As stellar of a rookie season as Texans second-year safety Jalen Pitre had in 2023, this year is about building and preparing for what’s coming.
The former Stafford and Baylor standout knows he still has a ways to go to be the complete player the Texans need in the secondary.
“Just overall knowledge of the game,” Pitre said. “You’re never complete in your knowledge about the game. It’s always evolving, and you always learn new things. Just leadership. I want to be a guy that the team could use in hard times. I’m just trying to step up in that role.”
Pitre is coming off a rookie campaign that has many predicting he could be the Texans’ next breakout star. As a starter in all 17 of the Texans’ games last season, Pitre, who the Texans drafted in the second round (37th overall) last year, led all rookies in the NFL with 147 tackles and his five interceptions were second among rookies.
But that was all accomplished in Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 defense. The Texans now have a new coaching staff and head coach DeMeco Ryans, along with defensive coordinator Matt Burke have brought in a new defensive scheme.
That has meant starting over for Pitre and the returning players. And OTA practices have given the players a foundation for the new scheme. The building and learning will continue with the upcoming Texans’ minicamp.
Pitre seems to enjoy learning under Ryans and feeling his energy.
“He’s a great head coach, a guy that’s really intentional with what he’s doing,” Pitre said. “You can see it in his meetings. You can really feel it at practice. He’s making sure that every rep that I’m doing, whether it’s a walkthrough, a practice, even in the film room, that I’m seeing the things that I need to see and finishing the right way.
“He’s always talking to me about my body position and my leverage. I’m thankful to have a coach that cares so much about the game and really loves the game of football.”
In return, Pitre’s new coaches have also been impressed with what they are seeing from the second-year player.
“Great – literally, I’m saying he’s great,” Burke said. “Doesn’t say much in the meeting rooms and stuff from that point of view, but man, is super communicative on the field.”
A lot of that has to do with the game slowing down considerably for Pitre this time around. Last year, this time, there was so much to absorb as a rookie. OTAs feel much different because of the experience he gained last season, which has allowed Pitre’s approach to be different but still intentional.
“Just overall continue to do the things that I do well and also improving the things that I do not as well,” said Pitre, who was named to the Pro Football Writers of American All-Rookie Team after last season. “I’m trying to be more vocal and just be that fun guy on the team, be a guy that you could look at for the energy. I’m just trying to be a guy that is positive out there on the field.”
But Pitre is mindful of the areas he needs to improve. While he led rookies in tackles last season, he also led the NFL in missed tackles with 36.
“The biggest thing I would say is my patience,” he said. “I feel like I developed good patience throughout the year. It’s also one of those things that you could never perfect.
“So, I’m trying to build on that and trying to just slow my eyes down, and that will allow me to play faster and make those plays that need to be made.”
