NEW-LOOK DEFENSE
It sure sounds like Jadeveon Clowney is a good fit for DeMeco's defense
May 24, 2023, 3:23 pm
DeMeco laid out what he looks for in a defensive lineman. Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images.
The Houston Texans are all in on the future. That includes on offense, defense and everything else in between under head coach DeMeco Ryans.
“It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. Whatever happened here, doesn’t matter,” Ryans told reporters on Tuesday. “We are starting brand new right now, and we will create our own path. We will set our own path. That is what it will be about. It will be about the 2023 Texans.”
When it comes to the Texans’ defense, which is the calling card for Houston’s new head coach, there is a brand-new sense of enthusiasm revolving around the unit.
“A lot of familiar faces but I would just say new energy,” said second-year safety Jalen Pitre when asked about the difference in the defense this year. “There [are] a couple new faces and obviously we have a new coach and defensive staff, so I would just say new energy.”
Since taking the reins of the Texans, Ryans has reiterated his vision for the characteristics he is looking for in players on the team. Ryans repeated that message this week when he focused on a specific position group.
“[For the] defensive line we want guys who are explosive, guys who are physical, guys who can set the edge, guys who can get after the quarterback,” Ryans said. “That is what we are looking for.”
Ryans was also asked about a potential reunion with the 2014 No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. The defensive lineman was drafted by the Texans and later traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2019. Clowney recently appeared to open the door at a potential reunion.
Clowney played just one season with the Seahawks before spending another season in Tennessee with the Titans and has spent the previous two with the Cleveland Browns. He had nine sacks in 14 games for the Browns in 2021. The former South Carolina Gamecock played in 12 games for Cleveland last season and only had two sacks.
Ryans left the door open on Tuesday, but he was as vague as a head coach tends to be when asked directly about Clowney.
“We will always look at any players that can help us win, so we will explore all options,” Ryans said.
Clowney is definitely a defensive lineman that can set an edge, be physical and chase after the quarterback. He would also add more depth and competition among the group for Houston, but only time will tell if Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio choose to bring him back.
For now, Houston is excited about its current core of players. Ryans said Pitre and 2022 No. 3 overall pick Derek Stingley Jr. fit any defense because they are both playmakers and instinctive.
“They like to play with their hair on fire,” Ryans said.
That was the phrase of the day on Tuesday. Pitre used the same words to describe both safety Jimmie Ward and 2023 No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson Jr. when asked about them.
With voluntary organized team activities in full swing, the Texans are looking to flip the page on the past few seasons and write a new chapter in the franchise’s 21-year history.
“It feels like it is fresh air, just a great time to be in Houston,” Pitre said. “You know we are trying to bring that feeling back and trying to just continue to stack days and get better. We are not really trying to look forward to anything but we are trying to take it one day at a time and continue to improve on a day-to-day basis.”
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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