DeMeco Ryans Reveals Starting Offensive Line Shakeup at Texans OTAs

At Texans OTAs, HC DeMeco Ryans says Houston's surprise new offensive line still needs "a lot of mixing and matching."

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On the first day of the Houston Texans' OTAs, all eyes were on the team's revamped offensive line as head coach DeMeco Ryans unveiled surprising lineup combinations and candidly admitted the team's evaluation strategy: "When it comes to finding our best group, it'll be a lot of mixing and matching guys, putting guys in different spots and seeing which five guys work well together."

The changes were immediately evident when the first-team offensive line—left tackle Cam Robinson, left guard Laken Tomlinson, center Jake Andrews, right guard Tytus Howard, and right tackle Blake Fisher—took the field.

The "mixing and matching" continued, with center Jarrett Patterson rotating in with the OTA starters and rookie Aireontae Ersery seeing time with the first team at right tackle. On a promising note, Ersery—whom star edge rusher Will Anderson described simply as "a large human being"—is already getting first-team reps during OTAs, suggesting the rookie may genuinely compete for a starting role in the coming months.

Coach Ryans acknowledged the fluid nature of the evaluation process when discussing the team's approach to finding the optimal lineup, noting, "This is our first day of OTAs."

He praised the intelligence and adaptability of the players in the unit, stating, "One thing about the O-line is there are a lot of smart guys in that room, and they can move around; they can play multiple spots."

#Texans coach DeMeco Ryans had several different line configurations today 'mixing and matching' including rookie Aireontae Ersery at both left tackle and right tackle today. Ryans on path to 'finding the best five' @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/LlAASvCggm

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 28, 2025

The Texans' head coach emphasized the need for proper technique to ensure player safety, explaining that "it takes a lot of give and take between the offense and defensive line," while noting the offensive line's focus during OTAs would be mastering fundamentals: "Just working really good low pads, working great pad level, hand placement, footwork—those small details that allow you to be great as an offensive line."

Coach DeMeco Ryans stressed that the timeline for final decisions is still ahead, adding, "It's just a matter of finding that five once we actually get in training camp and put pads on."