Houston Texans 2022 NFL Training Camp Preview

Houston Texans 2022 NFL Training Camp Preview

Still a ways to go from being a playoff contender, the Houston Texans look to improve from its 2021 campaign — in which it went 4-13, tied for third worst in the NFL — with new head coach Lovie Smith at the helm. They have won four games in each of the last two seasons.

Three Position Battles to Watch: 

Running back: Marlon Mack and Rex Burkhead

The position battle I’m most interested in with the Texans is at running back. Burkhead led the backfield in touches last year with 147, including 122 carries for 427 yards and three touchdowns, tying a team high. The two backs behind him in carries — Mark Ingram and David Johnson — are no longer with the team, though it snatched 26-year-old Marlon Mack, who’s battled health issues over the last couple seasons after emerging in 2018-19, in free agency. I would slot in Mack as the favorite right now, but I’m guessing they split the load to preserve Mack’s health. Burkhead’s also had plenty of history of working alongside multiple tailbacks, dating back to his days in New England.

Tight end: Brevin Jordan and Pharaoh Brown

A total of four receptions separated Houston’s tight ends — Jordan Akins (24), Pharaoh Brown (23) and Brevin Jordan (20) — in 2021, though Brown received a majority of the snap share. Akins signed with the Giants in April, leaving Jordan and Brown to fight it out for the starting job. Jordan, a 2021 fifth-round selection, was limited to nine games and was a good receiving tight end in college, while Brown said he was going to be an All-Pro in 2022 — intrigue!

Free Safety: Jalen Pitre and M.J. Stewart

Rookie safety Jalen Pitre has reportedly impressed new head coach Lovie Smith over the offseason, which always helps! He will likely be competing with M.J. Stewart, who agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with Houston in March after recording 47 tackles in Cleveland last year. I’m expecting either to start alongside starter Eric Murray, who totaled 76 tackles with four pass breakups and one pick last season. 

Ready to Breakout: Davis Mills

Is it crazy to say Davis Mills? Is it?!? It might be a little. But I won’t lie, I was pretty impressed with what I saw from the rookie last season, all things considered. He completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in nine starts. The team might be bad enough to where it won’t matter, but I won’t be surprised to see a stronger year from Mills with a better supporting cast at the skill positions. 

Rookie to Watch: Derek Stingley Jr.

For the most part, I think it’s fair to say that Vendetta is pretty pro-Stingley. I am, too. The No. 3 overall pick was excellent as a freshman in 2019 at LSU, but injuries prevented him from sustaining that success in 2020-21, which led to plenty of pre-draft speculation surrounding Stingley and where he should be picked. Should he be healthy, Stingley could be the next-best shutdown corner in this league and the lynchpin that Houston builds their defense around. With the league trending towards a pass-heavy, aerial attack, he’s a good piece to add. 

Derek Stingley Is The Best Player In The 2022 NFL Draft

Fantasy Sleeper: John Metchie III

Brandin Cooks is going to receive a large bulk of the targets. That’s a given. But I wouldn’t be surprised if rookie John Metchie III establishes himself as a somewhat lethal vertical threat and one of the Texans’ top targets in 2022. Recovering from his ACL injury that he suffered in the SEC Championship will be the only big roadblock, but I still expect Metchie to be a good slot receiver that can move around the offense to create mismatches against smaller defensive backs. 

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