The Houston Texans are coming off a 10-7 season. They did so after posting a 3-13-1 record a couple of seasons ago. Rookie quarterback CJ Stroud and first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans played integral roles in the team turning things around.
Because of the turnaround, the Texans decided to go all in on building a Super Bowl-contending roster while Stroud is on his rookie contract. In doing so, the Texans have brought in additional star talents, some of which are veterans to help this team take yet another leap.
One player the team brought in is defensive lineman Denico Autry. The veteran defender has spent time during his career lined up both in the middle and on the end. It's unclear where he will be playing for the Texans this upcoming season, but he'll be ready either way.
“Just put the ball down,” Autry said. “I just want to play ball. It don’t matter.”
Evidently, Autry's versatility is a plus for the team. It's proven he's capable of playing any which way in the trenches, and the team can utilize his services no matter the position.
Not only is he a versatile talent, but he's a veteran player who has been around the league. That'll be valuable in the locker room as the team will face adversity in search of a deep playoff run. Ryans understands that as the team works through the offseason in preparation for training camp.
"With the leadership for me it's - leadership is about everyone. You want a good mix of guys, you want veteran guys where the rookies can talk to those guys. But I also, for me, the rookies can lead too," Ryans explained of Autry's addition as a leader.
It is a team effort, and leadership does come as a group. But it's got to start somewhere. Autry can come in and set the tone as a leader -- both with his words and actions. His willingness to play anywhere on the defensive line is a great example of him being a leader early on.
"It's just a matter with all those guys, just connecting and how tight can they become as a group," Ryans continued. "And our D-line group, that's a world of its own and they have a really good bond in that room. Coach Rod [Wright] and Coach Nate [Ollie] have done a really good job with the group and I'm excited to see how they continue to build that bond coming back for training camp."
The Texans winning games early and proving to be a contending team will make things easier in terms of making this group feel connected. They'll be backing up a potentially elite offense, too. It should be a fun football season in Houston.
This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.
