Tag: Texans minicamp

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says GM Nick Caserio is ‘really fun to work with’

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says he and GM Nick Caserio have developed a “really great relationship” over the past couple of months.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans wrapped up their final day of mandatory mini-camp, and with only some administrative things to take care of, coach DeMeco Ryans can finally take a break and relax briefly before training camp begins later this summer.

“I think it’s time for a little rest and relaxation,” said Ryans on Wednesday. “Especially for me. I’ve been going pretty non-stop since our last playoff game. So definitely a little rest and relaxation to make sure I’m powered up and ready to go for the season.”

The Texans hired Ryans following the San Francisco 49ers’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game in late January. Ryans spent six seasons with the 49ers with his last two as the defensive coordinator under coach Kyle Shanahan.

Houston made the former 2006 second-round linebacker a high-priority candidate at the end of the 2022 regular season after they fired former coach Lovie Smith.

Since his introductory press conference, one person has been by his side the entire time, general manager Nick Caserio.

“Nick has been really fun to work with,” Ryans said. “Nick is very knowledgeable — one of the smartest football minds I’ve been around. It’s not just the scouting part when it comes to acquiring players, but it’s also just the football knowledge, the scheme, the ‘x’s, and o’s.’ Having his knowledge and having a guy I can lean [on] for any question.”

That knowledge came in handy when Ryans was going through his first pre-draft process in Indianapolis, which led to them acquiring talent on both sides of the ball when they drafted former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson with back-to-back selections in the 2023 NFL draft.

From the beginning of the rookie minicamp to the conclusion of the mandatory minicamp, Ryans and Caserio have been on one accord on and off the field. They are constantly communicating about the team’s needs and direction and can be seen having frequent conversations. Caserio believes that Ryans is the right person to help take the Texans into the next phase of the rebuilding process after only winning a combined 11 games in the last three years.

It was imperative that Caserio made the proper head coaching selection after the hiring catastrophe Smith and David Culley before him, both of whom only served in that capacity for one season.

“What better person to lead this organization, to lead this team, to lead these players, than DeMeco Ryans,” Caserio said during Ryans introductory press conference in February. “I think everything that DeMeco exhibited as a player, what he’s done as a coach, his leadership, his selflessness, his toughness, his team-first mindset, his charisma, and I would say we didn’t really know each other, but the more and more time we spent together, it was almost a no-brainer as to who was the right fit for this team, this organization, this city.”

Four months later, Ryans echoed those sentiments about Caserio as well.

“We’ve become pretty tight over the last couple of months, and it’s been a really great relationship,” Ryans told the media. “I’m happy to be in this spot working with someone as experienced as Nick because he’s helped me and guided me through a lot. It’s always great to have someone you can lean on, someone you can trust, and in our relationship, we collaborate on everything.

“That was our plan coming into it, and that’s what we do. Every morning we’re meeting, making sure that we’re on the same page, and I think that’s how you grow when you have collaboration, and you have buy-in from everyone. Just like we’re asking our players to be one, me and Nick, we’re one on all of our decisions that we make, trying to make our organization the best it can be.”

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Texans DE Jerry Hughes lays out how DeMeco Ryans relates as a former player

Houston Texans defensive end Jerry Hughes lined out how coach DeMeco Ryans relates to the team as a former player.

Being a former player helps as an NFL coach, but it isn’t the secret sauce. Otherwise, the Green Bay Packers wouldn’t not have faded throughout the 1970-80s, a period where former Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr coached the team.

However, being a former player can be advantageous if utilized properly.

The Houston Texans have their first former player roaming the sidelines as coach in DeMeco Ryans. The former two-time Pro Bowl linebacker is the sixth full-time coach in team history, and seeks to pull the Texans out of the ditch as the club has endured double-digit losing seasons the past three years.

Defensive end Jerry Hughes shared with reporters June 13 after the first day of mandatory minicamp how Ryans is exactly able to relate to the current players despite not having played a down since 2015.

“It’s just amazing how he can command the room by saying something as simple as going over situational football, how all eyes are locked in on him,” Hughes said. “Especially with us, we have a young team, and that’s what we need, someone who can not only bring the energy, but just reinforce teaching the game of football, because you can’t learn enough of it.”

