Tag: Texans defensive end

Defensive line has become the Texans’ historical identity

The Houston Texans’ historical identity is wrapped up in the defensive line, and the organization needs to lean into it more.

Some teams Some NFL teams are known throughout the decades by their positions.

When one thinks of the Green Bay Packers, exemplary quarterback play from Bart Starr, Brett Favre, and Aaron Rodgers comes to mind. When sports fans think of the Pittsburgh Steelers, dominant edge defenders such as L.C. Greenwood, James Harrison, and T.J. Watt rush to the fore.

As the Houston Texans enter their 21st season of play, their historical identity is starting to forge.

According to Jeremy Fowler from ESPN, who participated in rankings for all 32 NFL teams over the next three seasons, the one position that is starting to define the Texans is defensive end. In ESPN’s three-year power rankings for all 32 NFL teams, Fowler mentioned that what could help the Texans get back on track is leaning into their defensive line.

What could change for the better: Reestablish dominance across the defensive line. Houston isn’t rich in football tradition, but Mario Williams and J.J. Watt are names that come to mind when thinking about Texans folklore. Time to rebuild that front. Re–signing defensive tackle Maliek Collins is a good start but not enough.

The Texans’ re-signing of Collins was a stopgap measure for the 2022 season — much the same way bringing in defensive ends Mario Addison and Jerry Hughes was also a one-season solution.

What the Texans will really be looking at for the long-term as it relates to the defensive line is the play of defensive end Jonathan Greenard. The former 2020 third-round pick from Florida is entering the penultimate year of his contract. After 2022, the Texans and Greenard can start talking about an extension. Greenard can get an early start on the negotiations with a 10.0-sack season this year.

Williams. Watt. Greenard.

Even if Greenard doesn’t make a convincing case for an extension, the Texans should consider adding Alabama edge defender Will Anderson, who is projected to go in the top-3 of the 2023 NFL draft. Adding a catalytic edge defender would be in keeping with Houston’s historical identity.

How close was Texans DE Jonathan Greenard to making Pro Football Focus’ top-50 list?

Houston Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard missed Pro Football Focus’ top-50 list. How close was Greenard to possibly making the list?

Pro Football Focus released their first installment of their top-50 players in the NFL. The Houston Texans did not have a player qualify for slots 41-50 on Monday.

Part of the problem is Houston has chronically been in third place in one of the NFL’s worst divisions for the past two seasons. If there is any talent on the team, it gets lost amid the losing, off-field issues, and coaching changes.

If the Texans were to have a player make the first installment of PFF’s list, it would have to be defensive end Jonathan Greenard. The inclusion of Green Bay Packers edge defender Rashan Gary illustrates how far Greenard still needs to improve his game to start getting such league-wide consideration.

Gary was a raw prospect who had immense physical tools when the Packers drafted him in the first round, and last year, he realized all that potential in a major way. He recorded a 90.1 PFF pass-rushing grade while racking up 81 pressures over the course of the season and improving as the year went on. He could be even better in 2022.

Greenard had a similar pass rush grade of 89.2. However, Greenard’s pressures weren’t as prolific as Gary’s. Greenard tallied 27 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Using stats available to everyone, Gary had 9.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, 28 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles through 16 games. Greenard produced 8.0 sacks, nine tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and four pass breakups through 12 games.

The availability is where Greenard gets lost. It isn’t so much that the former Florida product is playing for a team that stalls out at four wins per season; Greenard has played in 13 and 12 games in each of his first two seasons. If Greenard were to have played in 16 games same as Gary, perhaps his pressures would not have reached 80, but the sacks and quarterback hits would have accrued to such levels that his talent would be undeniable.

As the former 2020 third-round pick enters his third season, Greenard has an opportunity to take another step in his development and prove to the Texans that they have a dominant edge defender on their roster.

What will it take for Texans DE Jonathan Greenard to make the Pro Bowl?

Houston Texans DE Jonathan Greenard made NFL.com’s list of Pro Bowl candidates from each team. What will Greenard need to do to qualify?

The Houston Texans did not have a player go to the Pro Bowl following the 2021 season. Such is the side effect of going 4-13 and not having a face of the franchise.

According to Nick Shook from NFL.com, defensive end Jonathan Greenard is a candidate from the Texans to make the Pro Bowl in 2022.

The pickings remain slim in Houston, and while I desperately wanted to push all of my chips to the center of the table on Davis Mills, I just couldn’t do it (at least not yet). The more likely candidate to reach the Pro Bowl is one of the sneakier standouts from last season, Greenard, a player who quietly led the Texans with eight sacks. He did so on a limited number of snaps, too, and didn’t miss the watchful eye of Pro Football Focus, which has Greenard listed among its top 10 breakout candidates from the 2020 draft class. If we’re looking for a first-time Pro Bowl candidate in Houston, Greenard is the one.

