HOUSTON — If you put the first five days of Houston Texans training camp into a regular season game perspective, the first quarter would be complete.
On Monday, the players were finally in pads, and it was a welcome sight, especially to players like rookie defensive end Will Anderson.
“Oh, it felt great,” said Anderson. “That’s one of the things I’ve been waiting for. I know we don’t go pads a lot in the NFL, but just to get that feeling again and just to hit somebody and fly around and jump up and down, it was fun.”
Here are a few takeaways from the first five days of camp.
C.J. Stroud's struggles not concerning
The last few days have not been friendly to the rookie quarterback. The former Heisman Trophy candidate has had back-to-back days with interceptions (two on Monday), including a pick-six by second-year cornerback Derek Stingley who broke on a pass intended for wide receiver Nico Collins.
Combining the turnovers with some questionable decision-making would have the average fan wondering if the Texans should give Mills another chance to prove he is worthy of starting at the position.
Yet, individuals who have watched and studied the game know that the rookie is experiencing what all rookies do in their first training camp and will adjust as time goes on.
“Of course, you have a multitude of things; I can’t just pinpoint one thing,” Stroud told reporters about adjusting to training camp. “It’s probably everything. Just trying to get better at calling plays in the huddle, operation, cadence, drops, footwork, eyes — having the right eyes and the right feet. My feet [are] tied to my eyes, so really everything. It’s been an adjustment, and I just feel like I’m just getting better and better.”
Proving he has "the Juice"
Rookie offensive lineman Frederick “Juice” Scruggs is doing everything he can to prove to the Texans that they made the right decision by drafting him with the 62nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The former Penn State Nittany Lions, who was voted a team captain in his last season at Happy Valley, is putting together consistent days in camp, which is catching the eye of coach DeMeco Ryans.
“Juice [Scruggs] has been a guy who we’ve moved around inside, and that’s one thing that we liked about him coming out of college was his versatility,” Ryans answered when asked about Scruggs getting reps with the second and third team. “Being able to play any spot in that interior, whether it’s guard or center, he’s done a lot for us.”
“Very smart guy, picked up on the offense well, and he’s a guy I highlighted in our team meeting yesterday just because of the deliberate technique he had on a run block and being exactly where he needed to be with his hand placement, his footwork. It was fun to see. It was great that everybody could see how good of a job he’s doing in the run game.”
Stingley settling in
Second-year cornerback Derek Stingley is on a mission to prove a point this year. Not to the fans and media members who criticized him in his rookie year but to himself and his teammates that he does belong in this league despite what the naysayers believe.
Last season he was placed in a defensive system that relied heavily on zone coverage, which hindered him since he thrives off man-to-man coverage. Being assigned to guard a space wasn’t conducive to his skill set, and former coach Lovie Smith, known for his Tampa 2 style defense, was not changing.
The Texans fired Smith at the end of the season, and during their coaching search, they needed to bring in a coach who would help Stingley regain that tenacity and play style that made him an All-American at LSU. Insert former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.
“I’m doing everything, so I feel like I’m around the ball a lot more,” said second-year CB Derek Stingley Jr. about how this defensive scheme fits his skill set. #Texans #Sarge @TheTexansWire pic.twitter.com/7ZMgYoRQnr
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) August 1, 2023
Stingley has shined in just five practices in a Ryans-led defense, causing Texans quarterbacks and wide receivers to make sure that throwing his way is the right decision.
On Monday, his pick-six on rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud was just a glimpse of what he can do when healthy. It also brought a smile to the face of Ryans.
“I love the way Stingley has been practicing these five days of training camp,” Ryans said to reporters on Monday. “He’s going after it every play, and his adjustment — I think you’ll see him in more one-on-one opportunities. As you saw today, he made a big-time play for us there. It’s that every day.
“It’s just that working and really challenging yourself, training yourself mentally and physically every snap, and that’s what I’m seeing from Stingley. I’m seeing the strain, and I’m seeing him improve to get better based on how he’s training in practice. Every rep is an important rep to him, and he’s showing that to his teammates.”
