Tag: Tytus Howard

Houston Texans RT Tytus Howard breaks hand: Everything to know

Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard broke his hand. Here is everything know about the recovery time and impact to the offensive line.

The Houston Texans have been taking on the attrition of training camp throughout the reserves of their offensive line, but they were dealt a blow over the weekend when right tackle Tytus Howard injured his hand.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, Howard had surgery on the hand, and he already has a cast on.

Coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters Monday Howard would be out “for a while.”

“Tytus, he’s still dealing with that [hand injury] and will probably be out for a while,” said Ryans. “We’ll re-address that later.”

Here is everything to know about Howard’s injury and its impact.

Texans earn B-minus grade for Tytus Howard contract extension

The Houston Texans earned a respectable grade for their work with the Tytus Howard contract extension.

The Houston Texans guaranteed they would have a solid tackle duo for the next three seasons with the Tytus Howard extension.

Houston worked out a deal with their former 2019 first-round pick on the eve of training camp and finalized the contract by the end of day one.

Along with Howard, the Texans have three-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil as a stalwart at left tackle. Presuming C.J. Stroud wins the starting quarterback job, the rookie will have quality pass protection as he makes his foray into the NFL.

According to Doug Farrar from the Touchdown Wire, the Texans’ contract with Howard grades as a B-minus in the vertical’s analysis of recent contract extensions across the league.

Howard is a solid option at right tackle for Houston. Could you do better? Sure, but you could also do much worse. He also gives Houston some versatility, as he can also be kicked inside to play guard if need be. 

When it comes to pass blocking efficiency amongst tackles to play at least half the snaps of the league-leader in snaps played, Howard had a very respectable score of 96.6, per PFF. Locking him down with a three-year, $56 million extension is respectable money for a respectable option at right tackle opposite of Laremy Tunsil.

An offensive line is a cohesive unit of five players moving in concert to clear running lanes and provide protection on passing downs. In the abstract, Howard’s extension may be in the B range. However, when factored into the capital improvements general manager Nick Caserio has made to the line in the offseason, along with new coach DeMeco Ryans’ belief the trenches are a foundation to a great team, the Howard extension deserves a higher mark than flirting with C territory.

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NFL contract extensions graded from best to worst

While no one should ever qualm at a player getting his money, there were deals that made sense for both the player and team, while others that felt a bit overzealous. 

There must be money burning holes in the pockets of NFL owners in July, because we have seen several players get big-time contract extensions over the last two weeks.

While no one should ever qualm at a player getting his money, there were deals that made sense for both the player and team, while others that felt a bit overzealous.

Tytus Howard extension validates Texans’ belief in HBCU standout

Tytus Howard has proven the Houston Texans correct with his contract extension.

HOUSTON — As the 2019 NFL draft approached, many Houston Texans fans flooded social media and the radio airwaves, screaming to whoever would listen that they wanted the team to trade up and select Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard.

Many believed that the First-Team All-Pac-12 selection would help solidify the line and protect the future franchise quarterback, who had led the league with 62 sacks the season prior.

When the Philadelphia Eagles picked Dillard at No. 22 overall, the majority of the fan base erupted with anger because former Texans general manager Brian Gaine and coach Bill O’Brien failed to move up in the draft to take a lock at tackle. Instead of climbing the draft board, the Texans stayed in their spot and selected offensive lineman Tytus Howard.

Before the Alabama State product could take a snap in an NFL uniform, fans criticized and ridiculed Howard primarily due to a lack of familiarity with the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Texans knew what Howard had to offer the entire time.

“Our scouting department did a wonderful job here evaluating him,” said Gaine after the first round of the draft about Howard. “Our scouts were on him as early as August when we were visiting the training camps. He’s going to be a good addition to the offensive line room. He’s going to be a very good addition in terms of the football personality in the offensive line room.”

Howard knew that many fans had reservations about him, but his way of combating that is what it has always been when he has been doubted, and that is to go to work.

