Texans Jimmie Ward on PFF ‘Top 3’ List; Can He Make DeMeco Difference?
Between quarterback C.J. Stroud, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and running back Dameon Pierce, the Houston Texans have an intriguing young core of talent.
But for a team without a ton of established veterans, it was interesting to see safety Jimmie Ward appear on Pro Football Focus' countdown of the top 30 players 30 years or older at No. 27 ... and more, it's going to be interesting to see if Ward can push Houston above being the No. 30 defense in the NFL.
"Ward has been a consistently good piece for the 49ers' defense for several years and follows his defensive coordinator to Houston. While he struggled in coverage early in his career, he has been excellent in both coverage and run defense since 2019."
A first-round pick by the 49ers in 2014, Ward racked up 451 combined tackles, seven interceptions and five forced fumbles during nine seasons with San Francisco. As mentioned above, the 31-year-old departed San Francisco for Houston in the offseason, signing a two-year/$13 million deal with the Texans, a pact that will guarantee him $8.5 million.
Ward will be a valuable veteran presence for the Texans as new head coach DeMeco Ryans -- previously the defensive coordinator for the 49ers -- attempts to install his culture with the team. In addition to Anderson, the Texans also used a top-five pick on cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. in 2022, so they've made major investments in their defense in recent years.
And what must happen next? The culture and the talent have to mesh so Ryans' Texans start appearing higher on another list: The NFL standings.
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