Tag: Texans safety

TeX’s and O’s: Georgia Safety Javon Bullard could bring physicality to secondary

The Houston Texans could be in the market for a safety this draft cycle, and Georgia’s Javon Bullard fits the bill.

The Houston Texans are ready to contend.

Coming off an 11-8 campaign, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans have had a spectacular start to the off-season and have brought in players with Super Bowl optimism.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, edge rusher Danielle Hunter, running back Joe Mixon, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and defensive tackle Denico Autry headline a group that’s propelled the Texans into five-five odds. The team appears ready to compete with one large caveat

Is the defensive secondary ready?

The current projected starting safety duo was hit-and-miss throughout the division-winning campaign. Veteran Jimmie Ward missed multiple games due to injury, ending the year on the reserve list. Jalen Pitre regressed from his breakout rookie campaign, especially in man coverage.

Houston may be ready to run ample man coverage looks with star corner Derek Stingley Jr. and newcomers Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson, but they’ll need a constant security net over the top if expecting better results.

Safety has been on the mind of Caserio. Three have visited NRG Stadium this past month, including Georgia’s Javon Bullard, perhaps the best fit for Ryans’ man-heavy scheme.

Bullard, a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, often was tasked with high-leverage roles under Kirby Smart’s man-based unit. He had 56 tackles, seven passes breakups and two interceptions last season in Athens. He also was named the Nation Championship game’s MVP during the team’s title run in 2022.

His pre-draft run has been equally impressive. Bullard was named the top safety of the Reeses’ Senior Bowl practices and impressed NFL teams throughout the week in Mobile, Ala.

Additionally, he had a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash and tied together a strong 8.24 “Relative Athletic Score.”

It should come as no surprise that Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke are interested in potentially seeing the Bulldog product supplemented to the ‘SWARM’ persona. The film shows an instinctive player in coverage who isn’t afraid to crash violently and support the run.

The FIT

Bullard is comfortable playing on the back end, reading out plays, and positioning himself well when asked to defend the run and on passing concepts. He may start the following play farther off the line of scrimmage than any of his fellow defenders, but Bullard is quick to see it and react.

 

These instincts allowed Bullard to be a plus player in the run game and he was a reliable tackler if running backs managed to get past Georgia’s formidable front seven.

That same ability to trigger downhill also allows Bullard to make highlight plays on the football. He had four interceptions in his final two seasons with Georgia. That can largely be attributed to how he dissects plays.

Defensive backs coach Dino Vasso should love the attentiveness and pursuit angles Bullard presents downfield, but also the physicality when asked to guard receivers.

This play against Florida shows Bullard at his best. The safety reads the quarterback early, flies downhill to the developing slant route, and crushes the receiver to prevent a first down. The ability to recognize passing concepts and punish targets will be one of Bullard’s best assets at the NFL level.

The CONCERN

While a promising player, Bullard’s not a finished product. He tends to launch at plays he recognizes, which can also leave him in poor position should he misread the coverage.

Earlier in that same contest against Florida, a similar concept was drawn up. Instead of making a highlight tackle, Bullard took a bad angle in coverage, leading to a Gators’ touchdown.

In terms of character, Bullard isn’t a slouch. In The Athletics’ draft analyst Dane Brugler’s “The Beast,” he found glowing commentary on the safety including that, “High school and college coaches agree that he has a future in coaching, because of his mental toughness” and that he was “Regarded as one of the team leaders in the Georgia locker room.”

Bullard is a motivated player and a good athlete tasked with handling free safety responsibilities as the last line of defense for a proven championship-caliber program. His football IQ and attentiveness for sniffing out plays suggest he’s someone well-prepared to play at the next level.

THE ROLE

In Ryans’ defense, Bullard could plug in immediately next to Ward or Pitre and serve as a reliable coverage safety who brings a new element of physicality to any secondary.

Additionally, his presence could allow Pitre to play closer to the box on running downs and potentially create a better role for the third-year Baylor product. Pitre, a former second-round pick, won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while lined up in the STAR position under a similar defensive formation.