After his rookie season, Howard was named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie Team. In his four years as a starter, Howard has played every position on the offensive line except center. Before training camp began, he was rewarded for his versatility and dependability with a three-year, $56 million extension with $35.6 million guaranteed.

Not bad for a former high school quarterback and walk-on tight end at Alabama State.

“I feel good,” Howard said with a smile when asked about his extension. “I pride myself in being a Texan. I feel like I want to be here my whole career. I love it here – the team, the camaraderie. This year has just been outstanding [and] I just knew I wanted to be a part of that. I see something good here building. I’m here for the future.”

Howard knows that his new contract will help him care for his family, including his wife and two kids, for generations to come.

It will also be instrumental in giving back to the one person responsible for getting him to this level by constantly encouraging him to keep pushing despite the odds, his mother, Teresa Rivers. She contacted former Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow, looking for an opportunity for Howard.

He was invited to walk on and made the best of it by earning a full scholarship before the end of his freshman year. Howard was a three-year starter and captain during the rest of his time at Alabama State, transitioning from a tight end to an offensive lineman.

“It means a lot,” said Howard when asked about his new contract securing financial stability for his family. “I got to college, and I was 225 pounds. I was a quarterback, moved to tight end. Moved from tight end to offensive line, played offensive line for two and a half years, kind of was safe and then when I got to the NFL, I was moving around.”

“So, I have been doing this my whole career, and I just always learn to adjust. So, to have my family back me up and stay with me through every time I’ve went through in college to the NFL, to be here today to sign a contract and be able to take care of my family, create generational wealth, it means everything to me. Because where I come from, everybody doesn’t have a lot, so to be able to be that one to start it off, it feels good.”

Never one to forget where he comes from, Howard frequently visits his alma mater in Alabama to give back to the institution that helped him get to where he is today. He was honored last season with an eight-foot-high mural of him in his Texans uniform inside the Houston Markham, Jr. Football Complex. The NFLPA also recognized Howard for his contributions at Alabama State and Houston as the 2023 Black College Football Pro Player of the Year.

“It’s been a long journey,” Howard said to the media after practice on Friday. “All I wanted was a chance when I got here, and they gave it to me. The Texans gave me a chance, and I just ran with it, so as a personal feeling, I’m just grateful because everybody in my position doesn’t get a chance to show themselves like I did.

“So, for me to go out and take advantage of it, I [hope] it’s an inspiration to the younger guys who are coming behind me from HBCUs to go out there and know that they can achieve everything they need to do. All they need to do is put their head down and work for real.”

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Texans G Shaq Mason says RT Tytus Howard ‘takes a lot of pride in his craft’

Houston Texans guard Shaq Mason says that one of the reasons he admires Tytus Howard is because of the right tackle’s pride in his work.

Shaq Mason has spent the majority of his career on winning teams.

The former New England Patriots 2015 fifth-round pick only departed his original draft team, where he had played for four Super Bowl teams — winning two — to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. Mason has a good sense to know when a teammate cares.

After day one of Houston Texans training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center July 26, Mason laid out for reporters why he has an admiration for right tackle Tytus Howard.

“He’s extremely hard working,” Mason said. “Takes a lot of pride in his craft. That’s something that you want going in to battle with somebody each and every day. Knowing that he cares just as much as you do, and knowing that I don’t want to let him down — he doesn’t want to let me down. That’s big for the right side of the line.”

Mason and Howard will be working in tandem if the Texans’ plans come to fruition. Even though Mason is the new right guard, three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil was part of the welcoming committee when the Texans traded for Mason during free agency.

Said Mason: “They welcomed me with open arms. As soon as I got traded here, they both hit me up. We mesh well.”

The connection with Mason and the two starting tackles is also a glimpse into the larger brotherhood the Texans offensive line is forging throughout camp. Mason says they have a group chat and they “absolutely” root for one another.

