Tag: Texans defensive line

DE Shaq Lawson transitioning easily into Texans’ new defensive scheme

Defensive end Shaq Lawson says that he is doing well adapting to the Houston Texans’ new defensive scheme.

Defensive end Shaq Lawson has seen before what the Houston Texans are trying to do in 2021.

With new coach David Culley came a new defensive coordinator, Lovie Smith, who is moving the defense from a 3-4, which they have ran since 2011, to a Tampa 2 scheme that deploys a 4-3 front.

While it may be a transition for some existing edge rushers on the team, such as outside linebackers Whitney Mercilus, Jonathan Greenard, and Jacob Martin, Lawson has played in the scheme before. From 2016-19, Lawson was with the Buffalo Bills, who used the scheme since the 2017 hiring of Sean McDermott, who had a Smith understudy, Leslie Frazier, as his defensive coordinator.

Even though the scheme is similar, and Lawson had a career high 6.5 sacks in the scheme in 2019, the former first-round pick from Clemson is focusing on taking a day at a time with the Texans.

“When a new team came up there and just basically got to take one day at a time,” Lawson said. “They try to change the coaching and things, about the building, try to bring a great group of guys in. But usually just got to take one day at a time and try to get one percent better as a team and as an organization every day.”

Lawson likes the depth the Texans have along the defensive line with Charles Omenihu, Ross Blacklock, Maliek Collins, and Brandon Dunn part of the fray.

Said Lawson: “We’ve got a lot of guys that played a lot of ball in this league, help teams win games. It’s just been a fun group. It’s a competition in that room, so it’s been going great, well. The guys they keep, it’s going to be wonderful because we’ve got a lot of guys, and each and every guy can play in there, and they’ve helped the team in the previous, in the past.”

The first job of the Texans defensive line will be to stiffen up against the run, where the unit gave up 5.2 yards per carry, the most in the NFL in 2020.

Maliek Collins claiming defensive tackle along Texans defensive line

Houston Texans defensive tackle Maliek Collins is starting to take over the three technique role along the defensive line.

Switching from a 3-4 to a Tampa 2 with a 4-3 front created two defensive tackle spots along the Houston Texans defensive line.

When the Texans signed former Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Maliek Collins to a one-year contract in free agency, Houston at least had a 6-2, 310-pound defensive lineman penciled in for one of the defensive tackle jobs.

However, the former 2016 third-round pick from Nebraska has taken over the three technique job on the inside and started to write his name in ink on the depth chart.

“He can rush the passer,” defensive coordinator Lovie Smith said. “He’s an athlete, which we’re looking for. He’s been in the system quite a while, pleased with what he’s done so far.”

Coach David Culley was impressed with the football awareness that Collins displayed on Aug. 1 when he converted immediately to a blocker on a Justin Reid interception during team portion.

“I think Justin had intercepted the ball, and once he intercepted the ball, all of a sudden I saw one guy flash right by me, and I was standing right there, and it was Maliek Collins, running up the field to block for him like he was an offensive lineman,” Culley said. “He plays the game the right way. He’s very strong. I mean, he’s a wonderful guy, and again, just playing the game, and he’s a great example of how you’re supposed to play this game.”

The three technique job is still contests as Collins is going against second-year tackle Ross Blacklock and free agent DeMarcus Walker.

“We have a little bit of depth there,” said Smith.

Collins has 99 combined tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 41 quarterback hits, 14.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and five fumble recoveries through 73 career games, 66 of which he started.

DT Maliek Collins explains why he chose the Texans

Veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins provides a reason why he chose the Houston Texans in free agency.

Maliek Collins presumably could have had gone anywhere in 2021. Instead, the former Dallas Cowboy and Las Vegas Raider decided to sign with an AFC South club amid discord with its franchise quarterback and ushering in a new coaching regime.

The former 2016 fourth-round pick from Nebraska was looking for an opportunity, and the Texans presented the best chance for the 26-year-old.

