The Houston Texans training camp is on the way. But with training camp now being in full-swing, what have we learned?
The Houston Texans have officially reported to training camp. As the season gets closer, each player will works their butt’s off to earn time on the field and in this unique case, they are truly competing because every single position on the field is open for taking.
Now, in some aspect that’s true about every team, but is it really? Is Patrick Mahomes going to lose his quarterback spot because Chad Henne had a good camp? Are the Buccaneers going to sit Tom Brady this year? No. Of course not, but in the Texans case, every position is open for taking. You just have to prove that your worth it.
And it’s in that spirit that I felt I should give you all a look into the Texans training camp and some of the key takeaway thus far. So without further adieu, let’s get right on into it.
1.) Texans Receiver Corps is Stepping up
With John Metchie III out for the season, the Texans receiving corps was going to get looks in camp. Between second-year receiver, Nico Collins has been one of the names that has “stepped up” in training camp. But he hasn’t been the only name.
Along with Nico Collins, tight end Brevin Jordan and wide receiver Jalen Camp have also been doing very well.
In an article written by Texans Daily, it was reported that Jalen Camp has been the most consistent of the “other” receivers in camp. The second-year receiver, and former Georgia Tech wideout, made four consecutive catches in camp including a nice seam route reception that led to a touchdown.
Seeing Camp step up has been a pleasant surprise. However, the big thing for me is seeing Collins and Jordan stepping up and making an impact on the offense.
With Metchie out, Collins is going to be the second option for Mills. Or at least it sure appears that way. But with Collins coming off a rather poor season, having a great camp was a necessity for him. As for Jordan, I have very little fear that he won’t do well this year.
Brevin Jordan was one of my favorite tight ends in the draft, and seeing him in the Texans uniform was a great sight to behold because I know how impactful of a player he could be. If Jordan can be the player I expect him to be, I feel the Texans offense could be a pleasant surprise. But there is still one problem, and that leads me to the second point: The running game.
2.) Dameon Pierce: The Talk of Texas
The Houston Texans have a problem, they have a terrible rushing game. The Texans averaged 3.4 yards per carry in 2021, and that ranked last in the NFL. Which, given the names they had at running back, is very disappointing. But what’s even more disappointing is how little they did to change that.
The Houston Texans let David Johnson walk in free agency which I don’t really hate, but the fact that they let David Johnson go in free agency just to sign Marlon Mack is very depressing. Lucky for us, there is one name that has been catching the eyes in the Texans backfield: Dameon Pierce.
Dameron Pierce, the fourth-round pick in this years NFL draft, has been dominating the field at the Texans training camp and it appears likely that he could be their lead back some September. And if that is the case, based upon all the reports I’ve been reading, that seems like a smart move.