The key ingredient may be experiencing the NFL in any game day capacity since 2006. Furthermore Ryans has processed those experiences to better articulate what his players should mind as they get ready for the season.

“There’s so many different situations that will happen throughout the season, things that have happened in the past that he’s kind of going over, and it’s just making us smarter so we can go out there and play faster,” said Hughes.

The Texans lost six one-score games in 2023. If Houston improves at situational football, even on the defensive side of the ball, it should help turn the tables in close games.

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Report: Texans sign DT Maliek Collins to 2-year extension

The Houston Texans have signed defensive tackle Maliek Collins to a two-year extension worth $23 million.

The Houston Texans like what they have seen from Maliek Collins.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans have signed Collins to a two-year extension worth $23 million with a $10.5 million signing bonus.

Collins originally signed with the Texans during free agency 2021 to serve as the three-technique defensive tackle in then-defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 scheme. The former Dallas Cowboys 2016 third-round pick generated 29 combined tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery through 15 starts.

The former Nebraska product followed up with another 15 starts, collecting 37 combined tackles, nine tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks, and two pass breakups.

What new coach DeMeco Ryans appreciates about Collins, along with free agent defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, is their work ethic.

“They work every day,” Ryans told reporters June 13 after the first day of mandatory minicamp. “They’re consistent, right? They’re accountable to their teammates. That’s who I want around, guys we can count on, guys we know what they bring to the party.”

An extension demonstrates the Texans have plans for Collins in Ryans’ attacking defensive front.

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Texans WR Noah Brown appreciates maturity from QB C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans receiver Noah Brown likes what he has seen from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud in terms of his maturity.

Noah Brown hasn’t kept an eye on Ohio State since entering the NFL in 2017.

“I’m not going to lie to you and act like I watched every Ohio State game since I’ve been in the league,” Brown said.

Don’t ask the former Dallas Cowboys 2017 seventh-round receiver about Stroud’s two-time, first-team All-Big Ten honors. Who knows how many of Stroud’s 85 touchdown passes Brown saw over the past two years?

All Brown can go off of is what he has seen from Stroud in person over the past month and a half’s worth of offseason workouts.

“I know C.J. has great arm talent,” Brown told reporters June 13 after the first day of the Houston Texans’ mandatory minicamp.

Talented passers have come and gone in the league, and at loftier draft statuses than Stroud’s No. 2 overall entry. For Stroud to manifest as the Texans’ future franchise quarterback, other traits — those unable to be measured with a stopwatch or even a cognition test — must come to the fore.

According to Brown, Stroud has demonstrated a satisfactory level of maturity from a rookie signal caller.

Said Brown: “The little bit of time I’ve been here working with him, he’s picked up the offense fast, taken ownership of his reps. I think that can only lead to positive things.”

Stroud remains locked in a battle for the starting job. Making fewer mistakes, and taking ownership of them nevertheless, is a recipe for Stroud to usher in a new era under center.

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Texans LB Christian Harris says Henry To’oTo’o is ‘grasping the playbook’

Houston Texans linebacker Christian Harris says his former Alabama teammate, LB Henry To’oTo’o, is “grasping the playbook.”

The Houston Texans have borrowed from Alabama’s cupboard to stock their defense the past two NFL drafts.

Houston picked linebacker Christian Harris in Round 3 in 2022, and then took two former Crimson Tide defenders in 2023 with first-round defensive end Will Anderson and fifth-round linebacker Henry To’oTo’o.

With an Alabama reunion in the linebacking corps, Harris knows what To’oTo’o can bring to the unit.

“He’s a great player, smart player, grasping the playbook” Harris told reporters June 13 at mandatory minicamp.

Harris and To’oTo’o were teammates for a season at Alabama in 2021. The 6-2, 225-pound linebacker generated 111 combined tackles, 4.0 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup through 15 games in his penultimate season at Alabama.

As To’oTo’o transitions to the NFL, Harris is able to ascertain how his former college teammate is picking up the pro game.

Said Harris: “He’s coming to work every day just like he should be. I mean, of course we’re all helping him with it. He’s doing a great job right now.”

