Seeking help along the offensive line, the Houston Texans brought in two veteran players for workouts on Monday.
Offensive tackles Nicholas Petit-Frere and DâAnte Smith both auditioned with the team, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. Despite the interest, neither player was immediately signed.
The Texans are 2-3 following the bye, and quarterback C.J. Stroud is coming off arguably his best performance of the season. Stroud passed for 244 yards and four touchdowns in a Week 5 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, his most since Nov. 5, 2023. Still, improving the offense line remains an emphasis.
Injuries and Suspension Have Slowed Petit-Frere
Petit-Frere is a 6-foot-5, 316-pound former third-round pick who has bounced around since entering the NFL. Drafted 69th overall in 2022 out of Ohio State, Petit-Frere started 16 games as a rookie with the Tennessee Titans. However, itâs been downhill since then.
In 2023, Petit-Frere was suspended six games for violating the NFLâs gambling policy. Between that and injuries, he appeared in only three games (two starts). The following season, Petit-Frere lost his starting job early on, and while he was able to eventually reclaim it, the Titans cut him last April before the draft. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked him 122nd out of 141 qualified linemen with a grade of 46.5.
The San Francisco 49ers signed Petit-Frere to one-year contract in May, only to waive him the following month.
Smith Looking to Bounce Back From Serious Knee Injury
Smith is a 6-5, 309-pound former fourth-rounder from East Carolina. Selected 139th overall in 2021 by the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith appeared in three games as a backup left tackle over his first three seasons before missing the entire 2024 campaign with a torn patellar tendon.
While Smith hasnât appeared in a game since 2022, he appears to be healthy again after an extensive layoff.
Texans’ OL Has Undergone Significant Changes
The Texans overhauled their front five in the offseason, trading five-time Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil and guard Kenyon Green.
Itâs led to noticeable improvements through five games. Stroud has been pressured on 33.3% of his dropbacks, down from 37.9% last season. The league average was 34.6%.
Stroud has also been sacked 12 times but ranks sixth in the NFL with a 70.8% completion rate and 11th with a 64.7 QBR.
As a whole, the Texans are 20th in total offense (314.4 yards per game) and 22nd in scoring (21.6 points per game).
The Texans visit the Seattle Seahawks on Monday (10 p.m. ET).
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