. Wilson has an 86-inch wingspan and grew up in Texas. Had a foot injury not prevented this gifted edge rusher from competing in the NFL Scouting Combine (or during Texas Tech’s pro day), everyone would have been buzzing about him for the last month and change.

The Texans don’t give up entirely on using the 2023 draft to take the quarterback of the future and grab Kentucky’s Will Levis No. 12 overall.

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Texans should consider bringing back DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo regardless of new defensive scheme

The Houston Texans should consider bringing back DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, even if they go with a new coach who doesn’t run the Tampa 2.

The Houston Texans’ coaching search represents another opportunity to move on from the Tampa 2, which the club has run since 2021.

The Texans were running the 3-4 defense from 2011-20. After the firing of Bill O’Brien as coach and general manager, Houston hired David Culley as coach, and Lovie Smith was hired as defensive coordinator.

Houston signed former Los Angeles Rams 2018 fifth-round pick Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in 2022 free agency to provide the Texans effective rushmen in Smith’s scheme. The former Alief Taylor High School product delivered with 44 combined tackles, 5.0 sacks, nine tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble through 17 games, eight of which he started.

According to Pro Football Focus, among the Texans’ upcoming free agents, Okoronkwo ranks as their best with a 75.1 grade for the 2022 campaign.

Some players can’t translate between schemes. However, Okoronkwo started out as an outside linebacker in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme with the Rams. If the Texans were to go back to a 3-4, or incorporate any stand-up pass rush elements, Okoronkwo would be able to fit in.

Another trait that Okoronkwo brings to the defensive line is “pure energy,” according to Texans defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire.

“He’s energy, pure energy,” Cesaire said on Dec. 15. “If you look at him, he’s always got a smile on his face. He loves the game. You can tell he really loves the game. The way he rushes, the way he attacks the line of scrimmage. He’s not the biggest guy on the field, but he’s got the biggest heart. He’s a guy that you trust and rely on each play.”

The Texans signed Okoronkwo to a one-year, $3.25 million contract in the offseason. The 6-1, 253-pound edge defender make his opportunity count.

“Anytime we put Ogbo (Okoronkwo) in there, he made it count,” said Cesaire. “That consistency developed into him becoming a starter, and you’re seeing that consistency now from him.”

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Texans DE Jonathan Greenard feels like he ‘got my juice back’

Houston Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard finally feels like his “juice” has returned as the team enters the last regular season game.

Jonathan Greenard had a simple goal for 2022.

The Houston Texans’ 2020 third-round defensive end had never played a full complement of games in a regular season.

“When I was in camp, that was my main thing,” Greenard said. “Everybody was asking, ‘What’s your goal?’ My goal is to be able to play every single game this year. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”

Greenard missed nine games after playing effectively in the first four. The former Florida product wasn’t activated from injured reserve until Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, and has played 77 defensive snaps over the past three games, recovering one fumble.

“At the end of the day, I can’t beat myself down about a goal that I didn’t attain,” said Greenard. “At the same time, I was glad I was able to even come back and play this game. Just to get back these last couple of games, be with the guys, I got my juice back, I got my step back, still feel comfortable and everything. It makes it that much easier and helpful with the guys around us.”

The 2-13-1 Texans have one final game with the 4-11-1 Indianapolis Colts until their dismal seasons mercifully conclude Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium. Nevertheless Greenard is enthused to take the field and play with the same vigor of a club that was on the precipice of making the playoffs.

Said Greenard: “We knew what the goal was, not only for me to be available for all games, everybody knows we wanted to make the playoffs. We’re just going to continue to have that mindset. Just because it doesn’t go (your way), you don’t lose sight of it. Just got to continue to find it and add more grit to it. That’s what I do.”

The Texans would secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft with a loss while a win over the Colts would jeopardize it — pending the Chicago Bears also lost to the Minnesota Vikings. If such a scenario occurred, the Bears would end up with the first overall pick.

Greenard isn’t worried about the pick; he is focused on playing with a winning attitude.

“I don’t care how many games we lose or win, I’m still going to be the same me regardless,” said Greenard. “I think that infectious spirit should be around everywhere, and I think that is what is going to eventually come.”

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DE Jonathan Greenard not getting caught up in his future with the Texans

Houston Texans DE Jonathan Greenard is staying focused on completing 2022 on a high note, not what 2023 might bring for him.

Jonathan Greenard showed steady improvement in 2021.

The former 2020 third-round defensive end from Florida generated 8.0 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, four pass breakups, and two forced fumbles through 12 games. If not for missing five games in his second season, it is possible Greenard would have become the first Houston Texans defender since J.J. Watt in 2018 to log at least 10.0 sacks in a season.

