Houston Texans: Jimmie Ward and Jalen Pitre graded as second-best safety tandem

While the Houston Texans' roster needs to improve in many areas in the midst of a rebuild, the safety position is not among their weaknesses. In fact, the duo of sophomore Jalen Pitre and newcomer Jimmie Ward are ranked in the top five in the league. 

In a recent article, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks gave his grades for every position group, ranking the Texans' safety duo as the second-best in the league. Only the Seahawks trio of Julian Love, Jamal Adams, and Quandre Diggs scored a better mark. 

Despite being featured on a dreadful Texans defense that allowed 24.7 points per game last season, Pitre was not a reason why. The standout rookie was one of the only bright spots, bursting onto the scene with 147 total tackles, eight defended passes, and five interceptions, earning an All-Pro nod for his efforts. 

Ward has a history of proven production at the safety spot and is a familiar face for new head coach DeMeco Ryans, as the two have San Fransisco ties. This familiarity is the primary reason for the two parties to agree on a two-year pact. At 31 years old and above-average play as recently as 2021, Ward slots in as the perfect partner and mentor for a young Texans secondary. Not a bad start to the DeMeco Ryans era in Houston.

With cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr., Desmond King, and 2023 offseason addition Shaq Griffin manning the front half of the secondary, this Texans unit poses a legit chance at being one of the better groups in the league in 2023. For the Houston Texans to truly make a statement defensively, they will be relying early and often on this group to take charge.

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