Denzel Perryman is the cunning veteran entering his ninth season. Henry To’oTo’o is the fifth-round rookie. Learning should be a one-way street.
However, the linebacker duo actually has been helping one another adapt to new coach DeMeco Ryans’ scheme throughout Houston Texans training camp.
“We’re both learning from each other, man,” Perryman told reporters Aug. 4. “That’s what I can say, and I’m just doing what the older guys did when I first got into the league.”
When Perryman entered the league with the San Diego Chargers as a 2015 second-round pick, inside linebackers Manti Te’o and Kavell Conner along with outside linebacker Melvin Ingram helped the rookie adapt to defensive coordinator John Pagano’s 3-4 scheme. Perryman finished with 73 combined tackles — third-most on the team — through 14 games, nine of which he started.
Perryman is showing To’oTo’o the pro game, but the former Alabama product is demonstrating a proficiency in adaptation.
Said Perryman: “I’d say they’re not rookies, man. This new wave of kids — I call them kids now because I’m a little older now — but just the new wave, man, just the generation, man. It just felt different. It felt different in general.”
Given great defense is a team effort, the Texans are hopeful such shared learning will help Houston turn around their fortunes in 2023.