There were expectations for Greenard in 2022, and he had a hurdle to overcome in the offseason with a foot surgery. However, the 6-3, 263-pound edge defender responded with 1.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits through the first four games before going on injured reserve. Greenard missed nine games, derailing his opportunity to have leverage with the Texans as he entered the final offseason under contract.

Greenard says he is not focused too much on his future with the Texans, just the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18, the season finale.

“I just know we’ve got one more game left,” said Greenard. “I try not to think about it as much because I can’t do anything about it. All I can control is on the field. It’s one of those things where it’s inevitable when you’re dealing with the league.”

Greenard will be under contract with Houston throughout 2023. The calendar year presents a chance for the Texans to sign him to an extension or let him finish out the last year of his contract.

“For me as a player, I don’t know about everybody else, I know I just try to keep my head down,” Greenard said. “I missed [nine] games, so I can worry about anything else aside from putting my best foot forward to set myself up and set this team up the best way we can moving forward.”

Since returning Greenard has recovered a fumble through 77 defensive snaps through three games.

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J.J. Watt will forever be an inimitable standard in Houston sports

@JohnHCrumpler writes that J.J. Watt was an immeasurable icon while with the Houston Texans, and his impact on Houston will always loom large.

Clutch City sports fans were barely done celebrating the Houston Texans’ 19-14 win over the Tennessee Titans when a legend and future Hall-of-Famer reminded them he still exists.

J.J. Watt subtly announced his retirement via Twitter Tuesday when he alluded to the fact his son, Koa, had witnessed his first NFL game and Watt, defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals, has played in his last NFL home game.

Similar to Watt’s emergence to the league in 2011, it came without fanfare and without introduction.

It was over 10 years ago now that Watt’s non-inspiring 5.5-sack rookie season was suddenly finished with an exclamation point as he picked off fellow rookie Andy Dalton in the AFC wild-card matchup and helped to secure the franchise’s first playoff victory.

After a draft season where he was actively booed by Houston fans during the selection, Watt pushed past the noise and launched his career into objective stardom. The most optimistic of Watt fans, even after his pick at 11th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft and his game-defining interception in the playoffs, couldn’t have predicted where his career would go from there.

The next four seasons Watt accumulated a stunning 69 sacks while winning Defensive Player of the Year three times. He gathered Pro Bowl honors and was an All-Pro at the defensive end position each of the four years in addition to competing with Aaron Rogers for MVP during the 2014 season.

Watt caught four touchdowns while gathering 20.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss. The Texans had the league’s 30th ranked passing offense that season and it almost didn’t matter as they rode Watt’s game-wrecking season to a 9-7 record and missed the AFC playoffs by just one game.

He ultimately lost the MVP vote to Rodgers by a tally of 31-13 but it didn’t take away from what Watt accomplished. He was the best defensive player the NFL had seen in years and a generational pass rusher.

Watt captained the Texans through the Bill O’Brien tenure and was the face of the franchise up until the organization made a draft-day trade with the Cleveland Browns to get a quarterback from Clemson. The two paired together — an elite player on offense and defense — gave Houston hope for the first time in franchise history that a Super Bowl could be within reach.

What nobody could have predicted then was Watt’s greatest victories were both yet to come and off the field.

When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston just prior to the 2017 season, Watt rallied around the community. He put together an effort that would raise $37 million before it was over in a near unprecedented philanthropic effort from a current professional athlete. He was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year and Sports Illustrated Athlete of the Year.

He would ultimately leave the Texans organization after the 2020 season under questionable circumstances but good terms as leadership transitioned under executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby and new general manager Nick Caserio. Watt chose to end his career alongside former teammate DeAndre Hopkins with the Cardinals.

It’s hard to question how much more an athlete could mean to both a city and a franchise than Watt meant to the Texans. For a team that was often an afterthought in the grand NFL picture as an expansion franchise, Watt made them mean more. He delivered Houston the NFL’s most impactful defensive player for half a decade and placed the Texans on the map in Super Bowl contention.

Whether is the snarky comments on Mic’d Up segments, the letterman jackets in New England, or his scathing comments at the team under-delivering, Watt seemingly thrust the Texans into NFL relevance and playoff contention by sheer force of will.

His retirement comes at a time where it’s difficult to be a Houston fan. The team has suffered three consecutive losing seasons and lacks direction in the NFL’s greater picture. However, for fans of the team, the announcement is a reminder that things can and likely will be better.

Watt showed Houston the light of a relevant NFL franchise. It will unfortunately take another franchise player and another team for the Texans to reach their championship aspirations, but his impact gave Houston a taste of what the football city deserves.

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