Top five things to watch at Texans OTA practices
· Yahoo Sports
So, what do Houston Texans fans need to see by the end of OTAs later next month to feel confident in their roster heading into the 2026 season?
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Organized team activities begin on Tuesday for Houston, so things will certainly kick it up a notch in the second stage of offseason workouts. This will also mark the first time Houston will have players from both free agency and the draft working against each other, as well as the first time it will be able to run drills with meaning.
No, nothing needs to be set in stone, but any promising growth could be a sign of what's to come in the regular season. Take for instance, last year, when rookie tackle Tay Ersery looked like one of the better linemen and earned the starting left tackle job, though initially he won the starting job at right tackle.
Two years ago, defensive backs Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter looked like standouts, setting a baseline for what would later become Pro Bowl careers.
So, what should fans want to find out about entering June? Here's the top five things Texans Wire will be watching for from the sidelines.
Who is the starting center?
Four offensive linemen's spots are locked up entering training camp. Ersery isn't in jeopardy of losing his starting left tackle position after starting 16 games last season. With Tytus Howard being traded, Ed Ingram is locked up at right guard. And with the signings of Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith, the left guard and right tackle spots, respectively, are secured until further notice.
All that means is the center role will become a battle between first-round pick Keylan Rutledge and veteran Jake Andrews. Rutledge, who played right guard throughout his time at Georgia Tech, took some snaps at center during the Senior Bowl, which should be considered a key asset as to why he could be earning first-team reps. If Andrews looks stronger during drills, the good news for Rultedge is that he'll offer position flexibility, a key reason as to why the AFC South franchise was willing to move up to draft him in Round 1.
It might be an uphill battle for Rutledge, especially since he's never played center in an actual game. But Andrews looks to be the weak link in the trenches. Houston can't afford in Year 2 of Nick Caley's offense to have a weakness in the trenches.
What's the status of WR Tank Dell
At some point, Dell has to see the field if fans are going to believe that he'll be an impactful option in the passing game. We're over 14 months removed from the former speedster's freak knee injury, which resulted in him undergoing multiple surgeries and missing the entire 2025 season.
Everyone would love to see C.J. Stroud and Dell build off their 2023 success, but he has to get back on the field and show off the speed. That's not all. Houston drafted Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins in the first three rounds of the entire 2025 draft and has goals of getting them more involved in Year 2. The Texans also have Xavier Hutchinson, Nico Collins and rookie Lewis Bond all looking to make the field.
Noel will be the top name to watch since he offers a similar skill set to that of Dell. Both are known for their route-running ability, catch radius and speed. More than anything. Noel has been healthy and well adjusted to Caley's offense, so he might even have an upper hand to see more reps from the jump.
Dell is the type of player who can take the top off the defense and make it a house call at any moment. That's the plus. The negative? It's been more than a year since he’s played.
So, what are the Texans getting in Dell? Are fans even going to see him run drills?
Who is LB3?
E.J. Speed suffered a partially torn quadriceps injury that required surgery and now will miss at least five months of action. There's a decent chance he'll return at some point during the year, but the Texans must go into the season with the intent of finding a No. 3 backer behind Pro Bowler Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o.
Houston has options waiting in the wings that understand DeMeco Ryans' defense. Jamal Hill and Jake Hansen are going on Year 3 in the defense, plus Houston traded for Marte Mapu and signed special teams ace Jake Hummel from the Baltimore Ravens. Mapu was a former starter with the New England Patriots as a weakside backer, so he could be a plug-and-play option.
In reality, fans want to see if rookies Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher can be something. Both have multiple years of starting experience during their time at Clemson and Indiana, and can play different positions at the second level. Woodaz, a former starting safety, is better in coverage and has upside on special teams, but Fisher was one of college football's most consistent tacklers.
Houston would love to have two young options with the potential of being plug-and-play contributors from the second the season begins, but Woodaz and Fisher will have to earn their spots on the staff. That starts with making an impact at OTAs.
So, what's next for C.J. Stroud?
Until a deal gets done, fans will speculate if Stroud is the long-term option at QB1. It's somewhat warranted, mainly because of the seven interceptions from the playoffs suffered back in January. Even if he former Offensive Rookie of the Year cut that in half, Houston likely would have been playing in its first Super Bowl.
Everyone in the building, including Ryans, general manager Nick Caserio and CEO Cal McNair, has praised Stroud's ability to put last postseason in the past and build upon his success this offseason. The former No. 2 overall pick has spent the offseason nearly working out every day while changing his physique, hairstyle and approach to offseason workouts.
The Texans have also done everything possible to make Stroud feel comfortable in Caley's offense, including rebuilding the offensive line and fixing the run game with the addition of Detroit Lions Pro Bowler David Montgomery. All the additions, at least on paper, seem to be built to thrive in the offensive approach under Caley's play-calling, meaning Stroud struggles, it might be on him and not the play-caller.
Yes, the Texans are committed to Stroud and that's not changing going into the year. But for a deal to get done to make Stroud the face of the offense for years to come, the Pro Bowler has to prove the errors that cost Houston a chance at the Super Bowl are left in the past.
You can't lose the offseason by having a bad OTA session, but you certainly can elevate the hype surrounding a player with a strong outing.
How different is Nick Caley's offense in Year 2?
By all accounts for a first-time play-caller, Caley was fine for the Texans. He helped Houston secure a 12-win campaign and made sure the team stayed consistent when Stroud missed three games because of a concussion.
But Caley was brought in to enhance the offensive play design that would mirror that of Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams. Instead, it was more of evident of his time in New England under Bill Belichick, though it was missing a key assest of a solid run game.
So, what will look different in Year 2 with a cast of new talent?
Houston added in Rutledge, Smith and Teller because they thrived in run blocking, a key proponent of the success for the Rams. The Texans netted Montgomery because he was exceptional in the red zone, which has been a weak point for Houston since 2020. Los Angeles killed it with tight end play in 12 and 13-personnel looks, so Houston went out and brought in blocking tight end Foster Moreau and drafted Michigan's Marlin Klein.
Will they all hit the ground running and bring a new feel to the offense? Can the young guns hold their own with veterans, or will everything come down to crash and burn?
Caley survived Year 1 because of the 12 wins, but he's got to prove that the play-calling and offensive design will look different. Can it be by the end of OTA and mini camp?
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Top five things to watch at Texans OTA practices