In 2021, Harris generated 80 combined tackles, 5.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles through 15 games. If the Texans are able to get Harris and To’oTo’o to play at a high level in tandem, it should add another dimension to the defense.

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Texans’ Jerry Hughes plays big brother for all rookie DE

The Houston Texans’ Jerry Hughes has embraced the role of being the big brother for all of the rookie defensive ends in the DL room.

Jerry Hughes is one of the NFL’s most experienced defensive lineman, and on a team that is as inexperienced as the Houston Texans are heading into the 2023 season, expectations for his role as a mentor are at an all-time high.

A former 2010 first-round pick, it would seem only natural Hughes spent most of his time giving pointers to No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson. However, Hughes has a whole brotherhood that needs his direction.

“Yeah, I mean, [I mentor] all the young guys, honestly,” Hughes told reporters June 13 after mandatory minicamp.

Two of the other defensive ends in the room are fourth-rounder Dylan Horton — a former TCU product like Hughes — and undrafted Ali Gaye from LSU.

“All those guys, I try to be their big bro, whatever questions they have,” said Hughes. “I kind of seen it all in the NFL. Off the field, on the field, whatever they have, I try to be there for those guys. They’ve been here the entire off-season giving it their all, asking a lot of questions. That’s what we want. We need them to win games this year, so I’m excited.”

That excitement is sure to pay off if the Texans’ younger contributors can make sparks fly under his direction during the 2023 season. With a new coaching staff and revamped roster in place, Hughes may see his role on the field diminish over the course of Houston’s schedule.

The work Hughes is putting in now to acclimate the first and second-year talent on the team’s roster will make him an indispensable part of the Texans’ defense.

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Texans LB Christian Harris is trying to ‘be a sponge’ around Denzel Perryman

Houston Texans second-year linebacker Christian Harris values the insights and experience that Denzel Perryman shares.

Christian Harris has an opportunity to be a special piece of the Houston Texans’ defense in 2023 after a hamstring injury delayed the start of the linebacker’s rookie campaign.

With less than a full schedule worth of experience under his belt heading into the new season, Harris is leaning on one teammate in particular to improve his game as much as possible before the regular season.

Harris told reporters after day one of mandatory minicamp Tuesday that Denzel Perryman had taken him under his wing to some degree, and that the insight that he has gained from the veteran backer has helped him prepare for his second season in Houston.

“I mean, just he has a lot of experience in the league,” Harris said.  “Just like how I was treating it with Kirko [Christian Kirksey] last year, Coach DeMeco [Ryans] this year, trying to be a sponge. I have a lot of vets around me. They giving me insight on plays I’m coming back in, trying to give me tips. I’m trying to be open ears.”

While Perryman has carved out an impressive career for himself, Harris will be expected to do even more as a blue-chip third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He fell on draft boards due to the aforementioned injury but came on strong for the Texans near the end of their schedule last season.

With Perryman’s guidance and a former linebacker as his head coach, Harris’ trajectory seems to be pointed in the right direction, and fans should expect some standout showings from him when the regular season starts in September.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans wants C.J. Stroud to ‘rip it’ in QB competition

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans doesn’t want C.J. Stroud to be hesitant, but rather “rip it” during the team’s open competition at QB.

C.J. Stroud is not the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans. At least, not yet to this point in the summer.

The Texans picked Stroud No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL draft to fix their problems at quarterback. Through two months of Houston’s offseason workouts, ambiguity still remains as to who starts Sept. 10 at the Baltimore Ravens.

Mills and Stroud have alternated work with the first team offense as part of rookie coach DeMeco Ryans’ emphasis on competition throughout the entire roster.

The former 2021 third-rounder from Stanford — literally the first pick of the Nick Caserio era — does not represent a veteran stopgap such as Andy Dalton with the Carolina Panthers. Mills, 24, is as young and eager as Stroud, 21.

On the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, Stroud had the opportunity to run with the first team offense for most of practice. It was up and down performance by most reports, but he was able to finish strong and caught everyone’s attention with a long touchdown pass to Collins.

