The Houston Texans backfield underwent big changes this offseason, particularly with the addition of Tyrann Mathieu in free agency. The sixth-year safety is just days away from his first training camp as a Texan, but already has an idea of what he wants to bring on defense.

"Just a lot of energy," Mathieu said Monday at a community event. "I want to create an atmosphere where making plays and celebrating plays and celebrating my teammates' plays, I want to make that normal. We want to have fun out there and obviously, we'll get some guys back. It will be fun playing with some legends. It will be a lot of competition, that's for sure."

With J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus both returning from season-ending injuries, Mathieu hopes to bolster an already-talented Texans defense. During his career in Arizona, Mathieu displayed his versatility and physicality by playing multiple spots on the field. Under defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, Mathieu will be now be primarily focused on playing safety and excelling in his new role.

"I'm just trying to do my part," Mathieu said. "Obviously, put my hand in the pile, help this team win. You know, bring some energy, bring some excitement. Like I said, I'm extremely excited to be back down south. it's going to be fun."

In 2017, Mathieu recorded 74 tackles , four quarterback hits, six tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defensed and one forced fumble in 16 starts and an NFL-high 1,263 snaps.

Houston Texans Training Camp presented by XFINITY will begin on Thursday, July 26 in West Virginia. The camp will open at The Greenbrier for the second year in a row and will continue in Houston following the Texans' first preseason game at the Kansas City Chiefs.