Who are the extra guys that could come up huge?
In Tuesday’s column I took at look at the reasons why the 2024 season could go sideways. If I strive for anything in this space it is to be objective. After all, you can’t have a column that is largely based on numbers work if it isn’t objective. So, we will balance out that tequila shot from Tuesday with a lime wedge of optimism.
Think of this as the Nico Collins or Blake Cashman award. Who are the guys that no one is counting on to do much they could come up huge for the Houston Texans? Every successful team has those guys. Who will those guys be for the Houston Texans this season? Based on the depth chart and how things shook out at the beginning of OTAs.
Dameon Pierce
Pierce showed up to OTAs in better shape than he did last year. I don’t know that it was ever a lack of professionalism on his part. He has always worked hard and been a better teammate. He is working differently now. That likely has to do with living in the system for a year and seeing what it takes to be successful in the system. He needs to make better cuts and quicker decisions with the football in the zone blocking scheme.
Everyone undoubtedly noticed that he was a part of the sideways report. He might be the biggest wild card of the 2024 season. If 2022 Pierce shows up then this team could take a significant step offensively. Keep in mind that this offense is already slated to be very good with all of the targets C.J. Stroud has.
John Metchie III
Cancer sucks. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it here. It effectively robbed him of a year of football and we can’t really know for sure how much else. Were his struggles last season the normal rookie struggles most wide receivers have? Was he not completely healthy from his ACL tear at the end of college? Did the cancer treatments take more out of him than we know?
He apparently looked good yesterday even if he had one key drop. Dropping the ball was never the big concern. Getting open was the big concern. He demonstrated some separation yesterday. He isn’t an off the charts athlete like a Tank Dell, so he will need to use guile and savvy to get open. If he does then he could be an intriguing slot option.
Xavier Hutchinson
Other than the cancer we can put him in the same boat as Metchie. Then again, he was a late round pick, so no one should expect him to produce at a high level. Still, there have been plenty of late round receivers that have been huge contributors over the years. Stefon Diggs, himself, was a late round selection.
Hutchinson looked good on some plays early on when OTAs opened. If he and Metchie are smart they have already started counting noses and know they need to step up to keep their spots. At this point, no one is counting on him to do anything, but injuries happen and there is always the possibility he could supplant someone like Noah Brown.
Calen Bullock
I usually wouldn’t add rookies to a list like this, but let’s consider what we have going on in the safety room. Jimmie Ward was effective when healthy, but was out more than he was in. Jalen Pitre struggled in coverage and had to be pulled late in the season. Eric Murray is…well…Eric Murray. There is always Lonnie Johnson and M.J. Stewart.
I don’t want to demean any of those backups because they are quality backups. Murray and Stewart had some good snaps for this team. Lonnie Johnson had good snaps elsewhere. If Jimmie Ward goes down or Pitre continues to struggle then you will need more than just some good snaps. Bullock has looked fluid in coverage. He likely will fit more as a deep safety playing the back end.
Foley Fatukasi
Some people are big believers in PFF and some aren’t. That’s perfectly fair. Even when they had Sheldon Rankins and Maliek Collins, PFF rated this position group amongst the worst in the NFL against the run. That meant that linebackers and even safeties and corners had to support the run more. It worked for the most part, but also cost them the ability to defend the pass at times.
Fatukasi is listed as the starter on the depth chart. Mario Edwards, Tim Settle, and Khalil Davis are also listed on the depth chart in addition to fellow starter Denico Autry. Kurt Hinish may be on the outside looking in, but we might as well toss this whole group in together. If they can figure out a way to be just mediocre against the run as a group, this defense could take the next step.`