Left guard Green practices with first team
After spending most of the first day of training camp on the sideline, Kenyon Green began Thursday’s practice at left guard with the first-team offense. It’s a promising sign for Green, who missed offseason workouts after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Green “has been progressing” and “it’s good to have him back out there.”
Former Dolphins reserve lineman Michael Deiter, who signed a one-year deal with the Texans, filled in for Green on Wednesday.
Green’s return to the lineup appears to be gradual. He spent the third session of team drills on the sideline, and Deiter replaced him at left guard. The Texans have a two-week window to prepare Green before their first preseason game in New England.
“He’s put in the work to be back out there,” Ryans said of Green. “Excited to see him (on his) first day starting to roll. A lot of work (ahead), a lot to improve on. He’ll continue to do that. Happy to have him back with us.”
Green, the No. 15 overall pick in 2022, has yet to experience a full developmental period as a professional. He missed most of his first training camp with a concussion, then struggled as a rookie after fielding his first start in the second regular-season game against the Broncos.
The Texans have addressed their needs along the offensive line beyond Green. They signed left tackle Laremy Tunsil, right tackle Tytus Howard and right guard Shaq Mason each to three-year extensions, and they drafted Juice Scruggs (second round) and Jarrett Patterson (sixth round) to compete for the starting job at center with Scott Quessenberry.
Quessenberry has taken first-team snaps at center in both camp practices. Scruggs has been consistently rotating in with the second-team offense.
It’s clear the Texans are being patient with Green’s development within their new offensive scheme under Bobby Slowik.
Ryans said Green “definitely adds a lot of value to what we’re doing up front,” and there’ll be a considerable focus on his progress throughout the preseason.
The Texans also have a sizable financial investment in Green, who wouldn’t represent cap savings upon being cut until 2025. Still, the Texans signed Deiter, and Scruggs, Patterson and reserve lineman Jimmy Morrissey are flexible enough to play multiple spots along the interior if Green still needs time to improve.
Wide receiver Brown makes sizable target
Wide receiver was one of the biggest concerns among the Texans’ position groups heading into camp, and who would emerge as the top option. But the Texans might not need that.
It appears they have a lot of good wide receivers who can make plays.
One such player is Noah Brown, who has been one of the standouts through two practices. He has made a lot of difficult catches while keeping his feet in bounds on the sidelines.
Brown had 43 catches for 555 yards last season for the Cowboys. The 6-foot-2, 215pound receiver gives C.J. Stroud, or whomever they choose to start, a big target.
Sims needs to dazzle in the preseason
Steven Sims has one of the more unlikely paths toward making the 53-man roster. He’s a 5-10, 176-pound veteran who projects as a slot receiver and is entering his fifth year in the NFL thanks to his proficiency as a return specialist. It’s a profile that too closely aligns with Tank Dell, the UH star and third-round selection who is seeing more reps with the offense than Sims.
Still, Sims is the first to return kicks on special teams.
On a team that could carry only six wide receivers on the roster, Sims must dazzle during the preseason. There’s a historical risk.
In 2021, the Texans saved a spot for Andre Roberts, who was released after six games in which he fumbled twice and averaged career lows in yards per kick return (21.4) and punt return (4.1).
Dell averaged 18.3 yards per kick return and 16 yards per punt return at UH, and he logged a 68-yard punt return touchdown against Tulsa last season. Desmond King ,an All-Pro return specialist in 2018, was a reliable punt returner for the Texans last season with 9.4 yards per return. John Metchie III and Alex Bachman also practiced returning kicks.
Anderson turning heads on defense
Will Anderson Jr. is looking more and more like the backfield basher the Texans desired he’d become when they traded up to No. 3 overall to draft him.
The 6-4, 243-pound defensive end hasn’t yet taken the field first with the defense, but he’s rotating often behind veteran pass rusher Jerry Hughes, who led the Texans with nine sacks last season.
Anderson is consistently collapsing pockets and bullying blockers. It’s difficult to discern just how much damage he’d inflict because defenders are not permitted full contact on quarterbacks and ball carriers, but blockers are fair game and Anderson bulldozed veteran tight end Dalton Schultz, who attempted to seal him off on a backside block.
The Texans’ joint practices with the Dolphins and Saints will reveal more about perhaps the most dangerous weapon in Ryans’ defense. He’ll certainly be the most interesting defender to watch in Houston’s first preseason game Aug. 10 at New England.
Singletary shows off breakaway speed
It might be foolhardy to draw conclusions on running backs during training camp, when teams hardly run the ball and don’t face full contact when they do. But Devin Singletary has shown signs of bursts in two practices.
Singletary showed the most significant preview of his speed Thursday. He maneuvered through a half-speed defense easily enough, but then found himself in an actual chase with corner Stephen Nelson. On came the jets. Singletary dashed with a berth that widened toward the end zone.
The 5-7, 203-pound veteran signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal with the Texans, which gave the run-oriented franchise a proven alternative to run in tandem with Dameon Pierce.
They’re counting on Singletary to be the all-around running back he was in Buffalo, where he averaged 36 catches and 243 receiving yards in four seasons, and he’ll fix Houston’s recent failures to field explosive gains if he can continuously outrun corners as he did Thursday.