Texans' revamped offense coming together heading into training camp

HOUSTON -- One of the main storylines for the Houston Texans this offseason has been how the offense will come together with new coordinator Nick Caley running the show.

With Caley, the Texans will have a different pass game, multiple rushing schemes that center on physicality and more running in between the tackles.

But before the coaching staff could bring that vision to life, Houston used the spring to figure out the strengths of the players and how those fit within the new offense.

"I think we're in the discovery process through Phase 2 [of the offseason program] when we get to work with them on the field," Caley said. "Get an opportunity to see the different skill sets, different routes, different schemes we can potentially deploy this year. So it's really an evolving process, and this is the time to really kind of put the rubber on the road and see what we can do and evolve from there."

The Texans are coming off a season in which they ranked 22nd in yards per game (319.7) and 19th in points per game (21.9). They also allowed 54 sacks; only two teams surrendered more.

Caley's style is a drastic contrast to former OC Bobby Slowik, and by the end of minicamp last month, players were starting to find new roles.

Progression hit a speed bump with quarterback C.J. Stroud not throwing for parts of the spring, but Stroud was back under center for mandatory minicamp taking first-team reps.

Stroud was rusty at times, but he also fired sharp throws down the field to veteran wideout Christian Kirk and rookie Jayden Higgins. The big-body receiver out of Iowa beat multiple cornerbacks in coverage throughout the spring -- including starting cornerback Kamari Lassiter.

The "slot demon" -- the name safety Calen Bullock has given Kirk -- also caught deep sideline passes from Stroud on the last day of minicamp.

Even though the top of the Texans' receiver hierarchy is already established with Nico Collins as the No. 1, the roles after Collins are open. The best way to step into the No. 2 or No. 3 role is building chemistry with Stroud, and Kirk looked like a potential safety blanket for the third-year signal-caller.

"[Stroud] has been awesome," Kirk said. "You can just tell by his presence in the locker room. Getting to know him in the facility and outside the facility and being able to spend some time with him. He is super humble, and he has had success over the past couple of years and it has been fun to watch. ... When it is time for us to start rolling, he is going to hop in and keep elevating us as an offense."

Up front, and probably most importantly, the roles on the offensive line were starting to sort themselves out for a completely revamped unit. The only locked-in starter role on the line belongs to the versatile Tytus Howard, who could play right tackle, left guard or right guard. Throughout the spring, Howard had reps at right tackle and right guard. There was shuffling at left tackle as Cam Robinson and rookie Aireontae Ersery rotated with the first team. At right tackle, they've rotated Ersery along with second-year tackle Blake Fisher and Zach Thomas.

Amidst the cross training for Ersery, he has impressed coach DeMeco Ryans, and there's belief that the second-round pick out of Minnesota could develop into a quality starter.

"I see Ersery, he's steadily gotten better at the things off the field, of finding his routine, and also on the field, just seeing his footwork, his pad leverage is getting better, it's improving," Ryans said. "So, I can't wait to see him actually put pads on and have to block [Danielle Hunter] and [Will Anderson Jr.], that's going to be a really good challenge for him. He gets to go up against two of the best pass rushers in the NFL, so he's only going to get better by going against those guys."

On the interior, it has mainly been left guard Laken Tomlinson taking most of the reps at that spot while Jarrett Patterson, Jake Andrews and Juice Scruggs battle at center.

It's early, but the revamped Texans offense is coming together, and training camp will be the first opportunity to see the next evolution of the group.