DeMeco Ryans Points to Texans’ Biggest Bright Spot at Panthers Joint Practice

The Houston Texans closed out their second of two joint practices during this year's training camp, as they joined the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday to get a few reps in with one another before Friday's preseason matchup.

And it was in that practice outing for the Texans where their offensive line seemingly shined as one of the more notable winners of the day–– at least when asking head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Texans' Offensive Line Shines in Panthers Joint Practice

The Texans head coach spoke about the team's offensive line and how they performed on Wednesday following practice, with Ryans going as far as calling them the bright spot of the day for the offense.

"From my vantage point, the offensive line was really the bright spot for me watching the offense," Ryans said after the Texans' joint practice. "Seeing how much time C.J. [Stroud] and Davis [Mills] had to operate."

"Seeing the guys' pass-off games and stunts, seeing them, hearing them, actually communicating, loud, being on the same page– that's what we want from our guys. And that's how it looks when we execute."

Jul 31, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans center Keylan Rutledge (66) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the Texans, hearing those types of reviews for the offensive line from their head coach is exactly what they've been looking for heading into this season. Because that's been a group which has seen no shortage of criticism within the past two years.

As a result, the Texans went out to make some changes to the position group this offseason. They added a highly drafted rookie in first-rounder Keylan Rutledge, signed multiple veterans in free agency, and now less than three weeks from the season's kickoff, the pieces are starting to come together.

And while one of those newly-signed veterans went down with a foot injury at the start of practice that'll sideline him for a few weeks––right tackle Braden Smith––the Texans' offensive performance overall was still able to be one that got the nod of approval from Coach Ryans.

"C.J., Davis made some outstanding throws today," Ryans said of the Texans' practice. "Our receivers caught the ball really well. The backs ran well. They blocked it well. Overall, offensively, we definitely took a jump from where we were in our last practice."

The Most Improved Offensive Lineman in Texans' Training Camp

Ryans, after Houston's joint practice, also made sure to highlight one of the most impressive players as it relates to improvement throughout the Texans' training camp: Blake Fisher, the Texans' third-year offensive tackle and 2024 second-round pick.

He might not be in line to claim starting reps as soon as Week 1, but has certainly made some big strides from where he finished last season.

"For Blake [Fisher], I've seen a focused guy. He's improved a ton," Ryans said. "If I gave out awards, he would get the award for the most improved offensive lineman this year. From what he did last year, from being in that jumbo-type role– he's just lined up at left tackle every day, and he's gotten better every single day."

"I'm really pleased with Blake. I'm proud of the work that he's put in. He's shown up daily. He's improved. He's taking the coaching really well. And that's what it looks like. When you put the work in, you can get better, and Blake has shown that tremendously."

For the Texans' offensive line depth and their unit as a whole to be progressing in the right direction, it's extremely beneficial for Houston and their offense's aspired success for the season ahead.

And if that trend of gradual improvement is able to continue into the regular season for tangible results while pairing with an elite defense on the other end, the sky could be the limit for this Texans roster in 2026.

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