The final week of voluntary workouts got underway
11 observations from Texans OTAs
Jun 4, 2019, 3:46 pm
Photo by Edward Clarke
These are the 11 observations you need to know from the third week of the Texans OTA workouts.
Undrafted wideout battle
#Texans back at it with OTA workouts. Some WR work here. pic.twitter.com/LYePcb4Aew
— Cody Stoots (@Cody_Stoots) June 4, 2019
Tyron Johnson from Oklahoma State and Johnnie Dixon from Ohio State are fun to watch for different reasons. They both have a legit shot at the last wideout spot and are kind of fighting each other for it and kind of not. Texans wide receiver coach John Perry mentioned Johnson can play both outside spots while Dixon can work inside and outside.
They both have had their moments so far in camp. If I had to say one was ahead of the other I would look to Dixon being slightly ahead of Johnson due to the inside-outside ability. Johnson might have more eventual upside due to his height and physicality. They have been a fun watch.
The toughest tight end matchup on the Texans
Jordan Thomas won almost every rep against every type of defender he went against today in the passing drills. Thomas looks worlds different than last year from a movement standpoint. He's fluid and physical and his routes look a lot more solid. I am not sure there will be many defenders who can cover him without some trouble.
If his blocking is improved, he will be on the field a ton for the Texans. While he isn't the most experienced tight end currently on the roster he seems to be the most complete from a total production potential. He will be a fun watch this year if they development continues.
The "other" Jordan
Jordan Akins looks smooth. Texans tight ends coach Will Lawing said it is fun to coach a room with so many players with different talents and styles. Akins is another player who has done a lot to improve his body in the time from year one to year two.
Akins is very athletic, this isn't a surprise, but his receiving skills have smoothed out compared to last season's work. While he doesn't present a huge physical mismatch like Thomas does he won't be an easy cover for linebackers or safeties however teams decide to defend him. It will be interesting see the different ways Bill O'Brien uses him.
Watson whipping it around
Deshaun Watson was tossing darts around the field. A couple of throws didn't go the offense's way in one drill and responded by drilling a laser to three different receivers. He has had a lot of solid throws in the workouts and plenty of them as responses to a poor play or play made by the defense.
It will be awesome to see Watson work with the full offense. The passing potential of this group is very high and Watson having a real offseason, instead of one filled with rehab, will be huge for him.
Long way to go, but something to show
Jermaine Kelly is an interesting player to watch going forward. Last week Bill O'Brien mentioned he is basically a rookie after missing his whole first year with an injury. Well today, he made a veteran play that had the defense going wild.
Kelly made an athletic leap in front of a wideout near the sideline snagging an interception. The defense went wild celebrating the big play mobbing Kelly and even treating it as a regular season interception with some players running to the end zone to pose for the camera. The energy level was high for the defense after that. Kelly also had some nice work against Vyncint Smith in a couple of drills. He has a lot to work on but is a name to watch heading into training camp.
Tytus' timeline
Tytus Howard continues to work into various roles with the team. He had one rep today, again not live and without pads, where he stymied a rusher with pure technique and footwork. It was impressive and rusher eventually just gave up. He wasn't afraid to get physical, as physical as the drills allow, either. He had a nicer day than some of the other tackles. I don't know if he has shown that he is better or worse at any given position. There is a lot more to evaluate in joint practices and preseason with him.
Get used to Watson to Coutee
The more work Watson and Keke Coutee get the better. Remember how good Wes Welker was for Bill O'Brien's offense in New England? I am not saying that is Watson and Coutee but this is easily the best QB-slot WR combo the Texans have ever had. With Watson's mobility Coutee is never going to be out of a play.
The next thing the offense needs to work with on Coutee is getting him deep from the slot. At Texas Tech, he was one of the best in the nation at attacking the middle of the field deep. There is hope with the chemistry he and Watson are building they can soon add that to the offense.
Peter Kalambayi continues to impress
Peter Kalambayi is a load for offensive linemen to handle. The defenders are always a little more physical in these drills and that worked to his advantage but the linebacker is a player to watch going into camp and the season. He has flashed some coverage ability as well as the talent to rush the passer.
He blew up one play today that would have resulted in a live rep sack. If he can carry this over to camp and even the season the Texans have a nice young player to provide depth at linebacker and play on special teams.
Catch of the day: Vyncint Smith
The catch of the day was an absolute beauty. Smith cooked the defense, was a few steps clear, and perfectly caught the over-the-shoulder pass. He is a totally different guy than the wide-eyed rookie from Limestone. Anyone challenging him for his roster spot will have a tall mountain to climb.
Backup slinging it
A.J. McCarron has a short memory. A couple of bad plays in a row didn't bother him as he hit a dime across the field down the sideline to move the offense in a drill. He isn't afraid to take a big shot downfield and try to make a play. This is a good development for the wideouts trying to make an impression as they will end up working with McCarron a lot during camp.
No (K)ompetition here
Ka'imi Fairbairn nailed his opportunities kicking on Tuesday. He made the most field goals in the league last year missing just five total. Hopefully the Texans won't have to call on him as much this year but if they do you can feel confident in John Christian Ka'iminoeauloameka'ikeokekumupa'a "Ka'imi" Fairbairn.
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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