The inability of the Houston Texans offensive line to keep quarterback C.J. Stroud clean throughout the 2024 NFL Season was the biggest reason why the 2023 Rookie of the Year suffered through an unexpected sophomore slump. As a result, head coach DeMeco Ryans and the Texans made the decision to use the offseason to overhaul a group that surrendered 52 sacks and allowed pressure on a miserable 38 percent of Stroud’s dropbacks.
Now, the Texans are in a position where there are so many new faces, and so many possible combinations of players to end up occupying those five starting spots, that it’s created legitimate uncertainty who will earn those starting jobs and where across the offensive line they’ll eventually settle.
While some head coaches would be uncomfortable with the uncertainty related to such an important unit, it sounds like this is exactly what DeMeco Ryans was expecting as Texans training camp gets under way.
“With our offensive line, you’ll see a lot of guys moving around to different positions, different spots. “We’re just trying to find the best combination of where those guys will play,” Ryans told reporters, according to Aaron Wilson of KRPC 2 Houston. “You have to be able to be what we call the swing tackle, where you can play right, you can play left, especially if you’re a backup player. You’re either an interior player or you’re playing on the edge, so you have to be able to know multiple spots.”
Rookie Aireontae Ersery Gets Opportunity to Impress
Early on, no player has been on the move as much, or been the focus of so much attention, as rookie tackle Aireontae Ersery. The Texans selected the 6-foot-6, 330 pound Ersery with the 48th overall pick, and already, it appears that Houston may have hit big with that pick.
Over the first two days of training camp, Ersery has received reps with the first-team at both tackle spots, giving DeMeco Ryans, offensive coordinator Nick Caley and offensive line coach Cole Popovich an opportunity to see where he fits best. By all accounts, with the exception of a few exchanges with Pro Bowler Will Anderson, he’s held up well.
Expected starter at left tackle Tytus Howard spoke to reporters after day two of training camp on July 24, and shared how he believed the rookie who he has taken under his wing has responded to his opportunities early on.
“He’s more than athletic enough to play left tackle and right tackle. It’s just getting up there and knowing what he’s got to do right away so he’s not thinking so much,” Howard said of the rookie, according to Cole Thompson of Texans Wire. “He’s having a tremendous camp so far and he’s only going to get better. I feel like he’s a guy that likes to learn from the older guys and the coaches and try to apply that to practice. I’m just excited to be his teammate.”
Danielle Hunter Sees Positive Change Across Offensive Line
Even with the many combinations that Houston’s coaching staff has tried in the early stages of training camp, there seems to be a sense of optimism in the building that the Texans are on the right track and will settle on the right group by the time September arrives.
Once the regular season arrives and Stroud begins taking live bullets, it could be a very different story, but after just two days of training camp, veteran defensive end Danielle Hunter has already seen a difference in how well the Texans offensive line is holding up in protecting their franchise quarterback.
Again, it’s early, but if this new-look group holds up even marginally better than the offensive line did in 2024, it’s a huge win for DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud and the Texans.
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