ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Tytus Howard kick stepped into his blocking stance at the line of scrimmage while matched against one of the more formidable defensive ends in the game.
Howard mirrored the footwork of Detroit Lions star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, building a wall between himself and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud during a joint practice Thursday morning
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When Hutchinson attempted a spin move and turned his back on Howard, the Texans' right offensive tackle delivered a powerful shove. Right guard Ed Ingram capitalized on the sudden vulnerability of Hutchinson to send the former second overall pick, Pro Bowl selection and Lombardi Award winner falling to the ground.
It was an encouraging moment for the Texans' oft-scrutinized offensive line as Howard looked comfortable being back at right tackle after starting training camp as the starting right guard on the depth chart established by the defending AFC South champions.
Because left tackle Cam Robinson missed a few weeks with a lower leg injury and returned to practice this week, the Texans' offensive line has taken on a different configuration that may be its best: rookie left tackle Aireontae Ersery, former Pro Bowl selection Laken Tomlinson at left guard, Jake Andrews all camp at center, Ingram, a former Minnesota Vikings second-round draft pick at right guard and Howard.
After a slow start during the practice, the offensive line settled in and provided a clean pocket for Stroud as he connected several times downfield with Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins and other targets.
Howard has emerged as a leader for the revamped offensive line, which is completely different than last season after the trade of five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, releasing guard Shaq Mason and adding Ersery, Tomlinson, Andrews and Ingram and shifting Howard from guard currently.
A former Texans first-round draft pick from Alabama State who plays the game with aggressiveness and strength, Howard looks right at right tackle.
"I think Tytus, his presence is felt at tackle," Stroud said after practice. "He's doing a really good job being firm in protection, using his hands, using his length. I think he's done a great job. He is also going to let you know about it too, which I think is cool. He's a dawg.
"So, I'm really happy for that guy, really proud of him. He wants to have a great year. He told me he wants to be a Pro Bowler this year. He has a lot of expectations for himself. He's answering that. When we practice against guys like him [Hutchinson] and Danielle [Hunter] and Will [Anderson Jr.] every day, I think he's done a good job."
The Texans have created flexibility for offensive line coach-run game coordinator Cole Popovich with the ability of Ersery to play left tackle or right tackle where he had beaten out Blake Fisher for a starting job. It's certain that Ersery will start, it's just a matter of which side the former Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year lines up.
The Lions have a talented front headlined by Hutchinson, a former University of Michigan star and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year who has 28 1/2 career sacks and four interceptions in the NFL. At 6-foot-7, 270 pounds, Hutchinson has size, speed and skill working in his favor. He's joined by Marcus Davenport and D.J. Reader, the former Texans draft pick, across the line.
The Texans, though, did a nice job of protecting in arguably their most difficult test besides trying in vain to block Hunter and Anderson every day in practice. There were also some good running lanes for Nick Chubb, Woody Marks, Dameon Pierce and Jawhar Jordan.
"With our offensive line, I saw guys still playing physical up front," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. "We were able to break some runs. It starts up front. Those guys play physical, got a hat on a hat, finished. The tackles did a good job on the edge of really handling the twists and the games. Proud of our guys for that and the communication of picking up blitzes. Anytime you do a joint practice you'll see different types of blitzes, different types of pressure and adjustments.
"I think when you're able to handle that really well and allow your rules to work for you, you see how sound the protections are. You see how sound we are when we play with great technique. It works. So, we just have to continue to lean into what we're doing, lean into what's being coached and do it the right way every single time and we'll be really good up front."
Howard is displaying his positional flexibility again. He's played left guard, right tackle, left tackle and, now, right guard. He has played every spot but center. Could he do it?
"If I had to, if I had to," he said. "The more you can do. I'm a guy who can play at every spot on the offensive line. I can play at a high level at every spot. I just gotta keep working and continue to get better. I feel like this year is gonna be my biggest year."
During the NFL scouting combine, Ryans emphasized that there would be a reset of the line after a disappointing season last year.
Now, the dramatic changes of the offseason are on full display. The Texans' offensive line configuration might as well be written in pencil, considering their plan to have a lot of competition to find the ideal combination and discover the best five.
The Texans tradedTunsil to the Washington Commanders in a move largely based on financial reasons, but he was also prone to false starts.
The offensive line has been characterized as the biggest question mark on the defending AFC South champions' roster. How all of the changes work out will have a large hand in determining whether this team can make a long playoff run. To say they're hungry to prove themselves is a vast understatement.
"We've got a chip on our shoulders and people underestimate what we're going to be this year, but, you know that's their problem," Howard said. "When that first game comes and we come off that ball and hit them in the mouth, like they're gonna be, 'These guys are for real.'
"We've been putting that work in here right now and we're gonna continue to put that work and training together. Every day isn't gonna be perfect. But I'm telling you when that game one comes and they see what the offensive line is about, we're going be ready."
The Texans fired offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and offensive line coach Chris Strausser, hiring former Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Nick Caley as offensive coordinator and promoted Popovich.
Popovich is heading into his third season with the Texans. A former Fresno State starting offensive lineman, Popovich broke into the NFL as a coaching assistant in 2016 before being promoted to assistant running backs coach working with Sony Michel then being named co-offensive line coach when Scarneccia retired.
Howard has one word for the stamp Popovich is placing on the offensive line: "Nasty."
Popovich left the Patriots in the offseason for personal family reasons related to mandatory NFL Covid-19 vaccine regulations and coached high school football in Franklin, Massachusetts. He was then hired at Troy University as their head offensive line coach before joining the Texans and winning two consecutive AFC South division titles as part of Ryans' first two seasons in Houston.
"You gotta play with a lot of grit," Howard said. "When offensive lines are physical that don't take (expletive) from nobody and they just establish, the dominance up front, he exemplifies that every morning, every day on the field And you want that in the coach because you're only gonna rub off on the offensive line and he holds us to a high standard."
Howard, 29, is one of the most experienced linemen on the Texans' roster. He is embracing a leadership role.
"I'm all in on that," Howard said. "I'm doing the best I can do to transform my body, transform my daily habits, all that to show the younger guys the right way to do it.
"I'm looking forward to that challenge of being that leader in the group. And I want to be a guy that the guys look up to and they're like, 'Hey man, Tytus is doing it the right way and I want to do it that way.' So, I'm gonna look forward to it. "
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com