When Houston Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft with the 23rd overall selection, he was added to a team that had great potential.
With offensive players such as former quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins establishing themselves as cornerstones for the franchise, along with future first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end J.J. Watt, Houston looked primed and ready to make a name for itself in the AFC.
The Texans finished that season with a 10-6 record, which was good enough to win the AFC South and advance to the divisional round to meet the Kansas City Chiefs. Many Houston fans have January 12, 2019, etched into their memories as they watched the Texans take a commanding 24-7 lead in the second quarter, but would eventually lose 51-31.
Even though the outcome was not how they expected to end their season, the Texans organization believed they had almost everything they needed to take them to the next level. Most could not predict what the next three years would be like for the franchise.
They cycled through three head coaches. The franchise quarterback (Watson) fell into legal issues as he dealt with sexual assault allegations by multiple women, the always dependable wide receiver (Hopkins) was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, and the dangerous defensive end (Watt) who wanted out of Houston joined the Cardinals as well.
With a combined record of 11-38-1 through three seasons, the Texans badly needed something to change.
“It has been a rough three years around here,” Howard said at the beginning of training camp last season. “We have had a lot to deal with, but hopefully, this season, with a new coach and some good young talent, we should be better.”
The former Alabama State University standout was speaking success into existence because the end of the 2023 season mirrored his rookie campaign. Houston won the AFC South and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs. Quarterback C J Stroud, defensive end Will Anderson Jr., and wide receiver Nico Collins all have promising futures ahead of them.
Houston surprised many teams last year with its immediate success. Still, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans knew they would need more talent to take the team to a higher level.
By the beginning of training camp, they added players such as wide receiver Stefon Diggs, defensive end Danielle Hunter, and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.
Headed into the 2024 season, many NFL analysts have predicted that the Texans will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. Howard doesn’t want to go that far, but he likes what the team has done to put themselves in that position.
“This is definitely the best team I have been a part of,” Howard said exclusively to Big Sarge Media on Thursday after practice. “Don’t get me wrong, the team I came to when I got drafted in 2019 was a good team, but this team is a great team. It is players everywhere on the field on offense, defense, and special teams. It is a complete team.
“But that comes with a lot to. We got a big target on our backs. A lot of teams are going to be ready for us this year, unlike last year, because a lot of teams didn’t know what to expect from us last year. But they know what to expect this year. So, we have to continue to not be complacent and continue to work. You can have a lot of good guys on the team, but if everyone is not working together, it is not going to work.”
One of the main factors in the Texans’ success this season will depend on the leadership of second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
“This team has been doing a good job of getting better every day, and that starts with the main leaders on the team at the quarterback position. C.J. rallies everybody together, and he does a good job of holding everybody accountable. That is the type of stuff you look for in a quarterback, and he is a good one.”
Here is a snippet of my one-on-one with Texans OL Tytus Howard: Howard and left tackle Laremy Tunsil have missed some time during camp due to injuries, which had prevented the media from seeing the complete offensive line as one unit.
That changed after the Texans’ first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Sunday, Tunsil participated in his first practice of camp, while Howard returned after missing some time in Ohio to join right guard Shaq Mason, center Juice Scruggs, and left guard Kenyon Green.
“It was smooth,” Howard said about the offensive line being together for the last three practices. “Everybody could see it as a whole. The offense line was smooth. The practices were going a whole lot smoother because when you have those five guys out there, the sky is the limit. This week was a good week. C.J. certainly felt a difference, so we just have to keep on going and building that camaraderie everyday and keep getting the reps in.”
Head coach DeMeco Ryans did not give a time frame on how long the starters would play in the second preseason game against the New York Giants on Saturday at NRG Stadium, but according to sources close to the team, they should get at least half a game in before relinquishing playing time to the backups.