The Texans are now halfway through their offseason workouts.
Ryans honored: The accolades keep rolling in for DeMeco Ryans. Tuesday, the star middle linebacker found out that the Alabama Sports Writers Association voted him their Pro Athlete of the Year for 2006.
"It's a great accomplishment to be recognized as the top athlete in the state of Alabama," Ryans said. "That is a huge accomplishment for me and it just shows that I represent a lot of people back in Alabama. Even though I'm not there, I still represent a lot of things there."
After being named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year among other honors, Ryans' trophy case would already be pretty full as he enters his second season in the NFL…if he had one.
"My mom just has them at the house scattered," Ryans said of his awards. "There are so many of them I don't try to keep up with them."
Even with all the attention Ryans has received for his stellar rookie campaign in 2006, he still has not lost his perspective of what is most important to him.
"I have another year ahead of me and we just have to do bigger and better things this year as a team if we plan on getting to the playoffs and the championship, which is the goal of every team."
A new OC: With the departure of Troy Calhoun to the Air Force Academy, the Texans will have their fourth offensive coordinator in the last three seasons when the 2007 campaign begins.
Typically that would create at least a little turmoil in the offensive scheme, but that's not the case for the Texans. Gary Kubiak's fingerprints are still all over the offense and Houston's new offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman, knows plenty of football too.
Kubiak for one, thinks that the transition to Sherman to run the offense has been a smooth one.
"It's been great," he said. "It's very challenging for me because Sherm's got a tremendous mind. We have kind of moved on. What we tried to do this offseason is take my style and some of his style from Green Bay and we tried to tie the two together."
And the two styles are not that dissimilar.
"We've both been down the same avenue as far as our teaching in this league," Kubiak said. "We both grew up under the West Coast system. We both have strayed from it a little bit so we're tying to come together as one and do what our team can do best."
"He's so challenged as a coach and the job he's doing with the group is special. I tell those offensive coaches everyday, for them to get to work with that guy everyday is something. You can just tell the whole group is working very well together."
The best player on offense thinks the move has gone well too.
"He pretty much worked with the (offensive line) last year and he was pretty much with them the whole time," Andre Johnson said. "This year is my first chance really getting to work with him. Everyone is excited about it and he's excited, so we're just ready to get to work."
More PT for Anderson: One position where the Texans added some depth this offseason was linebacker. There are certainly many key new faces that could see time playing with Ryans this fall, but one backer who could be increasing his role on the team is a guy that was drafted by the Texans in 2004.
Kubiak said Wednesday that he likes what he's seeing from Charlie Anderson this offseason.
"Charlie has kind of upped his level a little bit," Kubiak said. "And what I mean is he's doing a good job at the linebacker position, he's in a battle with Shantee (Orr) for that job and with Danny (Clark) and those guys.
"But he's working as a pass rusher too. What that tells you is he's comfortable with what he's doing defensive line wise and now he can expand a little bit in what he's doing as a player. I see his role increasing for the team."
Adams to visit: Defensive tackle Sam Adams will be in Houston Wednesday visiting with Texans officials. Adams is a three-time Pro Bowl selection, but remains uncommitted for the 2007 season.
"We're just going to visit with him and see where he is as a person and as a player in his career," Kubiak told reporters Wednesday. "Sam's a hometown kid, he went to Cy Creek. Sherm and I know Sam from our A&M coaching days. We'll see where he's at and see what he's thinking and see if it might be a fit for our team, we'll see."
Injury update: Danny Clark watched from the sideline Wednesday with a slight strain in his hamstring. The injury is not considered serious.