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Texans GM Nick Caserio expects RT Tytus Howard extension to be competed on day 1 of training camp

Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio stated in his training camp presser he expects the extension for RT Tytus Howard to be done at the end of day 1.

The Houston Texans are aware of what Tytus Howard means to the offensive line.

According to general manager Nick Caserio, the Texans have been working on a contract extension with their former 2019 first-round right tackle and are zeroing in on an extension.

Caserio told reporters during his opening presser on the first day of training camp that he expects the deal with Howard to be finalized by the end of the day.

The Texans have been generous when it comes to rewarding exemplary offensive line talent, as they reworked three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil’s contract in the offseason as he entered the final year of his deal.

Howard started all 17 games for the Texans last year. The Alabama State product has also displayed position flex throughout his Texans tenure, notably in 2021 where he was a predominantly a left guard.

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Texans’ priority must be to extend RT Tytus Howard

The Houston Texans need to extend Tytus Howard, who has been a linchpin for their offensive line the past two seasons | from @JohnHCrumpler

It’s been an expensive offseason for the Houston Texans.

General manager Nick Caserio wasn’t afraid to spend as left tackle Laremy Tunsil signed a record breaking three-year, $75 million extension. Right guard Shaq Mason signed a three-year, $35 million extension, and defensive tackle Maliek Collins signed a two-year, $23 million extension. Bringing in outside talent, nearly $50M were spent on free agent acquisitions such as Robert Woods, Dalton Schultz, Jimmie Ward, and Sheldon Rankins.

The extensions have created a vision of continuity for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and overall an environment that could welcome success for first year head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Houston now faces one final financial question: should they extend Tytus Howard?

If so when and how much could be too much?

The former 2019 first-round pick is coming off a full season starting at right tackle and entering the final season of his five-year rookie contract. The 2022 campaign was arguably his best to date and he showed marked improvement moving to tackle from the Tim Kelly-guard experiment in 2021. He allowed only three sacks and five quarterback hits according to Pro Football Focus and ranked 41st overall amongst all tackles. On film, he shown as a standout tackle opposite of Tunsil that could more than do his part to keep the quarterback clean.

The tackle market has never been more valued in the NFL and that’s reflected in the most recent free agency period. Teams around the league signed near peers to Howard such as Jawaan Taylor and Mike McGlinchey to deals worth close or equal to $20 million in APY. It’s safe to assume Howard could command top-5 money at his position if he was able to hit the market as a free agent just one year from now. Free agency could also allow Howard to potentially be bid as a left tackle rather than a right tackle by a team wanting to play him at the more premier position of the two. Any contract to play on the left side could easily creep over that $20 million mark set by Taylor and into uncomfortable financial territory for Houston.

In conjunction, this may create a compelling argument for Caserio to re-sign Howard sooner rather than later. The Alabama State legend has already proven himself to be the caliber of tackle that gets paid on the market and another strong year could spell disaster for the number he could command. 

The aspect of time, and the market, create a favorable picture where there’s no need to rush a deal from Howard’s end. On the opposite side, there are team-building components to the equation for the Texans that could make it a priority to sign sooner rather than later.

A simple reason would be that it may be cheaper in 2023 to have Howard on an extension rather than his 5th year option. Howard is currently a $13.9M cap hit and Houston could convert money to signing bonus and potentially lower his cap hit for another free agent addition if they were so interested. That money could be used to add another starting piece to Ryans’ defense or simply allow for more operating room during the season.

To this point, a large part of the discussion has been financial when broaching a Howard extension. There are football considerations too. Mainly, where could Houston find a high caliber tackle to replace him? It was their inability to find talent at the position that ultimately led to the much-lamented Tunsil trade at the end of the 2019 preseason.

