Battle Red Blog
It is not only the schools that have summer break. The NFL offseason, which is quite a busy time for franchises, even when games aren’t being played, is about to enter its “Dead Zone”. However, before that time, we do have those series of OTAs and mini-camps. Happening over the last week of May/first week of June, this is a time for franchises to bring together established veterans, new free agents and rookies to provide coaches, executives and fans a chance to see what the team might have in the upcoming season.
A few observations/thoughts:
Limitations OTAs/Mini-Camps are not going to answer the two biggest offensive questions the Texans had coming into this offseason: What will the offensive line look like and what will CJ Stroud look like when he is back under center for real? Given that most of these sessions are not happening with pads, figuring out the offensive line will be a question tabled until the preseason at the earliest. Ideally, Houston can settle its offensive line rotation early, and if the injury gods can hold off, it might be a more stable unit to start 2026 than whatever that mess was that started 2025. As for CJ Stroud, the big questions about him won’t get settled until the games count for real. He will face no shortage of questions about his contract future and 2026 is shaping up to be a “prove-it” year. Stroud is likely angling for the bigger contract, one that Houston hasn’t likely offered. Too early to call it a distraction, but this subplot will be a big part of the team’s 2026-27 narrative.
Offseason workout warriors. While on-field play may be a bit limited, these camps do provide a sense of what players have been doing with their offseason workouts to this point. One player that caught some attention for what his body looked like in these camps was CB Derek Stingley Jr. He reported to OTAs with more noticeable muscle than last season, at least according to team insiders. In theory, a stronger, more powerful Stingley, who is already a 2-time All-Pro CB, is a scary thought for the NFL. Granted, you hope increased mass will not interfere with his man-coverage abilities. As for other Texans, well, if you’ve followed social media, you know that CJ Stroud has visited the gym a couple of times since that last game in New England.
Will Anderson Jr. Being Held out of OTA/Mini-Camp drills. Even in this contained environment, Anderson is still causing mayhem for offenses. Head Coach DeMeco Ryans made a point of saying how he had to hold Anderson out of OTA events as his was such a defensive force that the team couldn’t get anything done. Nice to hear that the money isn’t negatively impacting Anderson’s drive, but perhaps the offense will need to learn how to deal with a disruptive defensive presence as the season progresses.
For the TEs, the question is who steps up aside from Dalton Schultz. Controversial...
