It is not only the schools that have summer break. The NFL offseason, which is quite a busy time for franchises, even when games aren’t being played, is about to enter its “Dead Zone”. However, before that time, we do have those series of OTAs and mini-camps. Happening over the last week of May/first week of June, this is a time for franchises to bring together established veterans, new free agents and rookies to provide coaches, executives and fans a chance to see what the team might have in the upcoming
season.
A few observations/thoughts:
Limitations OTAs/Mini-Camps are not going to answer the two biggest offensive questions the Texans had coming into this offseason: What will the offensive line look like and what will CJ Stroud look like when he is back under center for real? Given that most of these sessions are not happening with pads, figuring out the offensive line will be a question tabled until the preseason at the earliest. Ideally, Houston can settle its offensive line rotation early, and if the injury gods can hold off, it might be a more stable unit to start 2026 than whatever that mess was that started 2025. As for CJ Stroud, the big questions about him won’t get settled until the games count for real. He will face no shortage of questions about his contract future and 2026 is shaping up to be a “prove-it” year. Stroud is likely angling for the bigger contract, one that Houston hasn’t likely offered. Too early to call it a distraction, but this subplot will be a big part of the team’s 2026-27 narrative.
Offseason workout warriors. While on-field play may be a bit limited, these camps do provide a sense of what players have been doing with their offseason workouts to this point. One player that caught some attention for what his body looked like in these camps was CB Derek Stingley Jr. He reported to OTAs with more noticeable muscle than last season, at least according to team insiders. In theory, a stronger, more powerful Stingley, who is already a 2-time All-Pro CB, is a scary thought for the NFL. Granted, you hope increased mass will not interfere with his man-coverage abilities. As for other Texans, well, if you’ve followed social media, you know that CJ Stroud has visited the gym a couple of times since that last game in New England.
Will Anderson Jr. Being Held out of OTA/Mini-Camp drills. Even in this contained environment, Anderson is still causing mayhem for offenses. Head Coach DeMeco Ryans made a point of saying how he had to hold Anderson out of OTA events as his was such a defensive force that the team couldn’t get anything done. Nice to hear that the money isn’t negatively impacting Anderson’s drive, but perhaps the offense will need to learn how to deal with a disruptive defensive presence as the season progresses.
For the TEs, the question is who steps up aside from Dalton Schultz. Controversial draft pick Marlin Klein figures to be on the roster for the season, but what of the others? Cade Stover played a TE/FB hybrid role, but he ended the year injured, although he was out catching passes during the drills. There are some other players hoping to make the roster when training camp breaks, such as Foster Moreau and Layne Pryor. The wild card: Brevin Jordan. Trying to come back after effectively missing the last two seasons, Jordan, if fully healthy, can be the type of TE that can stretch the middle of the field. While the team is being judicious with his OTA participation, reports are that he is playing well.
Job opening at LB. EJ Speed’s quad injury is a setback. Latest reports indicate that he is not expected back this season. In one respect, this may not the death knell for this defense. While a base 4-3 defense, the Texans did employ a 4-2-5 look quite often last season, with Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o manning the two LB spots in that setup. Given the strength of the Texans’ secondary right now, a 4-2-5 base is a logical setup. However, against run-heavy teams, Houston will need to play in that 4-3 base a bit more often. Also, Speed provided critical depth for the defense and special teams. It is not great that Speed is out. However, this will be a great opportunity for various free agent/rookie players to try to get on the main roster and secure playing time.
Injuries at OTAs/Mini-Camps: To date, the injury gods have not asked for any major tribute from the Texans during these sessions. Speed’s injury came before this time. Arguably, they are getting their fill across down with the Astros. Still, Houston is being cautious with key personnel. We’ve already discussed Jordan, and Tank Dell, while present, has not participated in the drills, as the team is looking to ease him back into the fold. Given the stakes, but also the top-heavy nature of the roster, injury prevention/mitigation is going to be a huge ask for the squad leading up to the season.
Negativity…not really: It will be hard to find any real negative talk about the team during OTAs. Even insiders like John McClain will mostly highlight positive news. Discussions about players, schemes, offensive line actions…all have received the thumbs-up vote of confidence. Then again, you don’t get a lot of negative news out of the team during these sessions, outside of contract issues, injuries or personal/off-field matters. Yes, you have the Stroud contract question, which could turn a bit negative as the year progresses. Any WR Diva stemming from reports during the NFL seems quelled after Nico Collins got a restructured contract. If any of the players interviewed come out and say during the OTAs/Mini-Camps that some aspect of the team already sucks [KITTEN], that will be the first.
Provided there is no other drama that emerges, the team will depart these sessions and move into the summer break, all while gearing up for the preseason, which will be upon us soon enough.
