It might've been the first day of pads, maybe not, but I do know it was early in the first week of training camp when the OL injuries ominously struck in 2023.
Former Texans starting center Scott Quessenberry went down with a season-ending knee injury. Charlie Heck was already on PUP and missed most of the season. Tytus Howard then injured his hand, missed most of the preseason and then the first four games of the regular season. Juice Scruggs lost ten games due to an injured hamstring suffered in the last preseason contest at New Orleans.
The Texans traded for Cardinals OT Josh Jones to get depth at tackle, But then Jones hurt his hand, missing two games after starting the first three. As noted, Howard missed four games at the outset of the season and then lost the rest of the season after an injury v. Jacksonville in Week 11. I don't even have to tell you how many centers snapped the ball last year.
It was ugly.
Somehow, though, this offensive line held together with guile, leadership, coaching, good 'ol fashion guts--and some duct tape--to give its rookie wunderkind quarterback time to throw and excel.
Heading into a new season, the Texans have the makings of a stronger O-Line to protect and serve, in a football sense, obviously.
With training camp just around the corner, let's dive into this offensive line group, one that could look remarkably different than last year, yet have familiar pieces in the mix.
Offensive line (numerical order)
OG 53 Kendrick Green
4th year - 1st in Houston
2023 Trade to Houston (PIT)
2023 - four games, three starts
When the Texans traded for Green last fall, there weren't many in Houston excited because of how he was portrayed in Pittsburgh. He was out of position as a Steeler and never really given the opportunity to play guard, his best, and most natural position. But Green arrived in Houston, stepped in at guard early in the season, and shined in the three games he started before a season-ending injury. He's powerful, built like a twitched-up ball of muscle and should be healthy by training camp. He also feels comfortable in this system now. When we spent time with him on radio, it was clear he was more than ready for the competition at guard. He should have many people's attention during training camp.
OC/OG 54 Jarrett Patterson
2nd year in Houston
2023 6th round selection
2023 - seven games, seven starts
As a sixth-round rookie, it's a major accomplishment just making the 53-man roster. But Patterson did way more than that last year with the Texans. With some injuries at center in training camp, the opening was there for him to jump into the lineup early in the season. Not only did he do that, but he played well at that spot before he was injured in the loss at Carolina.
I think his natural position is center, even though he played guard at Notre Dame in his final campaign, and he showed last year he was much more impressive than a sixth-rounder. If there was a positive that came out of his injury, so to speak, he did get to spend time getting his body together and I thought he looked bigger and stronger when we got him in the radio studio this spring.
OT 57 Blake Fisher
Rookie
2024 2nd round selection
2023 - 12 games, 12 starts at Notre Dame
I started studying Notre Dame pro prospects back in the late winter of 2023 and I really fell for Fisher. Yes, everyone and their brother extolled the virtues of left tackle Joe Alt, but I loved the finisher on the other side. Fisher struck me as the perfect fit in this Texans offense but he's going to get challenged as a pass protector right off the bat. He'll improve and his game will round into shape in due time. All of that leads to the BIG question: What are the expectations for him as a rookie? With Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard seemingly penciled in at the tackle spots, Fisher should spend a ton of time learning and growing into the position, as opposed to being thrown into the fire right away. But if he does have to jump into the fray early, he'll be as ready as a youngster could be at that moment.
OG/OC 60 Dieter Eiselen
5th year - 2nd year in Houston
2023 Waiver claim
2023 - 10 games, no starts
Eiselen has been with the Texans since the end of last year's training camp but he hasn't been able to get snaps in any games since his arrival. But that was just a matter of his being here just a short time. You know I love my Ivy League brethren, so I'm cheering for Eiselen for many reasons. He'll have a ton of opportunities in this training camp to show what he can be and what role suits him for this 2024 team. I'd assume he'll get time at both center and guard throughout the process as he fights to make this squad this summer.