Bullard is a very realistic draft target for Houston during the 2nd round, either at pick No. 42 or pick No. 59. It would be far-fetched to imagine Bullard falling out of the second round, let alone to Houston at pick No. 86 midway through Round 3.

Whether Caserio and Ryans believe he could require a trade up, or are content to wait for him where they currently sit, is yet to be seen.

What’s certain is that Bullard could bring a sense of dependability and physicality that Houston desperately needs for its Super Bowl chase.

TeX’s and Os: Could free agent C.J. Gardner-Johnson solve Texans safety woes?

The Houston Texans might have a safety problem, but free agent C.J. Gardner-Johnson could be the answer in the secondary.

The Houston Texans need help in the secondary.

DeMeco Ryan’s defense ranked in the bottom 10 in passing yards allowed and passing yards per attempt in 2023. It was a disappointing effort after many thought that Houston’s safeties, led by safety duo Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward, could be the strength of the defense going into the year.

It isn’t a mess entirely. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. broke out in a big way with five interceptions and the team has multiple options to play across from him in 2024. That includes re-signing Steven Nelson or bringing in a veteran free agent like Xavien Howard.

It’s the safety dilemma that stands out.

Ward played in only 10 games and was not a reliable option to be on the field. Pitre went through a severe sophomore slump and didn’t force a turnover in 2023. Ryans even benched Pitre during the team’s brutal Week 16 loss to the Cleveland Browns. It could not have gone much worse after the Baylor product’s incredible rookie year which featured 147 tackles and five interceptions in 2022.

Now, the Texans have to find a way forward. That could require finding at least one additional safety to play, whether that is in case Ward is injured again or to facilitate moving Pitre down towards the nickel cornerback position. Houston could even find two new safeties, which would allow the Texans to capitalize on nearly $5 million in cap savings if they cut Ward after just one year.

There ar multiple ways they could about tackling this. One such option on the free agency market that stands out as both a great talent and a strong value play for general manager Nick Caserio is Detroit Lions impending free agent safety C.J. Gardner Johnson.

The University of Florida product started just five games in the regular season for the Lions in 2023 due to a torn pectoral muscle. He did start in the playoffs, though, where he intercepted Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. But overall, it was a disappointing season for Gardner-Johnson after he was considered a key free agent signing.

In 2022, Gardner-Johnson had 67 total tackles and six interceptions while helping power the Philadelphia Eagles defense to the Super Bowl under defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. He had been a value add via a trade with the New Orleans Saints earlier that year and bet on himself afterwards with the short one-year deal with Detroit.

Gardner-Johnson was highly rated by Pro Football Focus in 2023, with a defensive grade of 72.7 and a coverage grade of 72.8. His run support was also solid, with a grade of 68.5. These were minor upticks from his performance in Philadelphia and they could be attributed to smaller sample size, however it’s impossible to ignore the talent of the 26 year old.

Now, he’s a free agent again and the tape shows a player that could fit well with the Texans.

Gardner-Johnson is largely considered a “strong safety” as someone who is capable of both patrolling the back end or playing close to the line of scrimmage. Considering that potential overlap of that skillset with Jalen Pitre, it’s important to start with Johnson’s ability in coverage. He graded out very well in this aspect and it shows up on tape.

In the Lions’ Cover 4 heavy defense, similar to the Houston Texans this past year, Johnson frequently played deep to allow rookie Brian Branch to be closer to the line of scrimmage. He performed well in this aspect and those skills additionally show up when reviewing his 2022 time with the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s a ballhawking safety who can read the quarterback and explode to make plays.

Ryans preaches the importance of stopping the run and Gardner-Johnson is no stiff there. He has an ability to both come down to the box and support with blitzes as well as read out run plays from the high safety position and collapse. His vision and athleticism is apparent and he’s a rangy athlete who could be played all over the field.

In Houston, he would allow for very interchangeable coverage sets between himself and Ward. Both could be trusted with complex coverage assignments and the defensive staff would have the ability to rotate either safety with both being plus players and run support.

