With a former Pro Bowl linebacker in DeMeco Ryans as head coach, the Houston Texans are looking to bolster the middle of their defense before next season.
The Texans featured the league's worst run defense last season, allowing a whopping 170.2 rushing yards per game in part due to their struggles at the linebacker position. According to Pro Football Focus' defensive grades, Christian Kirksey ranked 18th out of 21 linebackers to play at least 1,000 snaps, while Christian Harris was dead-last among all NFL defenders to play at least 700 snaps.
The presence of Ryans—who helped Fred Warner develop from a third-round pick into a two-time first-team All-Pro with the San Francisco 49ers—should elevate the production of the current linebackers on the roster, as well as anyone Houston adds in the draft.