Part of Lovie Smith’s philosophy with the Tampa 2 scheme is to have an oncoming wave of defensive linemen that wear down opposing offensive lines.
That is why the Houston Texans signed former Seattle Seahawks 2018 third-round defensive end Rasheem Green. The 6-4, 279-pound defensive lineman has the size and speed to get upfield and wreak havoc in opposing backfields.
Defensive end Jerry Hughes has been impressed with Green’s abilities through the first five days of training camp.
“Man, he’s a very versatile player,” Hughes told reporters on Aug. 3 at Houston Methodist Training Center. “There’s not too many positions he can’t play. He’s playing all four positions on our line, but that’s just the kind of guy he is, and that’s what we expect from him. Just to kind of raise Hell wherever we put him, and he’s been doing it.”
Green generated 94 combined tackles, 13.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and six pass breakups through 53 games with Seattle, 24 of which he started. Green’s best season was last year when he had 6.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits through 17 games (16 starts).
Hughes, who has been in the NFL since 2010, believes that it is the combination of Green’s size and quickness that makes him a dangerous matchup.
“To be that tall, that big and that fast, he can rush inside, he can rush outside, he can get his hands up, bat down passes,” said Hughes. “Everything that he kind of brings to the table is all pluses for us. We’ve just got to figure out how often we can get him out there on the field and then just let him loose.”
If the Texans are able to have Green, 25, play productively in their 4-3 base defense, it should help Houston build upon the successes they did have a defense amid the 4-13 finish, such as cultivating 25 takeaways, tied with the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints for the 10th-most in the NFL.