This idea of interchangeability could also be used with Pitre and changing where both those players are pre-snap, even switching between safety and nickel assignments to confuse opposing quarterbacks.

It’s unclear whether or not the Texans will actually be interested in Gardner-Johnson, but the fit makes sense. At 26 years old, he would be a young player for the Texans defense that could contribute in both phases of the game. He’s a reliable player in coverage that would free up the athletic Pitre to do what he does best closer to the line of scrimmage and have a strong third season. It would also create an additional chess piece for defensive coordinator Matt Burke to implement more disguised coverage schemes against the AFC’s best quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.

In a league where coverage is suddenly at a premium., this could be a very affordable fix.

Report: Texans waive S Tyree Gillespie from injured reserve

The Houston Texans have waived safety Tyree Gillespie from injured reserve.

The Houston Texans are parting ways with Tyree Gillespie.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans are waiving the safety from the injured reserve with a settlement.

The former Las Vegas Raiders 2021 fourth-rounder was claimed off waivers by the Texans in early May ahead of their organized team activities. The Texans placed Gillespie on waived/injured reserve on Aug. 23 as they rounded the corner into playing their final preseason game.

Gillespie, 24, played 11 games for the Raiders in his rookie season. Las Vegas dealt the former Missouri product to the Tennessee Titans midway through 2022 preseason, although Gillespie did not make the Titans’ final roster. Gillespie played three games for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Texans S Jalen Pitre plays with a passion for turnovers

Houston Texans second-year safety Jalen Pitre has a passion for coming up with turnovers and giving the offense free possessions.

HOUSTON — One play Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre would love to have back from last week’s tilt with the New England Patriots occurred in the first quarter of the 20-9 preseason win.

On third-and-8 from the New England 14-yard-line, Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe threw a pass over the head of Texans cornerback Steven Nelson to Tyquan Thortnon that was very risky with Pitre lurking over the top. Thornton made the catch in front of Pitre, who was awaiting an overthrow by Zappe.

Looking back on the play, the second-rounder from Baylor wishes he would have taken a better approach to the pass, as he has become very aggressive when trying to record an interception.

“Oh, yeah, I’m going for the ball every time,” said Pitre on Tuesday about his style of play when the ball is in the air. “I feel like it’s important that we get takeaways for the offense to get the ball back, and every time the ball is in the air, I’m looking to do that. I understand that I’m not perfect, and sometimes plays like that [Thorton’s reception] are going to happen, but I’m not going to dwell on those things.

“I’m going to look [for] ways to improve it, and I think in that situation, just going up and high-pointing the ball would probably help me, but I’m always looking to get the ball back in the offense’s hands.”

On Wednesday, Pitre made his words become action as he had an interception that he returned for a touchdown during two-minute drills against the Miami Dolphins, who came to Houston early to participate in two joint practices.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was on the verge of ending the practice session with a touchdown drive after completing two quick passes, one to tight end Durham Smythe, who found an opening behind Texans safety Jimmie Ward and another to superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill who had managed to find himself open on a crossing route.

Miami was in a prime position to move the ball closer to the goal line. Still, as Tagovailoa went to deliver the quick slant pass to wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, Pitre jumped the route for the interception and dashed toward the opposite end of the field for the defensive touchdown, where he was met by his safeties coach Stephen Adegoke and the majority of his teammates who had sprinted alongside him both on the field and sideline.

“Time to go home,” Pitre screamed as he and his teammates made their way through the opening leading to the practice bubble but quickly returned to the field.

“Oh, he’s the ‘G.O.A.T.,’” Texans rookie edge rusher Will Anderson responded when he was asked about Pitre’s interception. “Honestly, he works his butt off every day. I can’t say enough good things about him. He brings the team up and has a lot of energy every day. He just has something about him, he has that tick in him that makes him go, and it’s contagious and spreads to the whole defense.”

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S Jimmie Ward bringing aggressive consistency to the Texans’ secondary

Jimmie Ward is bringing a level of aggressive consistency to the Houston Texans secondary that can only lead to better results in 2023.