OG 64 Nick Broeker
2nd year in Houston
2023 Waiver claim
2023 - three games, no starts
I saw Broeker play a dozen games or more when he was at Ole Miss and I remember thinking that he got his guy blocked, no matter what, all that time. He wasn't blessed with elite traits/size, but he constantly battled on the inside against the best the SEC had to offer. Oftentimes, won those battles. Buffalo drafted him in 2023 but he became available after being cut during 2023 training camp. So the Texans claimed him and he spent the year here as an 8th gameday lineman, mostly. That said, he had the opportunity to learn the system, get stronger in the weight room and, essentially, redshirt here in Houston. Like a few others on this list, he's going to get plenty of opportunities to show what he can do with four preseason games and one joint practice session with the Rams.
OT 66 Kilian Zierer
2nd year in Houston
2023 UDFA
*No 2023 games - IR all season
Let's be honest, very, VERY few undrafted offensive linemen make an NFL roster in their rookie campaigns. However, Zierer was, seemingly, on his way to doing that in 2023 before he was injured after the preseason game against the Dolphins and put on IR for the remainder of the season. The German national had progressed well throughout camp and, due to injuries at the position, he was thrown into the fire early, handling his business as well as thought possible. The injury was horrible for many reasons, but it also allowed Zierer to learn more, get stronger and prepare for his opportunity in 2024. The former soccer player has tremendous feet and is built like a house. If he can pick up where he left off and build from there, he could be an under the radar player we all need to know prior to the season starting.
OT 67 Charlie Heck
5th year in Houston
2020 4th round selection
2023 - six games, four starts
When I think about this team over the past four years or so, I often find myself thinking about Charlie and what he's been through. He got drafted in the COVID season. There was a coaching change midway through his rookie campaign. There was another at the end of that season. Then another one. Then another one. With each coaching change, a different position coach and a different offensive system…and then another one. I can't think of a more chaotic start to an NFL career than what Heck's been through, yet he has been such a valued member of this offensive line and he's healthy to start 2024. THAT was not the case at the start of 2023 and the O-Line/offense missed Charlie greatly in that time frame. I'm glad he signed a contract to return to the Texans because he can play both sides of the line and has improved greatly since he first arrived as a rookie.
OG 69 Shaq Mason
10th year - 2nd year in Houston
2023 Trade to Houston (TB)
2023 - 17 games, 17 starts
There was only one offensive player that played and started all 17 games in 2023 and that was Shaq (and two playoff games too). The longtime veteran's presence was desperately needed and he was there for it all season long. With all of the chaos on the offensive line with injuries last year, Mason was the one constant. He's got great feet, quickness and a toughness that this offense needed and continues to need. Knowing he's back to man that right side is a good feeling and hopefully this year he won't have a revolving door at center next to him.
OC/OG 70 Juice Scruggs
2nd year in Houston
2023 2nd round selection
2023 - seven games, six starts
Scruggs stepped into the starting center position early in camp last year as a rookie and it appeared the Texans would start a rookie-rookie combination at QB and C for the first time ever. They eventually did that, but it wasn't Scruggs at center to start the season. He injured his hamstring during the last preseason game and that kept the youngster on the sideline for ten weeks. When he returned, though, he had to step into the left guard position for an injured Howard. Juice battled at that spot and his upper-body strength allowed him to win a handful of those violent street fights, but it was clear that he would be more comfortable at center at some point. Well, that point is to start this 2024 season, seemingly. Now, he CAN PLAY guard, but I think he CAN EXCEL at center and if he steps back over the ball for good in 2024, he can really give the Texans something they've not had at that position in a while: powerful, torque strength to move heavy defenders over the ball.
