The Houston Texans are attempting to complete the rebuild, but some of their units still need work.
According to Dalton Wasserman from Pro Football Focus, the Texans’ linebacking corps ranks No. 26 overall in their latest evaluation of all such units across the NFL.
Unsurprisingly, the Texans finished last season with the lowest-graded linebackers in the league. Their struggles were a primary reason why Houston finished with a league-low 34.1 run-defense grade as a team. They’ve at least added some respectable players in free agency in an attempt to fortify the unit.
Denzel Perryman is the best player of the bunch when he’s healthy. The 30-year-old has had several solid seasons but has only once played at least 600 snaps. Cory Littleton enters the fold after posting a 72.2 overall grade last season, his best mark since 2019. Littleton will get a chance to start following his year of part-time work in Carolina. At his best, he is an athletic player with a knack for making plays in coverage.
While the Texans have stable veterans with Perryman, Littleton, and Christian Kirksey, Houston also has some talented youngsters who have untapped potential.
Christian Harris enters his second season after collecting the fifth-most tackles on the team with 74. The Texans took Harris’ college teammate in fifth-rounder Henry To’oTo’o from Alabama. Garret Wallow prepares for his third year and could vie for considerable playing time.
Whether the Texans go with a veteran, younger, or mixed blend in their linebacking unit, the organization has committed resources to being better than No. 26 over the course of 2023.
