Houston Texans: Tytus Howard is ‘much improved’ entering 2nd season
It is apparent the Houston Texans made a great choice in 2019 when they selected Tytus Howard.
When the Houston Texans selected Tytus Howard in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, it was apparent he wasn’t a name everyone knew about as he came from Alabama State, and it is safe to say many Texans fans hadn’t watched many games of Howard’s collegiate career.
Entering his second season with the Houston Texans, it is also apparent that the Texans’ selection of Howard is turning out well. Howard had a solid rookie season as the starting right tackle (though injuries shortened his season to eight games), and this training camp he’s been described as “much improved” by general manager and head coach Bill O’Brien.
In those eight games played — his last regular-season game came on Nov. 21 — Howard played in 46 percent of the Houston Texans offensive snaps, with that number being 488 plays. Penalties by Howard included one holding call and three false starts.
Even with the shortened season by Tytus Howard in 2019, there is so much potential ahead for the right tackle, and in quotes provided by NFL Communications via the Texans media, Coach O’Brien spoke well of Howard early in training camp:
"“He’s much improved. He really understands our system. I think that’s a tough deal as a rookie to come in, for him and Max (Scharping) to play on the offensive line, and then for Tytus to have to deal with an injury and he’s come back from that. He’s out there every day and like I said, I really think this tackle situation is good as long as we can stay healthy.”"
O’Brien also spoke about the backup offensive linemen of the Texans when speaking about Howard returning from the injury suffered last season:
"“Even our backup situation there is a good one because you know you have Rod (Johnson) and Jerald Hawkins – we just brought in – and Charlie Heck, who we drafted, who’s coming along every day. I feel like Tytus is doing a really good job and glad we have him on the team, no doubt about it.”"
Houston Texans news: Positives when Tytus Howard is in the lineup
What is great about having Tytus Howard on the roster and back in the starting lineup is this is his second season, so he knows what is ahead in playing at the NFL level, which wasn’t the case entering Week 1 last season.
In his eight games played last season, Howard allowed two sacks, and Pro Football Focus graded Howard at 59.4. Howard plays alongside Zach Fulton, who is the right guard of the Texans, and he too is looking to have a better season coming off his 2019 year.
That right side duo should be better than they were a season ago, and if they can get a full 16 games played together in the 2020 regular season, the results of success should follow. Remember, Fulton allowed only one sack last season, so that means between Fulton and Howard last season, they allowed a combined three sacks in 2019, which for quarterback Deshaun Watson is a positive.
All in all, Howard makes the Houston Texans a much better offensive line with him in the starting lineup than when he’s not.
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If he stays healthy, Howard should show vast improvement over the success he had last season as a rookie, and not only that, the play of the entire offense will improve as Howard and the rest of the o-line improves, too.