The previously mentioned 2022 free agent class were all Day 1 or Day 2 picks during the NFL draft. Every year multiple starting tackles are selected during the first round as teams continue to put an emphasis on protecting their quarterback, there were six selected in 2022 and five in 2023 alone. Is Houston prepared to use Cleveland’s first or their own second round selection in 2023 on the position? Would it be worth compromising their ability to attack receiver or defensive line during the draft? There’s a strong argument the salary cap dollars saved would not ultimately be allocated to a player or position as impactful as Howard.

An extension would solidify Stroud’s protection on both sides and go a long way towards creating continuity in a group Caserio has heavily invested in. Beyond the previously mentioned Tunsil and Mason extensions, projected starting left tackle Kenyon Green was a first-round pick in 2022 and projected starting center Juice Scruggs was a second-round pick in 2023. Stroud would certainly benefit from both strength and continuity from the five lineman that will be tasked to protect him from the vast array of pass rushers he’ll face in the league.

Houston would have one of the most expensive offensive lines in the NFL if they went this route. They’re already spending over 30% of their salary cap, $62.9M, on the offensive line and that number would likely be higher in subsequent seasons. It’s a frightening proposition but one that becomes far more palatable in the context of their situation. They’re set to play at least the next three seasons with Stroud on a rookie contract which allows for major financial flexibility. Ryans and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik want to emphasize the run game in a way that makes a stout offensive line nearly mandatory as they saw employed in San Francisco.

There are currently only seven right tackles that are paid over $17 million APY in the NFL. It’s almost a certainty that Houston would need to step into this territory to secure a deal and there’s little stopping them from doing so with over $100 million dollars in cap space for 2024 at this time according to Over the Cap.

Houston is too talent deprived to let a player of Howard walk, much less waive goodbye to a player that was a true soldier through a very difficult rebuild. This was a team that won only three games during the 2022 campaign and Howard was one of the few players recognized as high-caliber during that tumultuous time. The locker room, football, and financial aspects point to a re-signing that makes sense for the team.

A deal at $18M per year would put Howard in the top-5 highest paid players at his position and could be structured to end in three years as the team faces a deadline to extend Stroud. That length of contract would likely be desirable to Howard as well as he could the market again before going over the age of 30 for another huge potential pay day.

It’s unclear what number Caserio and the Texans would be comfortable at for Howard to sign him long term. It’s even less clear what number could be enticing for Howard to avoid entering a lucrative free agent period next offseason. The only sure thing is that there’s a mutual need between both sides, whether that’s Howard’s well-deserved extension or Houston wanting to protect their rookie quarterback.

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Why the Texans should consider extending RT Tytus Howard

The Houston Texans ought to ponder how locking up Tytus Howard would give them a stable presence at right tackle for years to come.

The Houston Texans have one of the best left tackles in the NFL with Laremy Tunsil. However, the talent along the offensive line doesn’t taper off with the three-time Pro Bowler.

Former 2019 first-rounder Tytus Howard has been a consistent force at right tackle for much of his 54 games with the Texans. The former Alabama State product also proved his versatility as he played guard throughout the 2021 campaign.

Howard has position flex, but he excels on the right side. What more could an organization ask for?

According to Brad Spielberger from Pro Football Focus, extending Howard is the number one offseason move the Texans have to make before the start of training camp.

Howard boasts back-to-back seasons with 70.0-plus pass-blocking grades and, after finally getting a full season at right tackle in 2022, should become one of the highest-paid right tackles in football before the 2023 season kicks off.

Keeping Howard along the offensive line would also be a part of the team’s graduation from an also-ran in the AFC to a legitimate playoff contender. Consider the Texans have made capital investments with the Shaq Mason trade and the selection of second-round center Juice Scruggs. This also doesn’t take into account Houston’s first-round pick a year ago in Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green.

The Texans could sneakily have a top-10 offensive line over the next couple seasons, pending the availability from starters is high and the position groups has proper cohesion. Nevertheless the next biggest block in the Texans’ wall is Howard, who the club should consider extending before the regular season.

