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| Texans Edge Rusher Will Anderson Jr. (51) And Danielle Hunter (55) |
The NFL season opener for the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Rams will be advertised as the student in former Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley, who was hired as the Texans’ offensive coordinator this past offseason, versus the teacher in Rams head coach Sean McVay.
But viewers might want to consider more than just how much Caley observed McVay's offensive style during his time with the Rams.
The attention should be focused on what many consider an early-season preview of two players who could contend for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award: Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse.
Heading into his third NFL season, Anderson went into the offseason knowing that he could improve on his aggressive but controlled style of pressure under the defensive system led by coordinator Matt Burke and head coach DeMeco Ryans.
“I think with Will, the effort and the intensity and energy is never going to be an issue,” said Burke during training camp. “The challenge we put to Will is to fine-tune the details and go, you know, what does it take to go from good to great, to elite, to the best.”
Anderson, the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, received the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award after his rookie season, during which he tallied seven sacks—setting a franchise record—and was named to the 2023 Pro Bowl.
In the following season, he recorded 11 sacks in 14 games and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, as he helped lead the Houston Texans to their second AFC South title.
According to NFL.com’s analyst Bucky Brooks, year three could be Anderson’s breakout season, as he predicts that the former SEC two-time Defensive Player of the Year, while at Alabama, will capture the same honor (DPOY) in the NFL in 2025.
“As head coach DeMeco Ryans unleashes the third-year pro in an ultra-aggressive scheme that prioritizes pressure at every turn, Anderson could top the 20-sack mark as the Texans’ designated defensive playmaker,” said Brooks during the offseason.
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| Rams Jared Verse (8) and Byron Young (0) |
Jared Verse, the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year who was voted to the Pro Bowl after his rookie season, is just as disruptive as Anderson, with the impact he can have on the defensive side of the ball, as he demands constant attention from offensive linemen.
“One of the things that makes Jared great is that edge that he plays with,” said Rams head coach Sean McVay during training camp. “He likes to talk s**t, and so you don’t want to take that away from him, but you want to make sure that you’re able to reset from one snap to the next.”
The Rams knew that Verse had great potential when they selected him in the first round, 19th overall, in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida State. What might have surprised them was that he would be in the running as the best defensive player of 2025.
According to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, one NFL rival executive predicted that Verse “would be the league’s best defensive player this season.”
The last time the Texans and Rams faced each other was a meaningless preseason game last season, during which Anderson and Verse did not participate. However, they were able to showcase their skills during the joint practice days leading up to the game, offering a small glimpse of what to expect on Sunday.