A dynamic duo
Jadeveon Clowney blossomed last season and now has J.J. Watt by his side.
W earing his familiar elbow brace, No. 99 jersey and a big smile, Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt is thoroughly enjoying his healthy return after undergoing a pair of back surgeries last year.
Even a routine practice is a joy for the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year after spending the majority of last season on injured reserve.
The return of Watt is a major story line for the Texans as he rejoins the NFL’s top-ranked defense from last season. Having Watt in the lineup for a full season could transform the Texans’ defense into a special unit.
“Obviously, I went through some tough times last year,” Watt said. “I’ve probably grown more as a person than I have as a player. You grow as a player, as well. You learn from watching things.”
Because the Texans have Watt back, they can now have him working in tandem with Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
The Texans have been waiting for years for Clowney and Watt to be healthy at the same time. Now, they finally are.
The Texans could have one of the most dangerous defensive end duos in the NFL
“It’s crazy,” Clowney said. “I’m looking forward to it. When I was healthy, when I got healthy, he got hurt. When he was healthy, I was hurt. We’ve never really been on the field together at the same time healthy.
“I feel like we can all be out there together, me and him and the rest of guys and just stay healthy, we’re going to be a special defense.”
Meet the new boss
Besides the return of Watt, one of the biggest differences about this year’s defense is the promotion of Mike Vrabel to defensive coordinator from linebackers coach.
A former All-Pro linebacker with the New England Patriots, Vrabel is regarded as a rising star in NFL coaching circles who’s been earmarked as a future head coach. Vrabel replaced veteran coordinator Romeo Crennel, who’s now assistant head coach.
“I’m ready to lead on a higher level,” Vrabel said.
Vrabel has excelled working with a front seven that includes outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and inside linebackers Benardrick McKinney and Brian Cushing. Former undrafted free agent Brennan Scarlett is the primary replacement for John Simon at outside linebacker.
It’s the secondary that needs the most attention, though.
The Texans lost cornerback A.J. Bouye and safety Quintin Demps during free agency.
They need cornerbacks Johnathan Jospeh and Kareem Jackson and Kevin Johnson to stay healthy because of Bouye signing with Jacksonville.
At safety, Andre Hal and Corey Moore haven’t been consistent playmakers. The Texans brought in Marcus Gilchrist as a potential alternative to them. The Texans are also looking at Lonnie Ballentine and K.J. Dillon as they return from knee injuries.
It’s up to Vrabel to make it all click.
“I love it,” Vrabel said. “I love being able to stand up in front of the defense and talk to the linebackers, obviously, but also the secondary, defensive line and trying to tie all those groups together.”
WATT, CLOWNEY FINALLY HEALTHY TOGETHER AS VRABEL TAKES OVER TOP-RANKED UNIT