The 2020 Texans still haven't assembled in person, but that hasn't prevented them from communicating in a productive way.
Since April 27, the team has been meeting in a virtual setting to get prepared for the season. Via Zoom, Discord, Kahoot and some other methods of talking, the Texans have conducted their offseason program online. According to tight end Jordan Akins, there's "been a lot of communication", and the screen time together has proven to be fruitful.
"The meetings have been going well, as far as learning," Akins said. "As far as communicating and getting on one accord on that level, it's been going well."
Akins is entering his third season with the team, and said quarterback Deshaun Watson has been good about "building relationships" with new teammates who've been added via free agency, trades, and the Draft.
"The offense, you have to have relationships," Akins said. "Especially with D4 (Watson). Me and him are interacting a lot. He's interacting with the wide receivers as well. It's great because some questions we have, whether it's coverage, or whether it's about our offense, or our opponents, we've been preparing the best way that we can."
And it's been a full house, in terms of the team getting together to learn new wrinkles on offense, defense and special teams.
"Everyone's been participating," Akins said. "No one's not been participating."
General manager and head coach Bill O'Brien echoed Akins, and is enthused about what he's seen through the first couple weeks of the virtual offseason.
"The players have been great," O'Brien said. "We've been able to Zoom, we've been able to use Discord and we've been able to use Kahoot, which is a testing mechanism, which has been great. We've had 100 percent attendance. Our players have all been on these calls and our coaches have been excited."
While O'Brien, Akins and the rest of the Texans would prefer to be together in person, they're making the most of their time together online.
"We can't wait to get back to work, get back out on the practice field and get going, but this time of the year has been very productive for us," O'Brien said.
The Texans will wrap up their virtual offseason program at the end of the week.
