3 observations following the Houston Texans minicamp

The Houston Texans have finished minicamp and while we have some ideas about where this team is headed, we still have some lingering questions about this team. The Texans have overhauled much of their team this offseason. With a clear focus on improving the defensive line and secondary, the club has overhauled both areas. In doing so, the team has signed impressive talent like Danielle Hunter and interesting prospects like Kamari Lassiteer.

Their arrival may make things more interesting, but now the defensive end and cornerback spots seem overcrowded. As is the wide receiver position, which has received a huge influx in the form of Stefon Diggs. His arrival will certainly complicate things at the position, and if minicamp was any indication, things could be a little iffy moving forward.

So here are three observations we saw from the minicamp that will play out during the remainder of the offseason.

The arrival of Lassiter and the jump in performance with Derek Stingley Jr. has many fans wondering if we have found a new pair of cornerbacks for the future of the franchise. Lassiter has had a major minicamp, but that’s just the first step in a multi-step process to determine if he’ll be a starter for this club. He has a lot of names to compete with, although Jeff Okudah may not be one of them for much longer. The former Detroit Lions and former third overall pick has struggled so far and it’s possible he won’t be with the team for long.

I think it’s fair to say that no position on the Houston Texans roster is as deep or as talented as the wide receiver room. Looking at the chart, you see Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins, both number one caliber guys. Then you have Tank Dell, who is in line for a major season. Then you end up with four guys who are all going to be fighting for the same spots. Noah Brown, John Metchie, Ben Skowronek and Robert Woods will all battle for two spots. If we’re being generous, there will likely be six wide receivers on the team to start the season.

The top three, Diggs, Collins and Dell, will likely make the team. Next, we’ll have to go with dark horse Xavier Hutchinson, who the Texans recently drafted. That means Brown, Metchie, Skowronek and Woods are competing for two spots. In theory. At least two of these names are likely to be removed and whichever it is, it will end up being quite surprising.

It’s fair to say that Azeez Al-Shaair already has a good handle on strategy. This isn’t surprising since he already played once under Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans. The two worked together in San Francisco and much of Ryans’ terminology seems to come from his time with the 49ers. Al-Shaair is therefore already doing well. However, how he plays is anyone’s guess. The entire unit has been redone, with emphasis on two recent draft picks; Christian Harris and Henry To’oto’o. If these two young men continue to develop, this group of linebackers could be better than last year, which will be a daunting task to accomplish. After all, Blake Cashman is arguably the best linebacker and most consistent tackler on the team. Losing him was a big blow but it is clear that there is hope among the youth.