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Texans Wire exclusive: RT Tytus Howard says Black College Football Pro Player of the Year award is ‘huge honor’

Houston Texans RT Tytus Howard says receiving the Black College Football Pro Player of the Year award is a “huge honor” from the NFLPA.

Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard cherishes the moments he spent at Alabama State.

At the university’s Montgomery campus, Howard honed his skills, from walk-on tight end to meritorious offensive lineman, with the Hornets from 2015-18. Howard left college with All-Southwestern Athletic Conference honors, and entered pro football as the Texans’ first-round pick in the 20219 NFL draft.

The NFLPA recognized Howard for his contributions both at Alabama State and through four years in Houston as the 2023 Black College Football Pro Player of the Year.

No doubt Howard’s on-field work measures up as he has started 54 games for the Texans. Last season, Howard earned a career-high Pro Football Focus 67.9 grade as he started 15 games at right tackle tackle and two at right guard.

Off the field, Howard hosted youth from the Houston Texans YMCA at home games at NRG Stadium as part of the Community Huddle program. He also teamed up with teammates during the Christmas holidays to help provide gifts for families from the YMCA of Greater Houston’s community outreach program at Cuney Homes Center.

“It was a huge honor,” Howard told the Texans Wire’s Brian Barefield exclusively. “I’m grateful to have been selected to win this award. It was a humbling experience to accept this award in front of the legends who were there.”

 

Pro football was nowhere on Howard’s horizon when he arrived at Alabama State.

“When I first got to college, I really didn’t have aspirations to play in the NFL,” Howard said. “I just wanted to go to school and then go to law school. That is why I majored in criminal justice. As I became a student of the game and learned more about football, I began to love it.”

The destination can be the journey at times, and the road Howard traveled as a Hornet provided experiences that he hopes can be inspirational to others.

Said Howard: “I was not on scholarship, so, when I first got to college, it was a grind for me. Now I go and look back at all the things I have been through; it was all worth it. To see where I am now, I never imagined myself being a first-round pick, and it is just a blessing. So, guys should look at that and say, ‘If Tytus can do it, I know I can do it too.’”

The Hornets also honored Howard last season for being the highest player drafted out of Alabama State. The eight-foot-high mural of Howard in his Texans uniform can be seen by everyone who enters the Houston Markham, Jr. Football Complex, along with former Hornets players drafted into the NFL.

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Texans RT Tytus Howard leads by example in OL room

Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard continues to lead by example in the offensive line room as he enters his fifth season.

Most individuals treat their birthday like it is a national holiday. They want the day and themselves to be recognized for its greatness in their minds, and one thing you will rarely find them doing is working on their actual birthday, especially voluntarily, which is almost absurd to think about.

That logic may apply to some, but it doesn’t when you are trying to build on being one of the best right tackles in the NFL.

Houston Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard spent most of his birthday going through different drills and learning the new offensive system of coordinator, Bobby Slowik.

Yet, his presence was his most significant contribution to the Texans during voluntary OTAs.

“I think it means a lot for him to be here,” said offensive line coach Chris Strausser about Howard’s presence. “To show up every day as he does and lead the group will have a big impact on the younger guys.”

Howard, who was selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, is coming off one of his best seasons, where he played 997 offensive snaps allowing just three sacks and five quarterback hits. He earned a career-high 67.9 grade from Pro Football Focus as he helped form a dynamic offensive tackle duo with 2022 Pro Bowl teammate and good friend Laremy Tunsil.

Houston had shown that they are willing to invest in the offensive line by making Tunsil the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL when they signed him to a three-year, $75 million contract extension this past offseason. They also acquired offensive guard Shaq Mason via trade and signed him to a three-year, $36 million contract extension.

Although the Texans exercised the fifth-year option on Howard’s contract, it only makes sense that they would negotiate to keep him with the team long-term, especially since they drafted rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud who they see as a potential franchise quarterback in Houston.

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