Houston Texans minicamp 2024: News, quotes, highlights and observations

Jayson Braddock

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Houston Texans minicamp 2024: News, quotes, highlights and observations image

The Houston Texans opened minicamp this week following organized team activities this past week.

Tuesday’s session provided another opportunity to see who was practicing, who was away from the team, how players played in drills and the latest thoughts from head coach DeMeco Ryans and three key offensive players following the practice.

It was also the first opportunity for the media to speak with Stefon Diggs since his trade from the Bills to the Texans earlier this offseason.

Here are some notes, quotes and videos from the day’s events.

Houston Texans minicamp 2024: News, quotes, highlights and observations

Who returned to practice?

The key appearance at the beginning of practice was offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil arriving in the same cart as running back Joe Mixon. While Tunsil did not practice, Mixon dressed and participated in the practice.

Linebacker Henry To’oTo’o also returned to the practice on Tuesday and participated in stretching. He wasn't in several drills. He may have been missed or easied back into stretching and light work.

Defensive linemen Denico Autry and Pheldarius Payne, along with safety M.J. Stewart were dressed for the session but didn’t practice with the team. 

Andrew Beck and Kendrick Green were each recently spotted at a past practice but neither participated. Today, neither was spotted as they both missed the on-field period.

TEXANS 2024 SEASON: Full schedule | Predictions | Primetime games | 53-man roster predictions

Who didn’t practice?

  • LT Laremy Tunsil
  • RT Tytus Howard
  • OG LaDarius Henderson
  • C/G Kendrick Green
  • FB Andrew Beck
  • WR Noah Brown
  • WR Jaxon Janke
  • DE Ali Gaye
  • DT Folorunso Fatukasi 
  • DE Dylan Horton
  • DT Khalil Davis
  • DT Pheldarius Payne
  • CB Kris Boyd
  • S M.J. Stewart
  • CB D’Angelo Ross

Top Texans highlights from minicamp

Derek Stingley Jr.’s pass breakup

In one of the drills on the day, Stroud stepped in at quarterback with cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. matched up on receiver Stefon Diggs. The veteran Diggs planted hard and darted outside as Stingley mirrored the plant-and-go to stay in reach of Diggs. Stingley closes and gets the pass breakup.

Stroud’s ball location allowed Stingley Jr. to make the breakup with Diggs, but it was great coverage regardless. Stroud is still getting acclimated with Diggs. By Week 1 of the season, he’ll be locked in with how Diggs comes out of routes and will throw with anticipation and precise ball location.

MORE: Every NFL team's best offseason move in 2024, from signing Danielle Hunter to drafting Jayden Daniels

C.J. Henderson’s interception

Cornerback C.J. Henderson was in coverage against receiver Xavier Hutchinson when quarterback Davis Mills made a poor pass attempt. Henderson provided a cushion, dropped and read Mills the entire play. 

Mills tossed the attempt short and back inside. You’d like to see Hutchinson make a better attempt at separating the corner and ball, especially with the general manager a few feet away and watching intently. However, playing safety isn’t Hutchinson’s job and the turnover is fully on Mills’ shoulder. That said, I wouldn’t get too carried away with one play. 

As far as Henderson, it’s great to see him do exactly what they’re hoping he can do a lot of this year. He’ll be asked to use his speed to stay close to receivers and length to either secure PBUs or INTs. It’s a promising sign, especially without the benefit of a pass rush. 

Top Texans quotes from minicamp

WR John Metchie III

Stroud praised Metchie in a pre-draft press conference this year. Today, not only did Stroud do so again but so did DeMeco Ryans and Tank Dell. The offseason work has paid dividends as Stroud already seems on the same page with Metchie III.

Metchie III has overcome so much in his short career. It’s good to see him flying around, consistently, each practice. He seems to do everything full speed and with excitement. From a distance, he’s practiced this offseason like a man who went blind but is now able to see, again.

The full-speed practices and passion that’s displayed by the third-year receiver look like that of a man who doesn’t take a play, a day or anything else for granted. He’s looking to do everything 100%, every play and thankful to be able to do so.

On Metchie, Stroud had this to say Tuesday: “As y'all can see, he’s running some of the best routes I’ve ever seen. His lateral quickness, his ability to start and stop.” When a quarterback that has played with receivers the caliber that Stroud has in college and the pros, says a guy is running some of the best routes he’s seen, you take note. He’s been heaping praise on Metchie, all offseason. I’d listen to him. 

