Robert Woods sounds excited to be home.
Of course, everything is different with the Houston Texans for Woods. This will be his 11th NFL season and the fourth franchise that the USC product has played for in his career. It’ll be an entirely new coaching staff, new teammates, and a new quarterback for the veteran receiver has to learn how to play alongside and operate in.
Despite all that newness, however, Woods spoke as someone with a great deal of familiarity when taking the podium at organized team activities on Tuesday afternoon. He was asked early about what fueled his decision to come to Houston and was quick to compliment offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik as a reason:
WR Robert Woods on why Houston:
"Coach Slow, knowing the offense that he's coming from. Me, having some familiarity with it and trying to pick back up in an efficient offense… Just knowing what to expect with me and the coach"
Sounds excited for the scheme return #WeAreTexans
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) May 23, 2023
Said Woods: “I would say Coach, knowing the offense he’s coming from, me having familiarity with it, and then trying to just, like I said, pick back up in a good offense, efficient offense, having a young quarterback being able to pick it up and kind of just knowing what to expect, me and the Coach having the same expectations with the offense and me understanding it and just trying to get in that same rhythm and knowing how it works, knowing what plays could be made.”
Slowik will serve as one of the NFL’s youngest offensive coordinators in 2023 at just 35 years old but he comes highly regarded from San Francisco. The west coast scheme he’ll deploy for Houston is projected to be similar to the one used in San Francisco by his mentor Kyle Shanahan and from the same tree of thought as Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay.
Woods had the best seasons of his career in Los Angeles and had over 900 receiving yards and 85 catches in 2018, 2019 and the 2020 seasons. It’s a scheme that rewards the strong combination of route running and blocking that Woods brings to the table and he acknowledged that.
Robert Woods on Houston receivers operating in the new scheme:
"In this offense, receivers are asked to be a true playmakers and play everywhere on the field. I think that's what I bring. I'm able to block, able to catch, have good routes and good speed."#WeAreTexans
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) May 23, 2023
“In this offense receivers are asked to do a lot,” Woods said. “That’s obviously run crisp routes, make plays down the field, be able to take the ball for short catches, get a lot of yack, and make guys miss. Being able to get sweeps and being able to block D-ends. This offense, receivers, are asked to be a true playmaker and play everywhere on the field. That’s what I’m able to bring. I’m able to block, able to catch, good routes, have Good speed. Match up well against outside corners, nickel corners. That’s why being in this offense, being able to play all around, move all around, will help me and this offense.”
The veteran will be hoping for a bounce back campaign after the worst year of his career last season with the Tennessee Titans. Woods suffered from an offensive system that didn’t play to his strengths and consistently poor quarterback play from the rotating group under offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.
Houston seems to have all the ingredients that Woods might need to find a career renaissance in 2023. The relief to playing within his skillset combined with the quarterback play from second overall pick C.J. Stroud is a far friendlier situation that the one he faced last season.
There’s little competition in the receiver group for Woods and he’ll be asked not only to produce in a familiar way but also to tutor to young players such as Tank Dell, John Metchie and Nico Collins.
Stroud will need all the help that he can get to find success during his rookie season. Woods being back in a comfortable environment, and to be enthused about that situation, could play a huge role.