“I just needed an opportunity and I thought it was a great opportunity for a team trying to build a team with a fresh start,” Collins told Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790. “And, quite honestly, I needed a fresh start, too, so it was the best place I could have picked. Of course being back in Texas is good. I still live up in Dallas, so I’m good.”

Collins, who stands at 6-2, 308 pounds, figures to be a three-technique defensive tackle in the Texans’ new scheme, a Tampa 2, the signature of defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.

In his lone season with the Raiders, Collins provided 15 combined tackles and a quarterback hit in 12 games, 11 of which he started. The production represented a down year for Collins.

“I just didn’t put out no numbers,” Collins said. “It just wasn’t a big statistical year for me. I’ll bounce back.”

With the Cowboys, Collins produced 14.5 sacks, 84 combined tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 40 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and five fumble recoveries through 61 career games, 55 of which he started.

Houston has Ross Blacklock and Brandon Dunn that can play defensive tackle. Charles Omenihu also figures to be part of the Texans’ solutions at defensive tackle with his ability to play inside and outside.

After the Texans’ eight-week offseason program, defensive line coach Bobby King said that Collins was living up to expectations.

“He’s as advertised as a person and as a player so far,” King told reporters on June 8 on a Zoom call. “I’m excited to work with him. Yes, he does have some juice and I’m expecting some good things out of him.”

The Texans report to camp on July 27.

Texans release DT Eddie Vanderdoes

The Houston Texans have released defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, who opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Houston Texans continue to churn the bottom of their roster.

The team announced Wednesday they have released defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes.

The 26-year-old from Auburn, California, opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, he played three games for the Texans, collecting eight tackles through 78 defensive snaps and two special teams snaps.

The 6-3, 315-pound defensive tackle originally was with the Oakland Raiders, who drafted him in the third-round from UCLA in 2017. Vanderdoes played in 16 games for Oakland in his rookie season, starting in 13 of them as he produced 18 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. However, a torn ACL sustained in Week 17 of that year put him on a trajectory that included missing the 2018 season and getting released by the Raiders in October of 2019.

Vanderdoes was due $990,000 that would count against the salary cap. The release of Vanderdoes does not have a dead money hit.

Texans’ Bill O’Brien a fan of picking up Charles Omenihu in the fifth round

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien likes the draft value the club got when they took rookie DE Charles Omenihu in the fifth round.

With the Houston Texans scouring their roster for pass-rushing help amid J.J. Watt’s recovery from a torn pectoral, younger, less experienced players are getting a shot at extended playing time.

One such player is rookie defensive end Charles Omenihu. While playing limited snaps, the fifth-round pick from Texas has flashed versatility and power both inside and on the edge. He has three sacks, two of which were accompanied by forced fumbles, 11 combined tackles, two tackles for loss and five QB hits.

Coach Bill O’Brien likes the production from Omenihu, praising him as a plus draft pick for his team.

“I mean that was a good pick, and he’s done a lot of good things,” O’Brien told reporters Tuesday. “He’s a hard worker. He’s young. He’s still learning.”

Omenihu entered the league at a tweener. He’s a bit big to be a full-time edge rusher and not big enough to be a full-time interior one. Considering he’s received most of his snaps on the inside and works with defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, the Texans appear to be priming him to be a defensive end.

Since the early days of training camp, Omenihu has displayed a work ethic that should help him stick. In training camp, he would stick to Watt.

“He’s actively trying to get better at his craft and he is on 99 [Watt] like a sponge, to the point where I’m sure he’s probably tired of hearing his voice,” said Weaver on Aug. 13.

O’Brien wants the rookie to keep the same yearning he had in training camp now that it is late in the season.

“I think it’s important for Charles to stay humble and hungry,” O’Brien said. “Stay humble and hungry, Charles. Because if you don’t, it’s a tough league. So I think if he does that, he’ll stay on the right track.”

If Omenihu, otherwise known as “Big O” in the locker room, stays on that right track and develops his pass-rush moves, the Texans could have found a building block on the defensive line.