Four days into Houston Texans training camp, it’s pretty clear that DeMeco Ryans is being slightly more judicious and methodical in ramping his team up this preseason. Four practices in, the practices have all seemed shorter than normal, and they have yet to put pads on. Hell, they had a nearly unheard of INDOOR practice on Friday.
The lack of pads has not tamped down the intensity. I don’t think this team has an OFF switch for energy and vibes, particularly on defense, and the reality is that the pads will go on Monday morning, so there will be hitting! It’ll be training camp-style, “THUD” hitting, where avoiding going to the ground is a must, but there will be pads cracking, and we love that.
Four practices in, the storylines are beginning to take shape. Here are four takeaways that I have from the first four practices. I’ve attended all four from beginning to end:
4. C.J. Stroud has handled camp just fine, thus far
The most encouraging thing about out this summer’s training camp is that, thus far, the 11-on-11 “team” periods have been far more competitive than they were a season ago. Last year, the Texans were installing a new offense, and trying to install a new offense against THIS defense is like trying to install a swimming pool in a yard full of coked up hyenas. The offense, this summer, is punching back, and much of that success stems from Stroud’s grasp of Nick Caley’s offense in Year 2. Additionally, when Stroud was asked about his lack of a contract extension this offseason, he handled the questions gracefully and in a way that should have Texans fans rooting for him to get a new, reasonable deal from the Texans.
3. Keylan Rutledge looks like the right pick, thus far
Rutledge, of course, was the team’s first round pick in last spring’s draft. After playing guard throughout college at Middle Tennessee and Georgia Tech, Rutledge has been getting some work at center during camp. For what it’s worth, at Saturday’s practice, he was exclusively playing guard. Either way, Rutledge has lived up to his billing in the physicality department, and early on is tracking to be on the field in some capacity, guard or center, in Week 1. He will be one of the most interesting players to watch once pads go on.
2. Tank Dell is the most popular player in the midst of a two year hiatus that I’ve ever seen
When the Texans released the list of players with injury designations the day before camp started, it was exciting to see that Dell’s name was NOT on the list. Unfortunately, that didn’t necessarily mean he would be practicing. (As it turns out, the team wants him to do walk through, so he couldn’t do that if he was on the PUP list.) Thus, in the meantime, we have to settle for just seeing Tank Dell work off to the side. I will say this — no player got a louder cheer from the fans in attendance on Saturday than Tank Dell. If anything, his injury might have made him even more popular than he already was fully healthy, because he is such a sympathetic and likable figure. I can only imagine the roar of the crowd when he scores his first touchdown this season.
- This defense….. my God, this defense
The scary thing for the rest of the National Football League is that the Houston Texans return every important piece of their league-best defense from last season. The scarier thing for the rest of the NFL is that practically every relevant, high level piece of that defense is signed on for at least TWO more seasons, through 2027 and beyond. The scariest thing for the rest of the NFL is that the Texans actually improved what scant weaknesses this defense had in 2026, signing safety Reed Blankenship and drafting defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. Suffice it to say, the Texans’ defense in 2026? SCARY!
