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Houston Texans minicamp: 11 observations you need to know about from Day 1

Texans Will Anderson, CJ Stroud
Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images
2 undeniable x-factors that will determine success for Texans prized rookie

The Houston Texans had their first mandatory minicamp practice of the offseason. Here are 11 observations from the practice.

1. C.J. Stroud had an up-and-down day. There was nothing horrible about his day but Stroud had some bad moments. The bad moments were often followed by an impressive play or two. There’s plenty to dig into from this practice for a rookie quarterback.

2. C.J. Stroud’s worst moment of the day was on a rollout. The naked bootleg had Stroud with a roll to his left, but the throw left plenty to be desired. Stroud threw it to nowhere and nobody.

3. The previous play was bad, but the next one was the throw of the day. Stroud hit Nico Collins down the sideline for a big play. The pass was perfectly placed to beat the coverage of the defense. Collins hauled it in and went out of bounds. Fantastic stuff from the rookie quarterback.

4. Noah Brown dropped a pass out of the slot that would have been a big play. The coverage was there, but it hit Brown in the hands and he didn’t come up with it. Later, Brown came over and dapped up C.J. Stroud, who had thrown the ball, and the two had a discussion in what can be assumed about the offense and that play.

5. Brevin Jordan dropped a touchdown pass in 7-on-7 work that C.J. Stroud threaded perfectly. Another rep in the red zone 7-on-7 drill saw Stroud find rookie running back Xazavian Valladay for a touchdown. Stroud had checked it down to shortly before the end zone and Valladay took it in.

6. C.J. Stroud threw the best ball to the back corner of the end zone. His pass in that 7-on-7 set was better than Davis Mills and Case Keenum.

7. Davis Mills outperformed C.J. Stroud in the 7-on-7 drills in the red zone. Mills had a nice day, but I wouldn’t categorically say it is for sure better than C.J. Stroud’s day. Both quarterbacks led “game-winning drives” in the two-minute drill near the end of the practice.

8. Will Anderson was a menace. Well, as much of a menace as you can be when it is no pads at minicamp. Anderson flashed the suddenness and speed you would expect from him. One play saw him dart into the backfield for what would have been a tackle for a loss. There was another play where he was held but would have had a sack. It’s no pads, and it wasn’t the team’s top linemen he was beating, but wins are wins.

9. The secondary is going to be interesting and fun to watch this season. There are deep options at the corner spot and Jalen Pitre is still all over the field. Derek Stingley looks like he’s competing for Mr. Universe. He looks like a million bucks, and nobody really challenges him. Eric Murray lined up where the absent Jimmie Ward would likely line up. The secondary is one of the stronger parts of the team.

10. The linebacker room is intriguing. Christian Kirksey is larger than almost all the backers and his long-term fit is unclear with some free agent additions in the room. Sleek and lean is how I would describe a lot of the linebackers, maybe venturing into the small territory. Henry To’oTo’o was barking orders, but his size disadvantage is clear. Christian Harris will be fun to watch this season.

11. The tight end room is something to monitor. We know about veteran Dalton Schultz, he will obviously be on the team and contributing a ton. Second-year tight end Teagan Quitoriano has leaned out a lot compared to how he looked last season. His athleticism is easy to see. Brevin Jordan might be in a fight to keep his spot, but I couldn’t tell you for sure who would take it. Andrew Beck is the hybrid player for the team. Part tight end, part fullback. Beck is constantly chatting and talking with the other tight ends about plays and the results of plays.

BONUS OBSERVATIONS!

C.J. Stroud might as well be tied to quarterback coach Jerrod Johnson’s hip. The two are constantly next to each other and talking.

Dameon Pierce was absent from practice as he was sick.

No clear reason for the absences of offensive lineman Kenyon Green and safety Jimmie Ward.

Tank Dell dropped a punt. He is small. You knew that, but he is jarringly small and skinny compared to his peers.

The weirdest number on a player is cornerback Shaquill Griffin wearing number 16.

Devin Singletary dropped a touchdown pass in 7-on-7 work.

Jalen Pitre had what would have been a sack in a live rep when he blitzed C.J. Stroud.

Ka’imi Fairbairn nailed his two field goals at the end of the practice.

DeMeco Ryans is fun to watch at practice. He is so excited and constantly smiling. He’s very vocal too.

Both Cal McNair and J.J. Watt offered the first question to Mark Berman today in their media availabilities. Berman, of course, finished a legendary media career yesterday.

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Will Christian Walker turn things around in the second half? Composite Getty Image.

The Astros returned from the All-Star break facing two pivotal turning points: a season-defining road series in Seattle and an increasingly hard-to-ignore situation at first base. And while their draft-day gamble on high school slugger Xavier Neyens speaks to long-term optimism, the questions swirling around Christian Walker feel far more immediate.

Houston’s decision to select Neyens 21st overall was a surprise to some, not because of his talent, but because of the organization's pressing need for bats in the upper minors. Still, those inside the draft room saw too much upside to pass on.

Considering the Astros reluctance to sign players long-term, he might be the Jeremy Peña or Isaac Paredes replacement down the road if Cam Smith stays in right field. The bat speed is elite, and the belief is he’ll grow into real power.

Neyens, a 6-foot-4 shortstop projected to possibly shift to third base, may someday be a middle-of-the-lineup anchor. But in the near term, it’s Houston’s lack of middle-of-the-lineup production at first base that casts a shadow over their playoff push.

Walker, acquired in hopes of stabilizing the position after José Abreu’s departure, has not delivered. He’s hitting .229 with a .660 OPS and has already been dropped to seventh in the lineup. With the Astros quietly monitoring alternatives, Jon Singleton, yes, that Jon Singleton, has reemerged as a name worth watching. The left-handed slugger has already hit four homers in 16 games for Sugar Land, posting an .850 OPS. That’s not nothing, even if his career numbers don’t scream long-term fix. In a more typical scenario, the Astros could implement a platoon at first base. But Walker is actually hitting worse against left-handed pitching (.180).

Unless Singleton forces their hand by continuing to look like Babe Ruth in Sugar Land, they’ll likely keep riding with Walker. But the leash is shorter than it was.

The Astros cut ties with Abreu just 1.5 seasons into a 3-year contract. A similar timeline isn’t out of the question for Walker if things don’t turn around. Especially with free agency and trade deadlines presenting chances for Dana Brown to build in contingency plans.

In the meantime, Houston’s most important series of the season so far gets underway this Friday in Seattle, where the Mariners enter just five games back after bludgeoning the Tigers heading into the break. The Astros’ lead, once seven games, feels less secure with Yordan Alvarez, Peña, and Jake Meyers all still sidelined.

The good news: the Astros lead MLB in strikeouts and WHIP, and are TOP 5 in ERA. Their OPS over the past month is second in the league. The concern: Hunter Brown has been shaky in back-to-back starts, and the back of the rotation is a patchwork of question marks.

The Astros apparently have similar concerns about Brown, opting to give him more rest coming out of the All-Star break. He won't be pitching against the Mariners. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart is reporting that the Astros will start Brandon Walter on Friday, Lance McCullers on Saturday, and Framber Valdez on Sunday.

 

Big picture

A sweep in either direction would shift the momentum dramatically. But even a closely contested series could reveal more about where this roster stands, and whether first base remains a tolerated flaw or becomes an active problem.

For now, the Astros are winning enough to keep the conversation quiet. But the noise is building. And if Walker can’t find another gear soon, first base might again become a defining storyline for a team trying to hold off a charge in the West.

There's so much more to get to! 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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