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The Houston Texans were the surprise team of the 2023 NFL season. First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans took this squad from worst to first in the AFC South and even defeated the 11-6 Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round for the franchise’s fifth-ever postseason win.
One of the main reasons why the Texans were so successful last year was because of their draft. With their first two selections, Houston took eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year in quarterback C.J. Stroud and the eventual Defensive Rookie of the Year in defensive end Will Anderson Jr. They both made immediate impacts, and now expectations in H-Town have skyrocketed.
This week, Anderson spoke with CBS Sports about Houston’s preparations for the 2024 season. Understand that the “Texans hype” didn’t die with their divisional-round loss to the Baltimore Ravens. General manager Nick Caserio kept it rolling afterwards with arguably the best offseason in the NFL.
Houston traded for wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon, then added several defensive starters in free agency such as pass rusher Danielle Hunter, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and versatile defensive lineman Denico Autry. Despite all of the new faces, Anderson said these players have fit right in during OTAs and minicamp.
“Man the vibes were high,” said Anderson. “All those guys got to come out there and be a part of what we have going on. Honestly, it’s so crazy, because sometimes when you get new guys the locker room is kinda like, ‘Eh, we don’t know.’ It just takes awhile. But when I tell you when they got in the locker room, it just felt like everybody had been on the team for about 10 years. The buzz in the locker room, the jokes in the locker room, everything like that. It was really beautiful to see.
“Then the chemistry on the field — C.J. to Diggs, me and Danielle, the linebackers — Azeez, having him he’s been a great addition, he’s…
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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/will-anderson-jr-discusses-the-texans-additions-heightened-expectations-and-what-he-will-improve-on-in-2024/
Author : Jordan Dajani
Publish date : 2024-06-08 14:22:25
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