Houston Texans defensive lineman Will Anderson had a rookie year to remember, earning numerous accolades. But as he prepares for his sophomore campaign, Anderson knew he had to get even stronger throughout the offseason.
And exactly that he did, literally bulking up to a now 263 lbs. Anderson said he felt like he got, “tossed around,” at the end of his rookie season, leading to the need to get stronger, via Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. If the defensive end keeps his speed at his new playing weight, Anderson will become even scarier to all opposing quarterbacks.
Still, his rookie season did more than enough to strike fear in the NFL. Appearing in 15 games – starting 13 of them – Anderson racked up 45 tackles, 22 quarterback hits and seven sacks. He was named a Pro Bowler and the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson came away with an impressive 81.8 grade from Pro Football Focus.
To his credit, Anderson's production did slow down a tad towards the end of the season. He had just one tackle in Week 17 and in Houston's Divisional Round playoff loss against the Baltimore Ravens. While his tackle against the Ravens was for a loss, Anderson is understandably looking to do more in crucial moments.
Still, no one is taking anything away from Will Anderson Jr. after his rookie debut. He has helped put the Texans on the map and has become a player to build around on defense. Anderson spent the offseason hulking up and getting prepared for the rigors of a full NFL season. He knows his Rookie of the Year campaign was just a taste of what he brings to the table.
Will Anderson helps lead Texans' defensive revival
Anderson became a key cog in what was a successful Texans' defense in 2023. With both his arrival and the introduction of head coach DeMeco Ryans, Houston looked like a completely different team on the defensive side of the ball. To be fair, the same was true for offense as well.
The Texans ranked 14th in total defense, allowing 330.7 yards per game. In 2022, Houston ranked 30th overall, allowing 379.5 YPG. Pre-Ryans and Anderson, the team was 19th in the league in sacks with 39. In year one of the tandem, Houston was 14th with 46. It is a gradual process, but the Texans have made tremendous sides on the defensive side of the ball.
Anderson was a dynamite addition, but Houston has now accumulated plenty of defensive talent across all three levels. The Texans got even stronger when they signed fellow defensive end Danielle Hunter to a two-year, $49 million contract.
Now he'll line up next to Anderson, forming one of the scarier duos in the league. With a dedication to adding weight, Houston star defensive end showed up to training camp ready to prove himself even further.
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