When Dell spoke, he was asked about the adversity that he and Metchie had faced and if he was able to lean on him in his recovery process. He responded by saying, “Yeah, Metchie, that's my guy. Me and Metchie close. Me, Metchie and C.J. for sure,  we all have like deep talks.”

Dell would expand on Metchie, saying, “Like what he went through, life is bigger than ball, but this is what we want to do for sure but like when he had his experience with cancer and things like that, he was just telling me that it opened his eyes way more and when I just had that experience and it opened my eyes, like, if I want to go where I want to go, I got to cut things out of my life, so, I can achieve what I want to do.”

MORE: Texans offensive position grades post-2024 NFL Draft 

He finished his comments on Metchie by speaking on what his friend has been doing on the field. “He’s been doing great, I know you guys have been watching but he’s been putting a lot of work in, he’s ready to rock, he’s ready to roll. He’s smiling every day, funny, he's ready to go to work.”

DeMeco Ryans and Tank Dell on Stroud

When Ryans spoke with the media he was asked about Stroud’s growth.

“Seeing him today and the offense wasn’t doing that great and to see him just stop in, try to bring all the guys together, settle them all down," Ryans said. "From Year 1 to Year 2 you didn’t see that last year from C.J. and that’s what you love to see from your quarterback.”

Dell also spoke on Stroud’s development as more of a leader in 2024.

“He definitely stepped into that leadership role way more than he did last year," Dell said. "Last year, don’t get me wrong, he was a great leader, but now you can see it, like, any miscues at practice he’s on us.”

The endorsements of Stroud are to be expected but it’s still great to hear the actual accounting of the growth on a daily basis. These weren’t rhetorical responses about a guy developing. These were specific areas, as recent as today, in which he’s proved he’s ready for more. Ryans stated it perfectly, that is what you want to see from the second-year, franchise quarterback.

C.J. Stroud on himself

Stroud talked about his own growth in Year 2 and control of the offense.

“It’s night and day," he said. "Really I feel like I’m running the show. I’ve got a lot more responsibility to from Slow [offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik], from DeMeco, from Jerrod [quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson], Bill, really our whole offensive staff. I’m the captain of the ship.”

Stroud then went on to self-scout saying, “From last year to this year, I’ve gotten a lot better by controlling my emotions, controlling my ball placement, knowing what’s 'NFL open,' knowing my footwork better.”

He finished by giving praise to his coach for preparing him in practice: “The other side of the ball, everything slowed down, seeing coverage. DeMeco does a good job of blitzing me, working on different coverages or different looks.”

Stroud gave some examples of Ryans mixing it up on him in practice: “Start two high, go to one, go back to two. Motion like it’s man, go to cover-two, all that stuff to keep me true and honest.”

Stroud seems at ease with the expectations and has been doing everything in Year 2 to ensure that he’s not the reason that they come up short this season. After what he showed as a rookie, it’s scary to imagine what Stroud could do in the upgraded 2024 version of the offense with him another year better. 

Quick notes

  • RB Dameon Pierce looks quicker
  • LB Jordan Phillips is slim but the movement skills shine
  • C/G Juice Scruggs has looked good & drew praise from Ryans
  • Ryans pointed out WRs Metchie, Hutchinson & Jared Wayne
  • WR Jaxon Janke hasn't been seen at practices, although his twin brother Jadon has been there daily
  • WR Noah Brown was mentioned as someone Stroud looks forward to see returning to practices as he too, hasn't been present, yet
  • QB Davis Mills sticks out among the three backups when throwing the far out off of playaction as it pops
  • S Jalen Pitre continues to see a lot of slot work but not exclusively
  • CB Kamari Lassiter to date has continued to take outside reps
  • S Calen Bullock has been behind Ward, Murray & Pitre (nickel)

Other top plays from the day

Jayson Braddock

Jayson Braddock Photo

Jayson Braddock has been covering the Houston Texans since 2009. He previously worked in Houston sports radio at SportsTalk 790 and ESPN 97.5, along with co-hosting on SiriusXM Fantasy. Braddock graduated from the Sports Management Worldwide “Football GM & Scouting” course back in 2009, which was led by former NFL personnel man, John Wooten and former NFL scout Russ Lande. Since leaving the course, Jayson has been evaluating college prospects and NFL talent for different media companies, including RotoExperts, Scout and DrRoto to name a few.