Houston Texans quietly replaced a starter on defense

2023 fifth-round pick Henry To'oTo'o exceeded expectations for the Houston Texans as a rookie. He recorded 61 tackles with two going for a loss.

This year, he was inserted into the starting lineup and has continued to play well. He's played in nine games and has started each of them. He's alreaded surpassed his numbers from last year with 63 tackles, six for a loss, and one sack.

Despite this, he saw his snap count drop in Week 11. He recorded at least 50 in each game he's appeared in since Week 1 and had a season-high 64 against the Detroit Lions. According to PFF, he also had his worst performance of the year against Detroit.

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Perhaps that's why he saw a season-low snap count of 26 against Dallas. To'oTo'o's drop in playing time resulted in Devin White going from 12 snaps against Detroit to 50 during the win over the Dallas Cowboys. He's also recorded his best two games of the season over the past two weeks.

Houston hasn't come out and said they're replacing To'oTo'o, but the way their time was divided in Week 11 suggests that may be the case.

Even if To'oTo'o remains the starter and White subs in to play alongside Azeez Al-Shaair throughout the game, his addition has been a win for Houston. A first-round pick for the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2019, White signed with the Philadelphia Eagles but never played a down for them. He was released in early October and the Texans brought him in on October 23.

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