The Houston Texans have just been getting their feet wet through the motions of this year's training camp stint, but so far, a few notable names have already gone on to impress head coach DeMeco Ryans.
Among those impressive faces on the roster has been Texans' star edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., who comes off his first Pro Bowl selection last season, entering the 2025 campaign with eyes set on a breakout potentially underway.
And based on the latest comments from Ryans at Texans' camp, it appears Anderson's drive to make that next jump in his development next season has been virtually unmatched.
“Will [Anderson] has done a really good job of taking his game to the next level when it comes to his pass rush," Ryans said at Texans camp. "I haven’t seen a person more dialed in when it comes to what moves he’s trying to execute.”
While Houston and the rest of the league still sit a few days deep into camp, Anderson Jr. hasn't been shy of making a positive initial impression on the coaching staff so far. While he was one of the better young pass rushers the league had to offer heading into this year as-is, the Texans' star has made it clear himself and through his coaches that he wants to elevate his game to the next level.
Earlier in camp, Anderson Jr. himself dove into some of the improvements he's been fine-tuning over recent months, seemingly centered upon refining the little things.
“For me, it is just like when I am on the block using my hands better, getting off blocks, my escape when I am rushing the passer, am I reaching with position on the quarterback, can I get some strip sacks? Stuff like that, those are the things I want to work on this offseason. Really just getting precise at those things and taking my game to the next level.”
During his last season in the fold for the Texans, Anderson Jr. finished with 11 total sacks and 37 combined tackles through 14 games alongside Danielle Hunter on Houston's front seven, and now, he seems primed to take those numbers up a notch.
It's a massive year three for Anderson Jr. in Houston. Time will tell if he can meet the mark on those high expectations once the season officially kicks off in September.
Texans GM Dishes Honest Take on Team's Secondary
Among the biggest strengths on this Houston Texans roster for the 2025 season resides within this team's secondary, emerging on paper as one of the more talented groups the league has to offer.
At corner, the Texans have one of the best talents at the position in Derek Stingley, paired along with second-year Kamari Lassiter fresh off a strong rookie campaign. At safety, Houston has both Calen Bullock and offseason addition C.J. Gardner-Johnson locked in, filing in next to Jalen Pitre at the nickel spot.
Overall, it appears a stellar position for the Texans to land in concerning their pass defense and coverage within the back-end. And in the mind of general manager Nick Caserio, he seems to be confident in what Houston's been able to put together across the past few months.
During a recent interview on the Pat McAfee Show, Caserio broke down the state of the Texans' secondary heading into the 2025 season, crediting his group as being both "interesting" and "highly competitive."
“It's an interesting group," Caserio said, "They’re highly, highly competitive. They’re very salty. And they really don’t say a lot. They kinda just show up & work. [Jalen] Pitre's that way. [Kamari] Lassiter's that way. I don't think [Derek] Stingley has said 15 words since he's been here as a rookie. But, they kind of let their play do the talking. [Calen] Bullock's kind of the same way... They're all kind of younger players, and when you add [C.J Gardner-Johnson] to that mix, it's just kind of an interesting group that we've pieced together.”
"It's a pretty good blend of some younger players that we feel continue to ascend, and then some experienced players. Ultimately, the big thing defensively is just trying to take the ball away, trying to prevent big plays, and just getting to the ball with reckless abandon, because that's what DeMeco preaches to the defense, and we have a lot of guys that fit that profile."
Being a dominant force in the turnover battle, being aggressive and violent on the defensive end, and having a mix of young and experienced stars seem to be the strategy the Texans have in place for both their secondary and the defense as a whole. And by looking at the roster, Houston has the personnel in place to accomplish just that.
The tools are in the building for the Texans' secondary to rise amongst the top of the league, and with a steady, elite defensive mind like DeMeco Ryans running the show, Houston could have the perfect storm to create havoc for opposing passing offenses.
