Houston Texans: Trevor Daniel’s punting proving to be an asset

Many were skeptical of the impact Houston Texans’ Trevor Daniel could have as a rookie.

Houston Texans turned some heads when they opted to retain the rookie  punter Trevor Daniel over veteran Shane Lechler this preseason and training camp. The legacy Lechler left behind was one many won’t forget any time soon, but Texans clearly believed Daniel was the better option moving forward, and he hasn’t disappointed.

From being the holder on field goals for Ka’imi Fairbairn to booming the football into the stratosphere, Daniel has shown his detractors that he is deserving of the punting duties for the Texans.

After five games of the 2018 NFL regular season have flown by, Daniel is already one of the best punters in the NFL. Through five games, Daniel has punted the football on 21 occasions and had 11 of them being pinned inside the opposing team’s own 20-yard line. Being able to flip the field and give the opponents a long field is an obstacle for any offense and an extra asset for the Texans’ defense.

If that wasn’t well enough for the rookie, Daniel has done a great job of helping his punting coverage in keeping the punt returner from returning punts for a touchdown with long high punts.

Daniel has only allowed two of his punts to be a touch back, so he has done a rather impressive job of keeping his punts inside the field for his gunners to be able to make a play. Only seven of his punts have been returned for an average of 7.0 yards per return which currently ranks eighth best in the NFL.

Having a good punter is fundamental for a team to have a good season, and Daniel is playing his part in helping the Texans from a special teams standpoint.