If there is one aspect of the Houston Texans offense that fans are anticipated to see, it has to be the wide receiver room consisting of such stars as Tank Dell, Nico Collins, and the veteran dynamic player in Stefon Diggs, acquired via trade this offseason. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was speaking to Kay Adams on her show “Up & Adams” about the various pass catchers on the team and if there is a true No. 1 at the position.
During Wednesday's practice session of Houston's training camp, Adams would ask “Are you operating though without a number one wide receiver?” which sparked an intriguing response. Ryans would have the mindset that “whoever gets the ball, that's number one” when referencing the label.
“Who’s number one? Whoever gets the ball, that’s number one,” Ryans said. “When you have as many talented guys as we have, Tank, Nico, Stef, you have 3 of the top guys in the league at the position. So it’s just a matter of CJ just going through his process and hitting whoever is open, that’s number one.”
Dell and Collins each had impressive seasons last year led by Ryans and then-rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud where the latter receiver recorded close to 1,300 yards while the first-year player had 709 in 11 games. Now the already explosive offense adds Diggs who has been nothing but a productive receiver with the Minnesota Vikings and in his recent stint with the Buffalo Bills.
While Ryans does not want to give any label of the true No. 1 wide receiver, it probably will be widely assumed that Diggs gets the nod because of his experience in the NFL being a top player at the position.
Ryans praises Diggs' leadership with the Texans
Besides his performance on the field, the 30-year old star has already become a leader on the team which was heavily praised by Ryans.
“That’s the unique thing about Stef, he’s another guy who, not knowing him before he came here, you talk about a guy who loves football, he’s passionate about what he does, and he’s so willing to help everyone else around him,” Ryans said to Adams about Diggs. “Not only the receivers, but you see him talking to the DB’s, ‘hey play this, this is how you could play this a little bit better.’ and it’s vice versa, what I talk about from scripture is iron sharpening iron a lot. When I hear so many stories, I don’t see him all the time, I see some of them, but I hear so many more of Stef after practice working with DB’s, working with receivers, talking to the linemen, that’s what a leader is and Stef shows that everyday.”
Diggs spent the first five seasons with the Vikings then the next four with the Bills as in his last season, he caught 107 passes for 1,183 yards to go along with eight touchdowns as he had a great chemistry with quarterback Josh Allen. He now looks to build a rapport with a young and upcoming star in Stroud who threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
The Texans are looking to build off of last season where they went 10-7 which won them the AFC North as they open the upcoming season against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 8.
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