Ryans sounded pleased when speaking to the media about the progress of their rookie quarterback and just wants Stroud to stay confident.

“For me with the quarterback, it’s all about confidence, right? We want him to rip it,” Ryans said. “If you see it, go through your progression. If you see it, make it happen. We understand every ball is not going to be perfect, you’re not going to protect it all the time.”

For a defensive-minded coach, Ryans had a more full throttle mentality about the team’s quarterback play.

“I never want our quarterback playing afraid to make a mistake,” Ryans explained. “I want everybody playing to their maximum potential and attacking everything that we do.”

Stroud’s arm strength, precision ball placement, and confidence to trust his receivers and himself led to his prolific numbers while at Ohio State. The Texans will similarly need all of those same attributes if he’s to excel in his new NFL environment.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is installing a version of the West Coast-Kyle Shanahan offense that helped the 49ers and rookie quarterback Brock Purdy go to the NFC Championship last season. It involves quick, rhythm passing and emphasizes creating opportunities for multiple playmakers rather than force feeding any one player or concept.

It’s much more complex that the Ryan Day offensive system that Stroud was accustomed to with the Buckeyes and will certainly take time to adjust. Whether that’s timing with his new wideouts, getting comfortable under center, or having complete confidence with the progression of each play.

Stroud’s draft position and impressive talent ultimately suggest that he’ll win the starting quarterback job by Week 1 in Houston. His ability to “rip it” as Ryans is hoping and develop confidence within the system will ultimately determine just when that happens.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans hopes younger OL listen to LT Laremy Tunsil

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is hopeful the younger offensive linemen will take direction from Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

Younger players have a variety of resources to help them acclimate to the NFL.

Direction and critique mostly comes from the coaches, but proven veterans can also be a tremendous asset in the pursuit of more productive play.

The Houston Texans have a dominant left tackle in Laremy Tunsil, who has earned three Pro Bowl selections since joining the club in 2019. While DeMeco Ryans knows Tunsil will protect the backside for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the coach is hopeful Tunsil can show the way for younger offensive linemen on the roster.

“I think Laremy can add stability,” Ryans told reporters June 13 after the first day of mandatory minicamp. “He can add that experience where guys have questions, like for our rookies and younger guys, to lean on those veterans who have done it at a high level and a long time, right? Pro Bowl, All Pro, whatever those accolades have been, he’s been one of the top left tackles in the league. How can you gain some type of knowledge from a guy as a young player?”

Right tackle Tytus Howard has gone to the school of Tunsil since joining the Texans as their 2019 first-round pick. The Alabama State product has earned the equivalent of a master’s degree in pass protection and run blocking from being a Tunsil understudy.

Like Howard, Ryans is hopeful younger players such as guard Kenyon Green will pick Tunsil’s mind to elevate their impact on-field.

“I’m expecting our young guys to be sponges, hoping Laremy shares as much as possible to train the next guys who are coming after him to give them all the tips and tricks of the trade,” said Ryans.

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Texans DE Jerry Hughes says S Jalen Pitre is ‘a step ahead of everyone’

Houston Texans defensive end Jerry Hughes says that safety Jalen Pitre appears to be “a step ahead of everyone” during mandatory minicamp.

The Houston Texans’ roster will be a generational blend of vested veterans and youngsters in 2023.

Defensive end Jerry Hughes is entering his 14th season in the NFL, which gives him perspective when it comes to younger players asserting themselves on a team. According to the former Indianapolis Colts 2010 first-round pick, what astounded Hughes about the Texans through the first day of mandatory minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center was the vocal participation from the younger players.

“It was amazing just to see how vocal the team was,” Hughes told reporters June 13. “Normally when you got a young team, that’s one of the things you harp on is that we’re not vocal enough, not able to move fast enough. But that’s not the case.”

One younger player who was excelling even beyond veterans was second-year safety Jalen Pitre, who led the Texans with 147 combined tackles and five interceptions last year.

“Pitre is moving probably a step ahead of everyone at this time,” said Hughes.

Coaching critiques and veteran leadership can only carry a team so far. For the Texans to truly turn the corner on their rebuilding phase, they will need more than Pitre to lead the youth movement throughout the 17-game campaign.

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