HOUSTON — When it comes to Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward, it is always best to expect the unexpected.

Unless you are a wide receiver or tight end looking to occupy any space around the 10-year veteran. Otherwise expect aggressive and territorial play, as the Texans are over the lifetime of Ward’s two-year, $13 million contract.

The former 2014 first-round pick followed former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to Houston as the reigning AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year still has a vision for Ward in the Texans’ backend.

Tight end Dalton Schultz found out just how hostile Ward could be during a team drill last month. Schultz ran a route that carried him between both safeties (Ward and Jalen Pitre) and seemed to be open when rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud released the ball.

When the ball touched his hands, he felt the force and power of the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Ward, who had launched himself from the ground to warn Schultz that he was not welcomed in that area. The former Dallas Cowboys tight end stayed down for a minute as the Texans’ medical trainers checked on the damage done by the fearless safety. Schultz was kept out of the remainder of practice.

Two weeks later, Ward reminded the offense again that he plays like his hair is on fire and looks to initiate contact and possibly inflict pain when he gets the opportunity.

During 11-on-11 drills in front of the fans at Houston Methodist Training Center, Ward closed out on wide receiver Noah Brown and punched the ball out of his hands as he completed a catch from Stroud, causing a turnover. The crowd went wild as the defense recovered the ball. Ward could be heard around the facility talking trash with Pitre as they returned to the huddle.

“What have I seen from Jimmie, I’ve seen a guy who looks comfortable in what we’re asking him to do,” said Ryans when he was asked about Ward’s performance in training camp. “And you see a guy who is playing the way I’ve seen him play for several years now. He’s playing with his hair on fire. He’s all over the field; he’s controlling the back end and with the tandem of him and Pitre, it’s just awesome to watch. Both guys play similar styles, flying around but under control and still making plays; a lot of plays on the ball were made.

“It’s encouraging to see your veteran guys, guys, that you’re going to count on making plays the way that Jimmie has made. It’s been fun. Now, he’s just got to finish those interceptions.”

Ward echoed his head coach’s sentiments about his day on Sunday in an interview with the Texans Wire. After one dropped interception, he went to the ground and did ten pushups to punish himself.

“I will give it like a six or seven,” Ward said. “Those pass breakups should have been two picks. It should have been pick six, both of them. The forced fumble was a good play.”

Although this is his first training camp in a Texans uniform, Ward is no stranger to imposing his will on an opponent on the practice field. He was involved in a scuffle with former Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins when he was a member of the 49ers back in 2018 during a joint practice.

During a one-on-one drill between Houston’s wide receivers and San Francisco’s defensive backs, Ward knocked Hopkins’s helmet off and punched at the ball. That angered Hopkins, and the two began to throw punches at one another and eventually ended up on the ground before teammates were able to break them up.

Hopkins was ejected and sent to the locker room, while Ward sat out the remainder of practice on the sideline away from the team.

Ward is not looking to reenact his past performance when the Miami Dolphins come to town for two joint practices before their second preseason game against the Texans on Saturday. He is happy to finally be able to play against some other opponents besides his teammates, having sat out the first preseason game against the New England Patriots.

“I am glad that this organization put this together,” said Ward about practicing with the Dolphins. “I am looking forward to it. They have a really good offense. I was fortunate enough to play them last year when I played for San Francisco. Having them come in here and we are hosting this practice, I feel it is going to be a great time.”

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Texans S Jalen Pitre cannot stop thinking about football

Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre has nothing but football on the brain, embodying the saying that “football is life.”

HOUSTON — There is an old saying around the game of football from its inception that states, “football is life,” and for second-year Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre, that is all he thinks about consistently.

“All the time,” Pitre responded when asked how much he thinks about the game. “I go to sleep with it [football] on my mind, and I wake up with it on my mind. I feel like God has blessed me to play this game that I love, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m glad that it’s all over TV. I went home last night, got home from meetings, iced up, and all that. Turned on the TV, the Saints were playing, the Chiefs were playing. I’m locked in. This is the best season right here. Football season.”

