From The Owner's Meeting: DeMeco Dishes on New O-Line Direction
The head coach spoke about Laremy Tunsil and the offseason for the first time
After a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw the offensive line tank the chances for an impressive offense, the Houston Texans had to make changes. They hired Nick Caley to be the offensive coordinator. Cole Popovich was promoted to be the offensive line coach.
Underperforming guards Shaq Mason and Kenyon Green were shown the door.
Then the Texans made one of the most shocking moves of the offseason, trading Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders. The best lineman, from one of the worst lines in football, was gone.
“Trading Laremy was really tough,” Ryans said Monday about the trade of the Pro Bowl left tackle at the NFL Annual Meeting. “Nothing easy about that because Laremy is such a great player.”
Houston sent Tunsil and a selection in this year’s fourth round to the Washington Commanders for a package of four picks highlighted by Washington’s pick in the third round this year and the second round next season. It amounted to what most believe equals one first-round selection.
“It was a trade we felt was beneficial to both parties,” Ryans said, noting the Texans got draft picks and Tunsil was headed to a winning team.
Multiple reports said a disjointed offensive line room was a problem for the Texans in 2025. Ryans pushed back on the notion that there was a culture issue with his linemen last year.
“There was nothing toxic in the room,” Ryans said. The offensive line was a “tight group” according to Ryans. He pointed to the frequent offensive line dinners as an element of the linemen getting along.
“I don’t know where that report came from, but it’s very incorrect,” he added.
Ryans has said the offensive line room will follow “one voice” under new offensive line coach Cole Popovich. Something was amiss with the linemen beyond their poor on-field performance. While toxicity might not have been an issue, there was at least an off-field hurdle for the line.
Tunsil told the media in Washington that the Texans said they couldn’t pay him going forward. Houston wanted to invest in their younger players. Those comments came on the heels of the Texans agreeing to an extension with Derek Stingley for the highest average annual value ever for a cornerback.
“Through Stingley’s extension, everybody can see the message there,” he said. “We want to send a message to all of our young guys. When you do it the right way, guys like Stingley, Nico [Collins], young guys who came in and they played really well for us and became top players in the league at their positions, you want to reward those guys.
“I want everyone to see we’re going to reward guys for doing it the right way.”
The way they planned to fix the offensive line: competition.