OT/OG 71 Tytus Howard
6th year in Houston
2019 1st round selection
2023 - seven games, seven starts
I know the frustration Tytus has gone through in his six years as a Texan. The back and forth from guard to tackle to guard again has been tough for Howard, but he's never complained, just given his best at the position he's been asked to play for the Texans. Hopefully, this is the move that gets him back to his natural tackle position opposite his pal Tunsil permanently. Having seen every snap that Tytus has taken the past five years, it's clear that he's most comfortable, and at his best, when he's at tackle. His feet have always been his calling card but his strength shows up as he absorbs speed-to-power. When he was healthy in 2022, he put together what I thought was his best season at right tackle, so if he can find that consistency and quality in 2024, this offense will be ready to take off again at a high level.
OG 72 Jaylon Thomas
2nd year - 2nd year in Houston
2023 FA signing
2023 (NYG) - one game, no start
Thomas arrived in Houston in late November after being released by the Giants in his rookie campaign. He originally signed with the Ravens before heading to the Giants so it was finally in Houston where he finally found a bit of stability. During OTA/minicamp, even though there was no contact, he was hard to miss as he got a ton of reps. He's got a thick build and a powerful lower half which could make him an intriguing candidate at guard for the Texans in 2024. I liked him coming out of SMU and I'm glad that he ended up in Houston to develop under this coaching staff.
OT 75 David Sharpe
7th year - 1st year in Houston (2nd time, though)
2024 FA Signing
2023 (CAR) - eight games, no starts
Sharpe was with the Texans six years ago as a young player, returning under this new regime to offer his services at tackle, a position the Texans struggled to keep healthy in 2023. He's a depth piece who'll compete for the swing tackle position with a few others, but given the way that things went last year, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sharpe stay in Houston, regardless, for the 2024 season. His size is impressive and he engulfs rushers that try to power or bull rush him.
OG 76 Kenyon Green
3rd year in Houston
2022 1st round selection
*No 2023 games - IR all season
Green is perhaps the Texans most often discussed offensive lineman in quite some time. During his rookie campaign, Green struggled, in large part, to not being 100% physically. Last year, Green's body broke down in training camp, to a point that the Texans put him on season-ending IR after the last preseason game. The decision to take the year to rehab, get physically/mentally right and build up Green's body was the right one. It's now time for Green to find that form that made him a first round pick in 2022. There's still time to make all of it right…on the field in year three.
OG/OT 77 LaDarius Henderson
Rookie
2024 7th round selection
2023 - 14 games, ten starts
Henderson was a starter for the national champion Michigan Wolverines, but he spent most of the 2023 season at left tackle. Prior to that season, at both Arizona State and Michigan, he spent that time at guard. He was banged up during OTA/minicamp, so I couldn't see where the Texans planned on playing him. However, the consensus amongst my draft brethren was that he was going to play guard at the next level. The biggest thing, though, is just getting him healthy for the start of camp after a long and grueling 2023 season at Michigan.
OT 78 Laremy Tunsil
9th year - 6th year in Houston
2019 Trade to Houston (MIA)
2023 - 14 games, 14 starts
- Credited with just five sacks allowed (23rd in the NFL)
Honors
4x Pro Bowler - 2019, 2020, 2022 & 2023
3x NFL Top 100 - 2020, 2021 & 2023
2x 1st Team AFC South - PFWA - 2022 & 2023
2016 NFL All-Rookie Team
The Gold Standard.
The best pass protecting tackle in the league and a game-plan changer.
When the Texans played the Steelers early in the 2023 season, this offense had to send all kinds of help to the pair of left tackles playing that day because Tunsil was out with an injury. The Tunsil void forced OC Bobby Slowik to change his normal plan and it took some passing weapons out of the game plan as they had to help on the Steelers stellar rushers. But when Tunsil was in the lineup, he handled those outstanding pass rushers on his own and that allowed TE/RB to get out into routes or help others in the pass protection scheme. Tunsil was my Number 1 Draft prospect in the Harris 100 back in 2016 and he's even better than I ever imagined years ago. His toughness shone last year as he dealt with an injured knee, but Tunsil powered through it day after day, game after game. He came up big as a captain should, getting himself ready to play on Sundays each and every week.
