The Houston Texans expect second-round pick Kamari Lassiter to be a fixture of the secondary during his rookie season, but his home remains a mystery.
Will the Georgia product start in the nickel like most expect?
Will he transition to the boundary full-time like he did after his freshman campaign in Athens?
All that will be determined down the line, but at least Lassiter is carving out first-team reps to close out voluntary OTAs.
During 7-on-7 drills, Lassiter worked the starts opposite Derek Stingley Jr. on the boundary. He broke up a pass intended for second-year starter Tank Dell and looked fluid when asked to cover Noah Brown and Robert Woods.
The hope is Lassiter will remain a staple throughout his Texans’ tenure. If he starts on the outside, perhaps that leads to a shift down for safety Jimmie Ward or Jalen Pitre should third-round pick Calen Bullock prove to be ready for full-time snaps.
But Lassiter has competition on the outside. Houston added former first-rounders C.J. Henderson and Jeff Okudah due to their success in man coverage.
Albeit Houston is their third stop in five seasons, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans assured both former top 10 picks that arriving in his defense would serve as a clean state.
Just because it’s a fresh start does not mean Ryans will send either player out with the starters come Week 1 on the road against the Indianapolis Colts. Consistency in practice warrants starting reps on gameday, as evident by Dell’s emergence starting in Week 3’s win over Jacksonville.
Defensive coordinator Matt Burke likes how Lassiter’s position versatility can open up the unit depending on matchups. He’s not ready to decide what best fits the former All-SEC corner yet, so getting him exposure in both spots feels like a no-brainer.
“A little bit is going to be how much he can absorb,” Burke said Thursday following practice. “He’s just a really smart football player and grasps things pretty well.”
