HOUSTON — Organized team activities looked different for the Houston Texans this spring, with coach DeMeco Ryans dialing back intensity and emphasizing being “smarter,” including more walk-through reps, according to ESPN.
Despite entering Year 4 as the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. practiced with a ferocity more typical of a player chasing a new deal than one who just signed one. Ryans joked that Anderson might have to be held out at times “because we have to be able to actually practice,” adding, “He just keeps wrecking practice,” according to ESPN.
Anderson acknowledged the significance of the contract but said the money will not alter his approach. “[The deal] obviously means being one of the top dogs in this league,” he told ESPN, crediting his preparation and consistent process for his rise.
Last season Anderson was a centerpiece of a defense that allowed the second-fewest points (17.4 per game) and the fewest yards (277.2), according to ESPN. He recorded 12 sacks (tied for eighth in the NFL) and 20 tackles for loss (tied for fourth). Among defenders with at least 150 run-defense snaps, Anderson ranked seventh in run stop rate (12.6%), third in run stuff (13) and second in pressures (85), according to Next Gen Stats. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, who set the single-season sack record with 23, according to ESPN.
Anderson described the new contract as the “fruit shown of everything,” including consistency off the field, and cited his faith as part of his routine. “I’m really big in my faith,” he said, according to ESPN.
The Texans are not dwelling on past accomplishments, remaining focused on a goal of reaching the Super Bowl after three seasons that ended in the divisional round. Anderson told teammates that confidence is key, prompting everyone in his meeting to raise their hands when asked if they believed the roster is a Super Bowl-caliber group, according to ESPN. “I look at this team, and we’ve got Super Bowl-caliber players all over the field,” he said, according to ESPN.
