The Texans may have let Tyrann Mathieu walk and replaced his starting spot with free agent Tashaun Gipson. They both play the same position but that's where Gipson wants to make clear the similarities end.

"I'm big on everybody is different," he said. "What he brought to the table, I respect his game. I truly do...I'm a different guy."

Gipson is indeed. Mathieu is infamous for his back and forth's on Twitter with fans and media. Gipson made it clear he doesn't have Twitter. The former Jaguars defender wanted to be clear he isn't coming to Houston to be compared to the current Chiefs defensive back.

"I might not be as rah-rah or as vocal as he is about certain things," Gipson said. "Certain things might push his buttons different than mine. The biggest thing is I don't want anybody to compare me to him, especially with things that the naked eye can't see."

One of the things that is easy to see is Gipson's success against tight ends in his career. He promises more of the same with the Texans.

"Obviously, we're just getting our feet wet and we haven't cemented a role, but just know the best tight ends that are coming into NRG (Stadium), I'm going to put the clamps on them."

Gipson on Justin Reid: "Oh man, the first thing that you realize is that he's definitely a smart guy. I sit next to him in the meetings and I try to pick his brain. Other people had said he's almost too smart. He's a guy who knows everything."

On the team welcoming him: "Obviously, they don't know anything about me besides the stuff they've heard about me or seen whether we watch crossover film and things of that (nature), but I think the one thing I can say about here – and I'm not one to compare – but, it's just a bunch of guys that just want to have fun, go out there, play football and win games. I was accepted with open arms. It's a little different. A lot of teams have guys with egos and things like that."

On playing in Texas where he now lives: "Just being home, I'm a Texas boy. I love the state of Texas. I love the offseason. I love coming home, so for me to be able to be back here in my home state of Texas, I'm three hours up the street. My house is literally three hours and 10 minutes. I GPSed it, trust me. It's three hours and 10 minutes, so for me to just be straight up 45, I can't express how excited I am about this opportunity. You have no idea. I'm going to give this organization everything I got."

"I'm excited. My son is my protégé. He's a good football player. If you haven't checked out my Instagram, you might need to. He's that nice."

He wasn't lying.

Kalil aiming to prove worth and health

The Texans signed oft-injured left tackle Matt Kalil this offseason. He represents a bargain option for the offensive line that struggled last season. Kalil has played in just 30 of the 48 possible regular season games the past three seasons. He's aiming, on his only year of his contract, to prove he still belongs in the NFL.

"I kind of like being on a one-year deal," he said. "I think you learn a lot about yourself when your back's against the wall. All the cards are against you, but at the same time here, I've put good film on tape. It's always been everyone always knows what kind of player I can be."

Kalil said he believed in the Texans to take care of his body and get the most out of him this season.

"I feel like here, with everything they have going with their weight lifting, their sport science side of it, their training staff – kind of all that accumulated together, I think, it was going to keep me healthy and get the results that I want on the field."

Watt's Fun Offseason

J.J. Watt was thrilled to be healthy this offseason. The first time he has had an healthy offseason in three years.

He's also been hanging out this summer with his brothers Derek Watt, the Chargers fullback, and T.J. Watt, the Steelers outside linebacker.