Although the Texans were without pads for Monday's practice, the intensity rose like the temperature did on Training Camp, Day 4.
It was swampy and sweltering throughout the day, a practice that felt as if it was led by the Texans defense.
With no further ado, let's dive into my Harris Hits for the final pad-less practice.
1. I remember studying QB C.J. Stroud for the first time back in the spring of 2022 and the very first thing that stood out like a beacon from the sky was his accuracy. I chuckled near the end of the "routes on air" period today. During that part of practice, there are five receivers somewhere on the field and five different people throwing each of those receivers a ball. Whoever was designated to throw the ball to WR Nico Collins down the field airmailed him badly, not giving Nico a chance to make a catch. Stroud noticed this, picked up a ball immediately and just launched a ball toward the sideline right in front of me for Nico. I mean, it had to be a 40+ yard throw and it came down just over Nico's shoulder and he didn't even have to move for it. It was the damn prettiest thing I saw all morning. The ease with which Stroud made that throw was mind blowing, considering he put it into a sand bucket from 40 yards away.
2. It was another kickoff day during the first special teams' period but the most compelling thing about the kickoffs today was watching K Kai'mi Fairbairn attempt a ton of different styles of kickoffs as he prepared for the day. I know I've talked about the impact of that new kickoff rule, but Fairbairn is going to play a massive role with his immense, and diverse, ability with the ball on his foot.
3. When the team got into their team drills, it was clear that the defense was ON ONE today. On the first play of the team period, the coverage was so good that Stroud had nowhere to throw the ball and took a coverage sack.
4. On the next play, Stroud RIPPED a fastball to Collins on the backside of a play. That was the same play that former Texans QB Matt Schaub used to throw to HOF WR Andre Johnson. Fake the run one way, let 'Dre slide into the void on the backside and Schaub would read it and make that throw if 'Dre beat the defensive back. Collins did win and Stroud zipped it to him for a pretty catch and run.
5. LB Henry To'oTo'o has been making the most of his reps, especially in the run game. There are no pads, but Henry has been so quick to the ball on outside runs that I don't know that a blocker could even get hands on him regardless.
6. Rookie S Calen Bullock continues to be a pest for the offense and makes his presence known in that defensive backfield. A few plays after To'oTo'o ran down a RB for little to no gain, QB Davis Mills dropped to throw and spied Collins across the middle. That's a staple route in this offense and Bullock saw it the whole way. He speedily broke in front for the SURE I…N…T. Then, he dropped it. Oh man, tough result, but the process of reading the play, seeing the throw and the impressive transitional quickness to dart in front of that throw was REALLY impressive.
7. The Texans made an acquisition overnight, signing RB Cam Akers, formerly of the Rams and Vikings. He tore his Achilles in November and had been working to get back on a roster this offseason. I told the story on radio today that I first stumbled on Akers when he was a Wildcat QB for the Clinton HS (MS) Arrows. In the State Championship game in 2016, Clinton just kept snapping him the ball at QB and he kept running over, through and around everyone in a different colored jersey. He ran 30 times for 234 yards and five TD. He also completed 16 of 25 passes for 228 yards and two TD. I remember seeing that game and thinking that I really wanted Akers as a Texan someday. That day was Monday and I'm excited to see what Akers brings to this squad.
8. One thing that stands out is that he has some burst now. He can really scoot and he can take a toss and get to the line of scrimmage in a HURRY. Hopefully, he'll get acclimated early and we can see him as close to 100% as he can be in the near future.
9. It's time to give out some defensive flowers and I'll start with DE Danielle Hunter. Man, oh MAN, was he excellent on Monday! One of the things that I love about GREAT pass rushers is the ability to win in different ways, especially on back-to-back plays. He was on the right side of the defense for the first play of the second team period. He threw a SICK inside move on the tackle and would've gotten his hands on the QB before he threw the football. It was so explosive and quick, just two steps and an arm over and he was there.
10. On the next play, after winning inside, he deked inside and then hit the ghost move (basically a drop and rip through) on the outside. As he popped back up, he was clean with what would've been another hit on the QB. Just, holy cow, that was nasty.
11. Also on that second play, rookie Kamari Lassiter was in man coverage on WR Stefon Diggs and stayed with him step-for-step on his route. Combined with Hunter's pressure and Lassiter's coverage, the ball fell harmlessly incomplete. Diggs was highly complimentary of young Lassiter after practice. When asked about the rookie, Diggs said "He could be ready. He might even be ready right now. He ain't running from it." Suffice to say, Diggs was highly impressed by the rookie from Georgia and his counterpart on the other side Derek Stingley Jr.
12. To end that series, Stroud ripped a fastball to Collins on the speed out. I always say that route/throw is like stealing five yards. Off coverage. Tons of green grass. Rip it and turn 1st-and-10 into 2nd-and-5 or better. Those two can link up on that route all day long.
13. Man, it's great to see OT Charlie Heck back healthy. His reps today were solid, including one that I saw in particular against DE Denico Autry that was really promising. Autry is a whirling dervish and constantly moving, bringing power and speed into his rushes. Heck just absorbed the power, slid with the counter move to keep the veteran from getting to Mills. That was great work for both of those guys out on the edge.
