When the Houston Texans drafted Tytus Howard in Round 1 of the 2019 NFL draft, there was an expectation the Alabama State tackle would protect quarterback Deshaun Watson’s blindside.
However, through three days of training camp, Howard has played on the interior of the line, left guard specifically, and it is helping him adjust to the speed of the NFL.
“Playing inside, I feel like it’s going to help me out, get me adjusted to the game speed with someone on each and every side,” Howard told reporters Saturday at Methodist Training Center. “[Offensive line coach Mike Devlin] feels like I’m pretty good to play there. So, I just want to go out each and every day, work at left guard and just play the best ball I can play.”
The strategy of the Texans is to teach versatility among the offensive linemen and then determine the best five-man group to block up front. The ability to demonstrate versatility is what Howard knows he must accomplish before locking down any specific position.
“Really, I’m just going out each and every day trying to do what coaches want me to do,” said Howard. “I want to be versatile. I feel like being versatile helps the team in the long run. I just want to everything I can to win.”
The Texans have experimented with the versatility with 2018 third-round tackle Martinas Rankin. When right tackle Seantrel Henderson went down with an ankle injury in Week 1, the club kicked Rankin to left tackle and Julién Davenport to right. Near the end of the season, Houston played Rankin at guard with Davenport at left tackle and Kendall Lamm at right.
Howard doesn’t care; he wants to help the Texans protect quarterback Deshaun Watson, open running lanes for running back Lamar Miller, and win.
Said Howard: “All I care about is just going out and playing the position my coach puts me in. Just going hard in that one position, and when they tell me to switch to another position, I’m going to give them all in that next position.”
The former Alabama State Hornet knows position flex all too well. Coming out of Monroe County High School in Alabama, Howard was a quarterback who then played tight end initially for the Hornets. Later, he transitioned to offensive tackle. It is the position flex throughout his secondary years that prepare him to be versatile with Houston.
“Going through all of that just helped me with life, period, just taking on challenges and just not giving up and giving your all and what you’ve got to do,” Howard said. “I take that to the field every day and try to get better.”
