Prior to Sunday's opening matchup for the Texans, head coach DeMeco Ryans was not interested in debating the state of the team's offensive line, which had been a topic of discussion throughout the offseason.
He made that beyond clear by stating he was "tired of talking about it" and emphasizing it was time to focus on the season ahead to see what the new group could do against a very tough Rams' defensive front.
“Quite frankly, I’m tired of talking about it. It’s time to go play and let’s see how our five matches up against a really, great defensive line.”
As we saw, they suffered a 14-9 loss, much of which was attributed to the state of the offensive line. If the unit's Week 1 performance is any indication, Ryans is likely to field more questions surrounding the Texans' biggest question mark this offseason.
DeMeco Ryans might be forced to make some changes to the offensive line ASAP or the offense is in trouble
Under pressure most of the game, Texans third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked three times for a loss of 41 yards on Sunday, something that is becoming all too familiar to Texans fans.
He finished the game completing 19-of-27 passes for 188 yards and an interception. Last season, Stroud was sacked 52 times, second-most in the league.
To better protect their prized signal caller, the Texans made a series of moves to rebuild their offensive line this offseason. They traded away star left tackle Laremy Tunsil and left guard Kenyon Green and released veteran guard Shaq Mason.
To replace them, Houston brought in tackle Cam Robinson and guard Ed Ingram from the Minnesota Vikings, signed veteran guard Laken Tomlinson, and claimed center Jake Andrews off waivers. They also drafted Aireontae Ersery, a 6-foot-6, 330-pound tackle out of the University of Minnesota, in the third round.
Last minute change throws wrench in Sunday’s offensive line plans
Ahead of Sunday’s tilt, the starters – from left to right – were projected to be Ersery, Tomlinson, Andrews, Ingram, and Tytus Howard, the only returning starter from last year’s squad. However, the team was forced to adjust. Robinson got the start at left tackle, while Ersery shifted to right tackle and Howard moved to right guard.
LOS ANGELES --#Texans line shuffle is on: LT Cam Robinson LG Laken Tomlinson C Jake Andrews RG Tytus Howard RT Aireontae Ersery against talented #Rams front @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/e6SURAz5EI
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 7, 2025
“Injuries unfortunately happen throughout the week,” Ryans said following the loss. “so, shuffling will take place. That’s the NFL. That’s the nature of the league. Guys go down; you have to move guys around. And we don’t complain about it, you got to just show up and get the job done.”
Not only was Stroud sacked three times on Sunday, but seven of the Texans' 11 penalties were on offense, some of which were attributed to the line.
Expect the struggles to continue, Texans offensive line needs time to gel
Sunday’s performance likely won’t be a one-off. Like a fine wine, offensive lines need time to gel. Ryans, new offensive coordinator Nick Caley, and line coach Cole Popovich spent most of the offseason mixing and matching different line combinations, trying to find the right fit.
While they continue to experiment, Caley and company will likely need to design more plays that keep C.J. Stroud safe from opposing defenders.
Houston will face the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens this season, teams that led the league in sacks – 63 and 54, respectively - in 2024. In Week 2, the Texans return to NRG Stadium for a Monday night matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay finished with 46 sacks last season and is coming off a dramatic 23-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons.