Texans' Calen Bullock Generating Significant Training Camp Buzz

The Houston Texans are undoubtedly set up to have one of the better defensive units in the entire league next NFL season. They'll be once again headlined with a star edge rushing duo of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., an elite cornerback in Derek Stingley Jr., and a surrounding group that looks primed for another year of success, as they had seen in 2024.

However, there's one name on the Texans' defense not quite as big a name as the aforementioned stars but has seemingly been turning heads during Houston's training camp as a potential big-time playmaker in the secondary next season: second-year safety Calen Bullock.

ESPN's Ben Solak heard some major praise surrounding the Texans' defensive back while attending training camp earlier this month, noting that each of Stingley, Jalen Pitre, and coach Dino Vasso had noticed Bullock as a huge early standout.

"[I heard] Unstoppable hype for second-year safety Calen Bullock," Solak wrote. "I spoke to defensive backs coach Dino Vasso, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and safety Jalen Pitre. All three brought up their appreciation for Bullock's impact as a center-fielding, ball-hawking safety without prompting. In fact, I was supposed to be reporting on Stingley, but all my subjects kept getting distracted by Bullock."

"I eventually spoke to Bullock right after Pitre," said Solak. "After several questions on Stingley's ball skills and receiver-like hands, Pitre saw Bullock approaching and said, "This guy's a real ballhawk, too!" -- and he's right. Stingley and Bullock tied in the regular season with five interceptions apiece, but Stingley grabbed another two in the postseason. Bullock wanted me to point out that Stingley knocked an interception out of Bullock's hands against the Vikings that would have given him the regular-season team title."

Especially with Gardner-Johnson suffering his latest training camp injury that could keep him out for the start of the season, the Texans clearly have some worthwhile depth in the form of Calen Bullock, who can step up in his absence if needed.

Dec 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Calen Bullock (21) walks off the field after the game against the Miami Dolphins at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

During his last season, Bullock came onto the scene as a third-round pick who wound up starting in 13 of his 17 games played, totaling 54 combined tackles, 11 passes defended, and an impressive five interceptions to be an immediately strong impact player.

Now, he'll be eyeing a step up in his role for year two, having an offseason of progression and a training camp of highlights, and inevitably could be en route to being one of the more pleasant surprises on this Texans roster for this coming campaign.

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