2023 fifth-round pick Henry To’oTo’o exceeded expectations for the Houston Texans as a rookie. He recorded 61 tackles with two going for a loss.
This year, he was inserted into the starting lineup and has continued to play well. He’s played in nine games and has started each of them. He’s alreaded surpassed his numbers from last year with 63 tackles, six for a loss, and one sack.
Despite this, he saw his snap count drop in Week 11. He recorded at least 50 in each game he’s appeared in since Week 1 and had a season-high 64 against the Detroit Lions. According to PFF, he also had his worst performance of the year against Detroit.
When Kenyon Green suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, the Houston Texans shook up their offensive line. They moved Juice Scruggs from center to left guard, in place of Green. They then brought Jarrett Patterson in at center.
Through two games, this move has paid off with the sixth-round pick from 2023 peforming at a high level.
Against Detroit, Patterson earned a 65.9 pass block grade, far superior to anything they saw from Green. In Week 11, he was graded at 71.3 in pass protection. Those numbers are solid but they don’t tell the whole story.
READ MORE: Texans neglect OL for puzzling RB pick in 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Houston has had serious issues keeping C.J. Stroud clean in the pocket, with Green being graded at 40.9 in pass blocking and 39.4 overall. He was credited by PFF for allowing five sacks, four hits, and 27 pressures. He was also flagged seven times.
Patterson, on the other hand, has allowed one sack, no hits, and four pressures. He’s also picked up no flags. Against the Cowboys, he was in pass protection 38 times and didn’t allow one pressure.
It’s been tough for Green, who has struggled since being selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After three seasons full of injuries and subpar performances, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Houston move on in 2025.
The only question now is whether they’ve seen enough from Scruggs and Patterson to keep them as two of their starter on the interior long-term.
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Houston Texans quietly replaced a starter on defense
It appears the Houston Texans are happy with the linebacker they added in late October.
By Randy Gurzi | Nov 20, 2024
Houston Texans
Houston Texans / Sam Hodde/GettyImages
2023 fifth-round pick Henry To’oTo’o exceeded expectations for the Houston Texans as a rookie. He recorded 61 tackles with two going for a loss.
This year, he was inserted into the starting lineup and has continued to play well. He’s played in nine games and has started each of them. He’s alreaded surpassed his numbers from last year with 63 tackles, six for a loss, and one sack.
Despite this, he saw his snap count drop in Week 11. He recorded at least 50 in each game he’s appeared in since Week 1 and had a season-high 64 against the Detroit Lions. According to PFF, he also had his worst performance of the year against Detroit.
READ MORE: The Houston Texans could be the next victim of the AFC South curse
Perhaps that’s why he saw a season-low snap count of 26 against Dallas. To’oTo’o’s drop in playing time resulted in Devin White going from 12 snaps against Detroit to 50 during the win over the Dallas Cowboys. He’s also recorded his best two games of the season over the past two weeks.
Houston hasn’t come out and said they’re replacing To’oTo’o, but the way their time was divided in Week 11 suggests that may be the case.
Even if To’oTo’o remains the starter and White subs in to play alongside Azeez Al-Shaair throughout the game, his addition has been a win for Houston. A first-round pick for the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2019, White signed with the Philadelphia Eagles but never played a down for them. He was released in early October and the Texans brought him in on October 23.
