Looking at the Houston Texans coaching staff, it is safe to say that head coach DeMeco Ryans has a challenging task of preparing the team to meet the high expectations that many have placed upon them heading into the 2024 NFL regular season with so much talent on both sides of the ball.
Many may also assume that offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will have many observers trying to see if he can create ways to get the ball out of his talented quarterback C.J. Stroud’s hands and into the hands of playmakers such as wide receivers Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell. If those options are unavailable, running back Joe Mixon or tight end Dalton Shultz are viable options.
Yet, one position coach may have a more difficult task than Ryans and Slowik. Wide receivers coach Ben McDaniels, who has the most talented position group on the team, must find ways to ensure that not only are "The Big Three" (Collins, Diggs, Dell) ready to perform but also the backups.
The conundrum lies when McDaniels must find reps for veterans Robert Woods and Noah Brown. After those two, John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson, who have had excellent training camp practices, will also look for opportunities.
“Truthfully, practice is pretty spread out amongst the guys,” McDaniels said after practice on Wednesday. “Everybody is going to get their opportunities. Everybody is going to be in the huddle plenty in practice. That is always the goal, regardless of who is in the room.”
Minutes will be tough to spread around to others when you have a receiver like Collins, who had a breakout season in 2023 with 80 receptions, 1,297 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns, which was good enough to earn him a three-year $72.5 million contract extension this past offseason. Or Diggs, whom the Texans acquired via trade from the Buffalo Bills, will find ways to become a target for Stroud as he did for Bills quarterback Josh Allen last season. Diggs finished the 2023 regular season with 1,183 yards on 107 receptions and eight touchdowns.
Second-year receiver Tank Dell will also be looking to be on the field as much as possible with Collins and Diggs this season. He was on his way to having a similar season to Collins and Diggs before he suffered a season-ending lower leg injury in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos. Even though he missed the final five regular season games, his 47 receptions for 709 yards and seven touchdowns were impressive for a rookie.
Practice is the place for the receivers to improve their skills and align themselves with Slowik’s offense. Training camp has been very competitive amongst the receiving group, but once the regular season begins, those reps will be reduced for the backup receivers looking to impact the field.
“It has been competitive, which has been awesome for everyone in that room,” said McDaniels. It is a packed room full of guys who are competitive, love football, love to work at it, and come out here (practice) and get better. That is what the room is like right now.”
