STOOTS ON TEXANS
11 observations you need to know about from Houston Texans minicamp
Jun 14, 2022, 2:03 pm
Laremy Tunsil finally made an appearance. Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images.
The Houston Texans had one of their last official workouts before the summer break on Tuesday. Here are 11 observations from the practice.
1. Laremy Tunsil made his return to the team after missing the optional team activities this offseason. Tunsil, who had his contract reworked this offseason, was the only player to not workout ahead of mandatory reporting. His attendance gave the Texans 100 percent reporting for mandatory workouts.
2. I have been critical of Tunsil's choice to be absent from workouts this offseason. There is a new offensive system, new offensive line coaches, and a couple of new faces in new places along the offensive line. That being said, any concern about Tunsil physically was put to bed almost immediately. He looks to be in fantastic shape, appearing leaner than I remember. There were a few instances where Tunsil was on the move blocking, and he looked smooth. Tunsil clearly put in a lot of work even though he wasn't working out with the team. Davis Mills praised his knowledge of the playbook.
3. Watching the battle between the two tackles, Tunsil and Tytus Howard, and the edge rushers was fun. The tackles had more wins, but there were some hard reps between Jerry Hughes and Tytus Howard. Obo Okoronkwo won a hard rep against Tunsil forcing the quarterback off his spot.
4. Derek Stingley Jr. practiced a little more than he did in the previous open workouts. He did more walkthroughs and some position drills. He still is not participating in 1-on-1, 7-on-7, or team drills.
5. The concern for Stingley, Kenyon Green, and even John Metchie III dissipated post-practice. Lovie Smith said he expects Stingley and Green to be "full speed ready to go" for training camp, which starts next month. All of the players coming back from injury are where the Texans expected them to be, even Metchie. Smith said the team should be pretty close to 100 percent.
6. Nico Collins was one of the highlights of this workout. Collins and quarterback Davis Mills connected on a fun red zone score where Collins beat his man quick off the line and Mills lasered in a low and away throw to Collins. Touchdown. Collins seems to have added some muscle to his frame ahead of his second year in the NFL.
7. Until John Metchie is back, all the rest of the wideout spots are a battle. Chris Moore was here last year and had a nice corner catch for a score in drills. Phillip Dorsett could see some time on the field with Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins. Nobody has really separated themselves from the top two wideouts though.
8. The Texans will run the ball better this season. They really can't get worse, let's be honest. Expect to see a few runs behind the fullback, which Lovie Smith decreed would have a spot in the offense. The best back from the limited time we have been able to see workouts has been Marlon Mack, but Rex Burkhead shouldn't be discounted as a factor to start and play a lot.
9. Dameon Pierce had a two-play stretch where you saw his rookie status and potential flash. In the first play, Pierce caught the ball out of the backfield with a little effort and darted inside right to where defenders were waiting. He had the sideline and probably could've scored. In the very next play, he showed great vision and burst as he danced through an opening for a touchdown. There are plenty of good plays, but still some teachable moments.
10. Tavierre Thomas had a solid finish to his season last year and has flown under the radar as one of the better slot corners in the NFL. Thomas intercepted Kyle Allen for a pick six in practice.
11. The Texans have long been over-committed to kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn. The end of a two-minute drill saw Fairbairn miss a field goal. The organization would do well to push the veteran kicker, who has not lived up to his contract extension.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have 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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