Pitre<\/a> tore his pectoral last season while tackling Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd and caught the brunt of a collision with teammate Henry To\u2019oTo\u2019o. His absence created a void in the Texans\u2019 defense.<\/p>\nWithout Pitre\u2019s hard-hitting style, it became easier for offenses to run the football. And his physical, rangy, instinctive impact in the passing game was felt as well.<\/p>\n
The Texans\u2019 defense is playing with an edge, and an unsatisfied mentality early in training camp.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody has to look at that and say, \u2018Okay, pat yourself on the back, great job, you did what you did last year, it\u2019s over,\u2019’ Texans linebacker and team captain Azeez Al-Shaair said. \u201dIt\u2019s a new year, how can you improve? You know, you got to look and really be real with yourself on what you see because at the end of the day, the tape\u2019s not going to lie, so you can\u2019t lie to yourself. And I think just everybody kind of adopting that same mentality and looking inwards and seeing what they can do better, it\u2019ll help the whole team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ersery on the move, again<\/p>\n
Massive rookie offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery was on the move again Thursday.<\/p>\n
He lined up with the first-team offense at left tackle ahead of veteran Cam Robinson after previously stepping in for Blake Fisher at right tackle. Ersery, a second-round draft pick from Minnesota signed to a four-year, $9.211 million contract, was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.<\/p>\n
Ersery is challenging for an immediate starting job as part of an overhauled offensive line.<\/p>\n
The Texans\u2019 constants have been Laken Tomlinson at left guard and Tytus Howard at right guard. Jake Andrews started at center Thursday one day after Jarrett Patterson was with the first-team offense. Patterson did get some work with the first-team offense as the practice went on.<\/p>\n
Fisher had a false start, and was beaten for a sack by Anderson. He allowed three sacks in a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith our offensive line, you\u2019ll see a lot of guys moving around to different positions, different spots,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cWe\u2019re just trying to find the best combination of where those guys will play. Also, at different times of the year, sometimes you lose guys, especially at the tackle position. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one where you have to be able to be what we call have the swing tackle, where you can play right, you can play left, especially if you\u2019re a backup player. You\u2019re either an interior player or you\u2019re playing on the edge, so you have to be able to know multiple spots. That\u2019s one thing that a lot of people don\u2019t know about the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Texans elevated Cole Popovich to offensive line coach and run game coordinator after firing offensive line coach Chris Strausser after last season.<\/p>\n
The improvement the Texans are hoping to see hinges heavily on how Popovich teaches the line.<\/p>\n
\u201cCole has done a great job of leading,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cI\u2019d say he\u2019s been leading with intent. He\u2019s been leading with intensity as well. The drill work, he\u2019s definitely on it. It all starts there for me with the offensive line. It\u2019s about basic fundamentals and being consistent and Cole has done that. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been consistent with his communication with the guys. He knows how to be intense when he needs to be intense and he knows how to love the guys up when they need to be loved up. So, he\u2019s done a great job of coaching those guys.”<\/p>\n
The previous day, Ersery started at right tackle ahead of Fisher.<\/p>\n
Later in practice, Jaylon Thomas substituted for Tomlinson at left guard.<\/p>\n
Robinson did take some snaps at left tackle with the first offense.<\/p>\n
At 6-foot-6, 331 pounds with 5.01 speed in the 40-yard dash, Ersery is an imposing blocker who has impressed his teammates and coaches with his versatility and athleticism<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s more than athletic enough to play left tackle and right tackle,\u201d Howard said. \u201cIt\u2019s just getting up there and knowing what he\u2019s got to do right away so he\u2019s not thinking so much. I think he\u2019s been doing a fantastic job on it. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s having a tremendous camp so far and he\u2019s only going to get better. I feel like he\u2019s a guy that likes to learn from the older guys and the coaches and try to apply that to practice. I\u2019m just excited to be his teammate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christian Harris, Damon Arnette Jr. miss practice<\/p>\n
A former starter and one of the faster linebackers in the NFL, Christian Harris continues to watch from the side at practice.<\/p>\n
Harris has made progress since missing the majority of last season and the entire spring with a lingering calf injury and isn\u2019t on the physically unable to perform list. However, Harris is not ready to practice yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome out here, work hard, be the best version of yourself each day,\u201d Texans general manager Nick Caserio said of Harris. \u201cDon\u2019t put any timetables on it. Christian has played a lot of good snaps for us here. Whenever he\u2019s ready to play and help the team, that\u2019s the focus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reserve cornerback Damon Arnette Jr. is expected to return to practice Friday. He was held out Thursday as a precautionary measure on an extremely hot day after dealing with muscle cramps and dehydration. No injury, and should be good to go Friday.<\/p>\n
Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is on the non-football injury list due to an ankle injury suffered working out this offseason. He has regained a lot of mobility this summer, though, but isn\u2019t ready to practice.<\/p>\n
On the active physically unable to perform list: Denico Autry (knee), Derek Barnett, Trent Brown (patellar tendon), Eli Cox (minor quadriceps injury) Tank Dell (knee surgeries), Foley Fatukasi (shoulder), Kurt Hinish, K.C. Ossai (expected to practice next week, Dameon Pierce (quadriceps strain), J.J. Taylor (plantar fasciitis), Jimmie Ward (foot surgery).<\/p>\n
Quick hits<\/p>\n
Second-year defensive end Solomon Byrd has made strides in his overall game, consistently penetrating the backfield. In the regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans, Byrd had two tackles and a quarterback hit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw Solomon start to peak in our OTA practices,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cSince he came back this offseason, he\u2019s been doing a really great job. He\u2019s consistently been in the backfield, no matter who he\u2019s going against. He\u2019s done a really great job of working his technique, really getting off the football in a violent manner and really playing faster. That\u2019s one thing I see from him, he\u2019s playing faster. He\u2019s not thinking. Now he\u2019s becoming a better player because of that. He\u2019s really flourishing now in camp.\u201d ..<\/p>\n
With Joe Mixon sidelined, Nick Chubb has been the first-team running back with Dare Ogungbowale filling in. Chubb looks smooth in drills, but not super explosive yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s only my fourth day with Nick [Chubb] and he\u2019s done everything we\u2019ve asked him to do,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cHe\u2019s a pro. Nick has been the same guy. I\u2019ve always admired Nick from when he was back at Georgia, playing. I\u2019ve always admired him and it\u2019s no different. <\/p>\n
\u201cI can see why the guy has been good in his career. It\u2019s because he\u2019s a hard worker. He doesn\u2019t say much, but he shows you by his actions. Every single day he shows up, he\u2019s ready to go. So, we\u2019ll see how he continues to grow and gel with our guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Texans like what they\u2019re seeing from rookie running back Woody Marks, a fourth-round draft pick from USC. Marks has outstanding hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cWoody has stepped in,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cHe\u2019s a very quiet guy. He\u2019s efficient. He\u2019s a smart player. We put a lot on him. He\u2019s handling it all really well. I\u2019m excited to see Woody actually put the pads on and see him go against our guys out here and also to see him in live action and see how he\u2019s doing. Woody has done a great job so far.\u201d ..<\/p>\n
The Texans are impressed with the precision of former Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson, who signed a two-year deal this offseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cJustin has been the same,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cWhat I like about him, he\u2019s consistent. Every day he shows up, he\u2019s consistent. He\u2019s exactly where he\u2019s supposed to be, getting the proper route depth. Plays with great hands. He plays multiple spots.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a really smart player. He\u2019s just consistent and that\u2019s a lot to be said. That\u2019s what being a pro is about. It\u2019s about being consistent, knowing who you are, showing up every single day and not wavering. That\u2019s who Justin is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quote to remember<\/p>\n
The Texans have won two consecutive AFC South division titles. They have set their ambitions on taking the next step and going beyond the AFC South divisional round. They are 0-6 all-time as a franchise in the second round of the postseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand very quickly about our first two years, with the success that we had,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cYeah, it was great but you have to forget that very quickly because for me it doesn\u2019t predict. It doesn\u2019t guarantee what\u2019s going to happen now. I tell our coaches and I tell our players this, every year the team changes. You\u2019re going to have some additions to your team each and every year. It\u2019s all about how does that puzzle fit together. How quickly can we come together? Can we connect as the 2025 Texans? I truly believe that, so if I\u2019m harping on what we did in 2024, that won\u2019t allow me to fully commit and fully dedicate myself to building this team, this roster in a manner that we need to be to go out and be great. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be a growth process. You don\u2019t just start off where you ended last year, in the playoffs. There\u2019s a lot of work that goes into getting back to that moment. It\u2019s not just guaranteed to you. So, how bad do these guys want it? How bad do our coaches want it? We\u2019ve got to put in the work to put ourselves in that position. It\u2019s going to be one day at a time, one game at a time and we\u2019ll see where we end up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com<\/a> <\/p>\nCopyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 The Texans\u2019 defense flexed its muscles during the second day of training camp. Beyond a ton…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":234544,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2056],"tags":[286,7,221,253,2368,8322,6,222],"class_list":{"0":"post-234543","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston-texans","8":"tag-aireontae-ersery","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-houston","11":"tag-houston-texans","12":"tag-houstontexans","13":"tag-jalen-pitre","14":"tag-nfl","15":"tag-texans"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/114912957026323575","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}