Smith’s defense to undergo massive changes
HOUSTON — When the Texans get on the practice field for the first time under new coach David Culley, there will be so many changes on defense that new coordinator Lovie Smith will have to keep his head on a swivel.
It’s yet to be determined if teams will have another voluntary virtual offseason program or be able to have on-field work during OTAS that begin April 19 with two weeks of conditioning.
In Smith’s first season with the Texans, being able to teach on the field is paramount for the defensive transition from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme.
To help with the change on defense, general manager Nick Caserio has acquired 16 new players. He added four linemen, seven linebackers and five defensive backs.
Because of the switch to a 4-3, some outside linebackers in a 3-4 will play end, and some inside linebackers will move outside. There’s an emphasis on quickness and speed at linebacker.
Jordan Jenkins (6-3, 260), who signed as a free agent, should move to end from outside linebacker. Of the six traditional 4-3 linebackers who were acquired, only Christian Kirksey (6-2, 235) weighs more than 233.
The only certainty about the Texans’ linebackers is Zach Cunningham will play in the middle. That’s a position requiring intelligence, leadership, speed and an ability to drop and cover.
“A player like Zach Cunningham,
there’s a reason we’re paying him what we’re paying him,” Smith said on a recent Zoom conference call with the media. “We play with a little bit different linebacker. Our linebackers are more space guys — speed is a premium.”
More than likely, 3-4 outside linebackers Jonathan Greenard and Jacob Martin will become ends. Whitney Mercilus, who played outside during his first nine seasons, could stay outside or switch to end and become a situational pass rusher.
Other linebackers currently on the roster are Nate Hall, Duke Ejiofor, Tae Davis, Kamu Grugierhill, Hardy Nickerson and Joe Thomas.
Smith has youth and experience on his roster. He’ll be pushing Caserio to draft another linebacker or two.
“I’m excited about so many of our young players, and I think that they’ll fit perfectly in our defense,” Smith said.
The defensive position that needs the most help is cornerback. Caserio signed four free agents — Desmond King II, Terrance Mitchell, Tremon Smith and Tavierre Thomas.
Bradley Roby is a returning starter entering his eighth season. He’ll have to miss the first game of regular season to complete his 2020 six-game suspension for violating the NFL policy against performance enhancing drugs.
There will be a lot of competition for the other starting job and the nickel position as well as for the primary backup roles.
“What we would like to see is to be three-deep and just competition,” Smith said. “We have a lot of players that have played good football. If there’s four guys we feel like we can win with, we’ll play as many guys as we need to if we think we can win with them.
“As far as the roster, the guy you would say is at the bottom of the depth chart, I hope he’s good enough to play for us, and he brings competition (and they) feel every day like they have to be at the top of their game.”
Smith’s defense will be a base 4-3 but will be multiple. He’ll play a lot of Cover 2 but also will play man and other zone schemes, including combination man and zone coverage. His players have to be versatile.
“Most people say, ‘You guys are going to run Cover 2 every snap,’ (and) that’s a misnomer,” he said. “In order for us to have success, a lot’s going to be based on whether our cornerbacks can play man coverage or not.
“It always comes back to that, so that’s a position we need to be deep, and I feel good about the direction we’re going.”
Cornerback should get attention in the draft, possibly with the Texans’ first pick, which is in the third round this year.
Terrence Brooks is the only safety who has been signed. The Texans have five returning safeties, including Justin Reid, Eric Murray and Lonnie Johnson Jr.
When the Texans are in pass coverage, if Smith doesn’t have the players to generate a rush, the linebackers and defensive backs are going to suffer. The Texans allowed 30 touchdown passes in 2020 when they were 30th in defense, allowing 416.8 yards a game.
Charles Omenihu and Ross Blacklock are returning linemen competing for starting jobs. End Shaq Lawson and interior linemen Maliek Collins, Vincent Taylor and Derek Rivers are other veterans competing for jobs.
Omenihu and Blacklock, both of whom can play inside or outside, should benefit most from the change to a four-man front. Their strengths are getting off the ball and up the field.
It will be up to Smith and the position coaches to put it all together. Smith spent the last five seasons at the University of Illinois before getting fired. He’s excited to return to the NFL.
“I think our defense is more suited for the NFL game, and we’ll make the tweaks, but we feel pretty good about what I’ve seen. We like our roster we have right now before we add some more players in the draft.”
Since the defense needs more help than the offense, Smith might be the Texans’ happiest coach after the draft on April 29-May 1.