14. Oh man, LB Jacob Phillips is going to catch a pick at some point. He made a wonderful break on a pass to RB Jawhar Jordan out in the flat. Phillips full on laid out and dove in front for the PBU, that could've/maybe should've been a pick. That's the second one that Phillips has had in the first few days of practice. He's so fast and explosive and now healthy, can't wait to see him when pads come on soon.
15. I thought that WR Ben Skowronek had a strong day. The first throw that I remember heading his way could've been a completion but the refs threw a flag for defensive holding on the DB. A few reps later, QB Tim Boyle looked as if he was throwing a back-shoulder ball to Skowronek up the far sideline. The ball got away from Boyle a bit, but Skowronek did a masterful job of going up for the rebound and snatching the ball at a high point for the catch. Then, later in the final team period of the day, QB Case Keenum worked himself up into the pocket due to a little pressure and ripped one to Skowronek who kept working to find an open spot for his QB. He did and Keenum drilled one to his chest for another catch.
16. I mentioned DT McTelvin Agim a few days ago because of his hustle, speed and effort to find the ball 35 yards down the field. Today, it was because he worked a beautiful move up the field, cooking the guard in front of him and got right in the face of the QB. The guard attempted to quick-set him and Agim just swam over the top of him and got clean to the QB. Then, Agim did it again later in practice on what would've been a sack or pressure for sure. Then, on the second to last play of the practice, he put his big paw up and knocked down a pass. 58 is CONSTANTLY showing up during drills and when the pads go on, that must continue.
17. Today was a day for Stroud-to-Collins. They hooked up on a beautiful screen as they did plenty of times in the 2023 season. Nico was flying up the field once he got the ball in his hands.
18. WR Noah Brown does a great job moving into open space for his quarterbacks. Mills didn't find Brown initially on his dropback, but when Mills moved out of the pocket to his right, Brown slid into an open space and his QB delivered a laser on the spot for a first down.
19. A few plays later, Stroud read the blitz perfectly and knew exactly where he wanted to go with the ball: Nico on the quick slant. But the defense leapt up and batted the ball down. I say defense because I'm not sure who batted it down. Thinking Hunter, but not totally sure but it was one of two or three bat downs the defensive line had on Monday.
20. We say it every year as it pertains to young running backs: their reps are limited by how well they can pass protect. A few plays into the third team period, DeMeco Ryans and Matt Burke brought a blitz at Mills. Rookie RB Jawhar Jordan saw it immediately, stepped up into the face of a blitzing LB and allowed Mills to find his hot receiver TE Cade Stover for a completion.
21. The next two reps belonged to Boyle and they were arguably two of the best reps all day. On the first one, Boyle found my guy WR Johnny Johnson for a pretty pitch-and-catch. But it wasn't as pretty as the next play. Boyle hit WR Xavier Hutchinson in stride on a slant route JUST PERFECTLY and Hutch sped up the field for a big catch-and-run gain. I mean, that play couldn't have been executed any better, or prettier.
22. DT Khalil Davis is doing some great things during this camp thus far. On one play in the third team period, he ran down a screen from behind, just sprinting his guts out to go make that play. Then, in the fourth team period, he ran down the RB from the other side of the field for a TFL. He was flying after the RB and really had to pull up when he got there so he didn't decapitate the poor ball carrier. Menace. That's what Davis is truly turning into for this defense.
23. I didn't have my eyes on DE Will Anderson Jr much today as he was seemingly on the opposite side of the field all day long from me. But I could see him twitching at the snap on the other side of the formation just before the ball was snapped. He burst off the ball, darted inside, gave the tackle a little arm over to get free and was on a clean/clear path to the QB. My goodness, that was nasty.
24. Going back to blitz pickup, if anyone is going to do it well, it's veteran RB Dare Ogunbowale. He picked up a blitzer in the A gaps to allow Stroud to drill Collins with another slant route for a completion. That whole rep was just beautiful offensive football.
25. S Jimmie Ward was in perfect position on the play prior to come up with his first pick in camp, but he couldn't corral the ball. Stingley Jr was locked on Nico and kept Stroud from looking in that direction. When Stroud had to find a different receiver, he let loose down the field and Ward was the closest Texans to the football.
26. DE Jerry Hughes also nearly came up with a pick. The Texans were running a screen and Jerry got to the right spot up the field, directly in front of the receiver. The ball hit his hands, helmet and then chest…and fell to the ground. Regardless, it's so nice to see Jerry back with some serious juice in that mind, heart and body.
27. The defense did finally get that much awaited interception as Jeff Okudah came up with the carom off of a tip from DB Mike Ford on the deep throw from Mills. Ford was in excellent position to make a play on the ball but he and Brown got all four hands on it, tipping it up in the air for Okudah to make the pick.
28. The Texans ended practice for the second consecutive day with WR Steven Sims making the final catch of the day on a throw from Mills.
So, yeah, another tremendous day of training camp, if there is such a thing, but it all goes to a different level tomorrow when the pads…go…ON. And, the squad will get after it in front of a packed house of fans for the first time all training camp. Talk about JUICE! Let's GO!! That's going to be real fun - see you then, everyone!