If training camp indicates how locked in the former 2021 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year has been, then the skilled position players on the offensive side of the ball should be on notice anytime he is in the vicinity. Along with fellow safety Jimmie Ward, Pitre has had his imprint all over the Texans’ defensive backfield. He can be heard all over the field calling out defensive coverages and talking trash to his teammates when the defense wins a rep.

Pitre, 23, is looking to take the next step in becoming one of the best safeties in the game, which is something he expressed to former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back and NFL analyst Ryan Clark, who was in attendance with former NFL players Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor as they filmed and recorded for their digital platform and podcast show, “The Pivot.”

The mindset for the young safety is to improve on his team-leading five interceptions from his rookie season by becoming more aggressive when the ball is in the air.

“Oh yeah, I’m going for the ball every time,” Pitre said after practice on Wednesday. “I feel like it’s important that we get takeaways for the offense to get the ball back, and every time the ball is in the air, I’m looking to do that. I’m always looking to get the ball back in the offense’s hands.”

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Texans S Jalen Pitre seeks to be aggressive component in DeMeco Ryans’ scheme

Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre wants to be an aggressive part of DeMeco Ryans’ new defensive scheme.

HOUSTON — As third-year quarterback Davis Mills dropped back to pass during team 11-on-11 drills, he spotted wide receiver Noah Brown running down the sideline. What also caught his eye was second-year cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. riding the inside hip of Brown.

He attempted the pass anyway, throwing the ball towards the outside arm of Brown, away from Stingley. Mills thought he had made a great pass until safety Jalen Pitre jetted over from the middle of the field, almost causing another interception for the defense.

“Not on us,” the second-year safety bellowed out in Mills’ direction.

That bravado that Pitre plays with is why many believe he will make his presence known again this season after recording 147 tackles (99 solo) and five interceptions. At 5-foot-11, 198 pounds, Pitre isn’t afraid to take on any player on the offensive side of the ball and prides himself on being aggressive. Most of the time, it works to his advantage, while other times, it costs him, as evident by his league-high 19 missed tackles in his rookie season.

Yet first-year safeties coach Stephen Adegoke doesn’t want Pitre to change his approach to the game; he wants to help him play with “controlled aggression.”

“Rule number one in football is you need to play within the continuity of your scheme,” Adegoke said during OTAs. “As long as he is playing within the scheme, that is the most important thing. If we say, ‘You have free range to run downhill and do this in the B-gap,’ I don’t want to stop him. But now I have to coach him and teach him how to do it under control, with good leverage and good technique.”

With new head coach DeMeco Ryans set to call the defensive plays this year along with Matt Burke, Pitre will be in his second defensive scheme in as many years. After four days of training camp, the former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year is delighted about his role this season.

“It’s all about running to the ball and being mean when you get there,” Pitre said after practice. “I think Coach DeMeco [Ryans] preaches that. He wants us all to be aggressive, so I’m going to continue to do that, continue to try to be the first one to the ball.”

One of the glaring attributes that stood out about Pitre coming out of Baylor to Texans general manager Nick Caserio was his work ethic and ability to learn and adjust. During the off-season, Pitre knew he needed to correct some things heading into this season. Caserio also knew that and signed 10-year veteran defensive back Jimmie Ward to help Pitre become better acclimated to playing in a Ryans-style defense that had so much success in San Francisco.

“A great tandem,” Pitre said about the combination of him and Ward. “When I can go out there and play with somebody that’s that good and plays with his hair on fire – a guy that wants to hit. I love guys that don’t shy away from contact. Things like that are inspiring to me because I’m always trying to push him, and he’s always trying to push me. It’s always growth in that. I’m blessed to be able to play with him.”

Football means everything to Pitre, but so does his connection with his teammates, especially those playing in the secondary with him. He has developed a close bond with cornerback Derek Stingley. The two spend a lot of time studying, working out, and playing video games. This past off-season, they were joined by Jacobi Francis and Christian Harris in Hawaii for some relaxation and football-related drills.

