*At the conclusion of June's minicamp, HoustonTexans.com huddled with the team's position coaches to get their respective thoughts on the projected starters. This is the fourth 'Coaches Commentary' in a series of articles that will go through the roster, position by position.
Tight ends coach Brian Pariani heads into the 2013 campaign with Pro Bowler Owen Daniels as the returning starter. The 2012 season saw Daniels finish with 716 receiving yards and six touchdowns. In all, he caught 62 passes and proved to be a reliable option in the passing game yet again. What follows is Pariani's evaluation of Daniels:
TE Owen DanielsSelected to 2013 Pro BowlAveraged 11.5 yards/catch in 2012
"With O.D., he's coming back, he's healthy. We're looking forward to a good season. He was very productive last year and went to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career which is a huge accomplishment.
His biggest strength is that he can make plays after the catch with the yards after catch ratio which is usually pretty high for him. One of the things he's excited about is the running game. I think that he will continue to be part of that and see Arian (Foster) continue to lead the league in rushing. That's something that's very important to him and all the guys in position to improve the season.
He's always been a very conscientious person, very detailed in understanding the game of football. Each year you see he tries to master his craft. He's very meticulous, and that's why he's lasted in the league. It's exciting to see him play. He wants to win a championship."