For Greenard to make the Pro Bowl, he will need to at least hit the 10.0 mark. The former 2020 third-round pick from Florida will also need to add a few forced fumbles and tackles for loss to his stat line in order to show coaches and players across the league he is a force off the edge.

What will also help Greenard’s candidacy is if the Texans are competitive. If Greenard is tallying his 10.0-plus sacks while Houston is 1-7 and starting Kyle Allen at quarterback, Greenard’s good work is going to get buried amid the losing. If Greenard’s efforts are part of even a 4-4 campaign and the losses are by a touchdown or less, the perception will be the Texans have finally gotten out of the rebuilding phase.

The last Pro Bowl defensive end the Texans had was J.J. Watt in 2018 when he collected 16.0 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 25 quarterback hits, seven forced fumbles, and four pass breakups.

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4 objectives DE Jonathan Greenard must prove to Texans in 2022

Houston Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard is entering his third year with the team. Here are four objectives Greenard must prove in 2022.

The Houston Texans can’t negotiate with defensive end Jonathan Greenard until after the 2022 season. The 2023 offseason will be the earliest the Texans will be able to talk with their former 2020 third-round pick about a second contract.

However, 2022 will be a momentous year for the former Florida product. Greenard can make his case to general manager Nick Caserio and coach Lovie Smith that he is a worthy edge defender and the club ought to continue to invest in his career.

Here are four objectives Greenard will need to show the Texans in 2022 as he rounds to corner into possible contract talks.

Pro Football Focus lauds Texans’ contract with DE Jerry Hughes

The Houston Texans’ contract with defensive end Jerry Hughes earned some praise from Pro Football Focus.

The Houston Texans weren’t done adding veteran talent to the roster as offseason workouts kicked off. After the 2022 NFL draft, the Texans signed former Buffalo Bills defensive ends Mario Addison and Jerry Hughes.

According to Brad Spielberger from Pro Football Focus, the Texans’ two-year, $10 million deal with Jerry Hughes — with $5.5 million guaranteed — ranked No. 24 in their list of top-32 contracts across the league this season.

The Texans brought in Hughes to help with the attitude of the defensive line. The former Sugar Land Stephen F. Austin High School product is appreciative of the opportunity to play in his home metro area and show the younger Texans defensive line how to carry themselves as pros.

“I feel like that’s something my game has been about my whole 12 years throughout the league,” Hughes told reporters after organized team activities on June 1 at Houston Methodist Training Center. “So just trying to show those guys that we can be a difference-maker on every down, really. If the offense is out there and we have four guys on the field, let’s just go out there and let’s hunt.”

The Texans and Hughes agreed upon a favorable contract that should allow the 33-year-old to go out and hunt.

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Texans DE Jonathan Greenard is a strong candidate to breakout in 2022

Houston Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard made Pro Football Focus’ list of top-10 players who could breakout in their third season.

Houston Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard has shown plenty of promise through his first two seasons, and 2022 may be the year the former third-round pick from Florida finally touches his ceiling.

According to Michael Renner from Pro Football Focus, Greenard is one of 10 players expected to breakout in his third season.

This one may be cheating, as Greenard was tremendous last season, but it was on limited time. He only played 414 snaps in 2021, earning an 89.2 pass-rushing grade. These weren’t fluke plays — he has some of the best hand usage of any young pass-rusher in the NFL. Greenard has a whole host of moves at his disposal to go along with nearly 35-inch arms. That’s a winning combination even if we didn’t get to see it over the course of a full season.

Greenard did not take a live team rep during the Texans’ offseason program, but he is expected to take part in training camp.

Last season, Greenard started in all 12 games played and tallied 33 combined tackles, nine tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, and 8.0 sacks, the most by a Texans defender since 2019 when outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus recorded 7.5. The 6-3, 263-pound edge rusher also collected two forced fumbles and four pass breakups.

Greenard will need to have a strong showing in 2022 as the Texans will be able to negotiate with the Hiram, Ga., product during the 2023 offseason. Greenard signed a standard four-year rookie contract in 2020. The upcoming season will also show the Texans whether or not Greenard has reached his potential and what he can provide for the defense long-term. If Greenard can’t meet the defense’s needs as a dominant edge rusher, the team will have two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL draft to use on an effective edge rusher. Greenard breaking out in 2022 should keep the Texans from making that decision.

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DE Jerry Hughes feels like he is back in high school playing for the Texans

Houston Texans defensive end Jerry Hughes feels like he is back in high school playing football in his hometown.

Jerry Hughes spent his entire high school and collegiate career playing football in the state of Texas.

Hughes played for Sugar Land Stephen F. Austin High School, and later played for the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth. It wasn’t until the Indianapolis Colts drafted him in Round 1 in 2010 that he left Texas.

After spending 2013-21 with the Buffalo Bills, Hughes decided to come back to the greater Houston area and play for his hometown NFL team.

“I was telling my wife this last night: I feel like I’m back in high school, just to be back in the city driving around,” Hughes told reporters June 1 after organized team activities at Houston Methodist Training Center. “We used to play high school games at the Astrodome; very familiar with coming out this way and things like that.”

