When it comes to the Houston Texans the question is, who will be the surprise players in 2022?
As the calendar has turned to July, this is the final month without football games as the preseason begins in August, and a few weeks later the 2022 regular season will be here before we know it.
That brings up the topic of Texans players who could surprise not only the fans in Houston, but the entire NFL. This could mean players who finally break out after a couple of seasons of learning the ropes, or i could be a veteran player who regains past form and returns to being the player they once were.
A lot can happen for the Texans in ’22 because they aren’t as bad of a roster as it seems. If the players on the depth chart all play their role to perfection, whether that be quarterback Davis Mills avoiding a “sophomore slump” season, or on defense the rookies showcase their potential early on, the Texans as a whole could give the AFC South some excitement and make it a three-team race as the Colts and Titans have ruled the division standings the past couple seasons.
Besides the entire Texans team having a chance to surprise some fans, which individual players for Houston can have a season that shocks the NFL too? Next are three players who can surprise many as the Texans build their back up to a championship level.
Texans: Which Houston players will surprise the most in 2022?
A huge part for second-year quarterback Davis Mills to have success in 2022 — and for him to take a few steps forward in his progression — is for the play of tight end Brevin Jordan to improve overall, and the feeling is it will for the 2022 season.
Jordan played in just nine games in ’21 where he made two starts, finishing with 20 receptions on 28 targets for 178 yards receiving and three touchdown catches. Jordan averaged 8.9 yards per reception.
Houston needs Jordan to step up and play in more than nine games this upcoming season, and if he’s healthy, he has the talents to become one of the very best players on the Texans’ offense in ’22.
Mills needs a tight end he can rely upon, and Jordan with his 6’3″ and 245-pound frame that is a big target to have in the red zone, and a player to find when in need of a quick first down as 10 of the 20 receptions by Jordan in ’21 went for a first down.
Again, if Jordan plays in a high number of games this upcoming season, and gets the targets he needs fro Mills, the second-year tight end will be a successful and surprising player in 2022.
The newest veteran running back to try in becoming who he once was by joining the Texans is Marlon Mack, as the free agent running back signed a deal with Houston this offseason. Mack a couple seasons ago suffered a tough ACL tear, and eventually his former team, the Colts, moved on from his services, leaving Mack looking for his next NFL opportunity.
This is where the Texans came into play, giving Mack a needed second chance in the NFL after recovering from his past injury, all while helping Houston repair a rushing game that was one of the very worst in the NFL last season.
Mack if he’s fully recovered from his ACL tear and surgery, and has the same talents he had during his most successful times with the Colts, will be a huge surprise to many in the NFL, and a player the Texans have been looking for for quite sometime.
Last season the Texans tried their hand with veteran running backs Mark Ingram and David Johnson, but those two did not work out for the rushing game. Others also tried to be the main running back too, but with Rex Burkhead being the best Houston running back for ’21 it was evident that a change needed to be made with the top running back spot.
What is exciting about Mack is he is still only 26 years old, so there is still gas in the tank so to speak, and his last full season in the NFL was 2019, though he’s never played a full schedule at any point of his career.
This isn’t saying Mack will be a 1,000-yard rusher like he was in 2019 (a season where he played 14 games), but he can make the rushing game be respected and that’s the most important thing, as that will help the rest of the offensive unit.
Don’t be shocked when Mack surprises by at least challenging for 1,000 yards in 2022, but more than that he’s going to make the rest of the offense better, and that’s an important part of his game in ’22 as well.
This will be the start of the third season for Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard and it could be the year he has a huge breakout season with Houston since being drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Greenard in 2021 made 12 starts and played in 12 games overall for Houston where he collected eight sacks, four passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Those are good numbers for a 12-game season, but imagine how good he can become if he plays in all 17 games for the Texans in ’22?
The defensive lineman has the ability and talent to become a top defensive player in the AFC and possibly the entire NFL. He showcased some of that talent and ability in ’21 with the eight sacks, which was a seven-sack improvement from his rookie season, as that rookie season he played in 13 games (making one start).
Greenard also had 12 QB hits in ’21, but his name never comes up nationally as the overall defense of the Texans was bad last season, and in his two years in the NFL, Greenard has been apart of two four-win teams.
If Greenard stays healthy and plays in all 17 regular season games for the Texans, he’ll start becoming more well known nationally, and that will most likely mean the Texans will be playing better football and gaining more wins than in recent years.
Who are some of your surprise players for the upcoming 2022 season? Let us know!