Jalen Pitre

Pitre is a key member of the improved Texans' culture and was impressively named a team captain in 2023 - his second pro season. While he may have a presence in the locker room, his play on the field has been less compelling and that could spell trouble as the Texans' continue to add to their roster in hopes of a making a Super Bowl run. Through two seasons, Pitre has allowed a 68.3 completion percentage against, 14.1 yards per reception and a 92.3 passer rating all while missing tackles at a 17.9 percent clip. There's no obvious replacement for him, though Houston did select Callen Bullock in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Assuming Pitre can stick on the field, the hope will be that he can return to his rookie form, when he posted 147 combined tackles with five picks.

Pitre made the organization look smart when it selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft. The rookie out of Baylor excelled with 147 tackles and five interceptions, tops on the team in both categories. He opened the season at strong safety, had a midseason fade when missed tackles started to pile up, then resuscitated his season when shifted to free safety. The Texans did a lot of work on defense during the offseason, but Pitre is expected to remain a starter alongside veteran Jimmie Ward, who was with Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco last year.