What warms Hughes is that despite the Houston Astros leading the AL West with a 33-18 record — also second in the American League — the Texans still generate buzz in June.

Said Hughes: “Just being part of this warm environment, football city, where everyone is looking for the Texans, even though it’s baseball season, everybody still wants to know what we are going to do and how the team is looking. I get that just by through walking through H-E-B and things like that.”

Hughes provided the Buffalo Bills with 2.0 sacks through 16 starts last year. With former assistant defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire taking on a bigger role on Lovie Smith’s staff, and fellow Bills teammate Mario Addison also playing along Houston’s defensive line, 2022 has become a season of reunion for Hughes.

“It’s been real cool, just being close to family, high school buddies, college coaches, things like that,” said Hughes. “Not being so far or being in a different time zone, it’s been real relaxing for me being closer to family honestly.”

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Texans DE Jonathan Greenard ranks as an underrated player in the NFL

Houston Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard ranked among Pro Football Focus’ list of underrated players in the NFL.

The Houston Texans have posted four-win seasons in each of the past two years. Their roster may not be underrated — it may actually be what their 8-25 combined record says they are.

However, the Texans may still have a player or two that warrants consideration from the rest of the NFL as an underrated player.

According to Sam Monson from Pro Football Focus, the Texans’ most underrated player on their roster is defensive end Jonathan Greenard.

The Texans’ roster is in such bad shape that it’s tough finding too many worthy candidates for an underrated list. You could argue Davis Mills at quarterback, but despite some flashes in his rookie season, he still finished with a 58.0 overall PFF grade and has more than enough supporters. Meanwhile, Greenard quietly put together a really nice season for the Texans in 2021. He recorded an 89.2 PFF pass-rushing grade, ranking seventh in the league among edge rushers on a much lower sample size than full-time starters. Greenard earned a bigger role going forward, which might generate him more recognition.

Greenard has steadily improved since the Texans drafted him in Round 3 of the 2020 NFL draft from Florida. Initially Greenard posted 1.0 sack through 13 games in his rookie season playing as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. In Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 with a 4-3 front, Greenard led the team with 8.0 sacks playing in a three-point stance.

New Texans defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire appreciates the motor that Greenard plays wtih.

“Just strength, length, speed, passion — he doesn’t stop,” Cesaire said. “He has an incredible motor, great, great rush hands. I just love the way he plays each and every snap.”

The Texans have given Greenard some help with free agent signings that include Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison. If Greenard can learn from their experience and apply it to his game, he should blast out of the ranks of being underrated in 2022.

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Texans DE Jacob Martin appreciates communication with Jonathan Greenard

Houston Texans defensive end Jacob Martin says that he likes the way he has effective communication with fellow DE Jonathan Greenard.

The Houston Texans have had big-name pass rushers over the past decade, but the 2021 defense is finding a way to get it done with low key names.

What is helping the Texans generate pressure on the quarterback is their communication between their defensive ends. According to defensive end Jacob Martin, what has helped him and fellow end Jonathan Greenard become an effective tandem off the edge is how well they are in sync with one another.

“Me and Jon (Greenard) are talking all the time, whether that’s in game, in practice, in between plays, during the play,” said Martin, who has 4.0 sacks on the season, the most in single season for his career. “We’re always in constant communication in terms of what he’s thinking or what moves he’s thrown on guys, how he goes about being in certain situations or how he plays six-technique, or how I play six-I.”

Greenard, a former 2020 third-round pick from Florida, has been a big beneficiary from the constant communication as he has tallied 8.0 sacks on the year, the most since 2018 when J.J. Watt recorded 16.0.

Said Martin: “We lean on each other in terms of what looks the other person is getting on the other side, and then just trusting that, like ‘Okay, I know that Jon will keep contain if I’m rushing high or if he’s going under.’ Just having that unspoken chemistry between us, I think that helps us work pretty well.”

The Texans have generated 25 sacks on the season, tied with the Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and Baltimore Ravens for the 15th-most in the NFL. Houston is tied with the Chicago Bears for the fifth-fewest quarterback hits in the league with 52. The Texans have a chance to add to these numbers in Week 13 when they take on the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.

Report: Texans to sign DE Chris Smith

The Houston Texans have added a veteran defensive lineman in former Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chris Smith.

The Houston Texans are adding veteran depth to their edge defense.

According to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790, the Texans are signing former Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chris Smith.

Smith played eight games for Las Vegas last year, recording five combined tackles, a tackle for loss, four quarterback hits, and 1.0 sack.

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Smith in Round 5 from Arkansas in 2014. Smith had one year with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017 before going to the Cleveland Browns from 2018-19.

The Texans traded defensive end Charles Omenihu to the San Francisco 49ers just before the trade deadline on Nov. 2. Houston’s leading sacker is second-year defensive end Jonathan Greenard with 7.0.