“It was good to just connect,” Pitre told reporters about his trip with his teammates. “I feel like me, [Derek] Stingley [Jr.], Jacobi [Francis] and Christian [Harris] spent a good amount of time together. But it’s always good to go somewhere else and do it. It was cool to go out on the beach, chill with them, work out with them, and continue to connect with my teammates.”

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WATCH: Texans S Jalen Pitre works on JUGS machine ahead of interview

Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre was working on the JUGS machine just before his post practice interview on the first day of training camp.

Jalen Pitre continues his progression as a leader by example.

The former 2022 second-round safety demonstrated his prowess as a leader with 147 combined tackles and five interceptions for the Texans.

The former Baylor product doesn’t merely want to coast off of a stellar rookie season into his second year in the NFL. According to video from the Texans Wire’s Brian Barefield, Pitre was observed getting reps in on the JUGS machine ahead of his interview with the ensemble media at training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center Wednesday.

The work underscores the commitment the Stafford High School alumnus is bringing to new coach DeMeco Ryans’ defense.

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Why the Texans’ slot defense may be top notch in 2023

The Houston Texans have two of the top-3 slot corners in the NFL according to the Touchdown Wire.

The one area where the Houston Texans were stellar last season defensively was takeaways. Despite finishing 3-13-1, the Texans were in the top-10. The rest of Houston’s defense left a lot to be desired, which is why coach Lovie Smith got the boot and the Texans hired former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

The Texans may actually have one of the better slot defenses in 2023, and it has to do with existing talent and also talent acquisition.

According to Doug Farrar from the Touchdown Wire, cornerback Tavierre Thomas is the best slot defender in the NFL, and uses some of Thomas’ highlights last season to make his case.

Whether he’s matching receivers deep, as he did against Parris Campbell of the Colts on this pass deflection in Week 18…

…or reading the quick pass and blowing it up, as he did against CeeDee Lamb of the Cowboys in Week 14…

Farrar also goes on to mention Ward, who comes in at No. 3 on the list:

Last season, the 49ers ranked second in the NFL behind only the Patriots with 652 snaps in which they had three safeties on the field. When you have Tashaun Gipson Sr., Talanoa Hufanga, and Jimmie Ward in your defense, that makes a ton of sense. In 2022, Gipson and Hufanga were underrated assets in deep coverage in DeMeco Ryans’ defense, while Ward was the pointman in the slot. Last season in slot coverage, Ward allowed 65 catches on 80 targets from the slot for 516 yards, 319 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 91.5.

With the Texans’ defense having two stupendous slot corners in Thomas and Ward, it should allow their pass defense packages to remain versatile.

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Texans WR Noah Brown says S Jalen Pitre ‘has great habits’

New Houston Texans WR Noah Brown says that second-year safety Jalen Pitre “has great habits” after observing him throughout offseason workouts.

Noah Brown may have played 50 offensive snaps for the Dallas Cowboys in their 27-23 win over the Houston Texans in Week 14 last season, but he was left with a lasting impression from a rookie.

Safety Jalen Pitre played all 71 defensive snaps for Houston, and the second-rounder from Baylor had a team-high 12 combined tackles and two pass breakups.

“Man, that’s one of the first things I remember about that game, is 5 flying around,” Brown told reporters June 13 after mandatory minicamp.

Brown signed with Houston in free agency. Instead of seeing Pitre once every four years — or sooner pending 17th game and preseason scheduling — Brown has had a chance to see Pitre up close throughout the Texans’ offseason workouts.

“Coming out here and being able to practice with him for about two, three weeks, you see how he does it on game day because he does it on the practice field,” said Brown. “He’s a creature of habit and he has great habits — great player.”

Pitre led the Texans with 147 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, a quarterback hit, 1.0 sack, five interceptions, eight pass breakups, and a fumble recovery through all 17 starts. Houston is hopeful Pitre’s great habits will lead to a stronger sophomore campaign from their best defensive back.

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