) "He's athletic, he's smart, he's very tough, he's got a skill set, a body type, that allows him to anchor on the inside. He's got a big lower body, very strong guy. When you look at him from a distance, you don't really realize how big he is. You get up close to him, the guy is a large human being. He's thick, and he's a very bright guy. He's learned our system well and we can use him at all the different spots."
Derek
Derek Newton started at right guard last Sunday in Jacksonville.
When the season began against the Chiefs, he was the team's starting right tackle. It was a position he's manned since the beginning of 2012.
In Week 2, he was a left guard at Carolina. From Weeks 3 through 5, he was back at right tackle. He more than held his own last weekend in a new position, as quarterback Brian Hoyer was sacked just once against the Jaguars.
Bill O'Brien was asked why Newton's been able to make the smooth transition to playing an inside spot on the offensive line, and the head coach peeled off nine reasons.
1. "He's athletic,"
2. "He's smart,"
3. "He's very tough,"
4. "He's got a skill set, a body type, that allows him to anchor on the inside."
5. "He's got a big lower body,"
6. "Very strong guy. When you look at him from a distance, you don't really realize how big he is. You get up close to him, the guy is a large human being. He's thick,"
7. "And he's a very bright guy."
8. "He's learned our system well"
9. "We can use him at all the different spots."
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
QB, Kyle Allen, #3 (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
DL Mario Addison (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
RB, Darius Anderson, #30
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #56 (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #8
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
WR, Jalen Camp, #17
OL, A.J. Cann, #60 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Blake Cashman, #53 (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Davion Davis, #81
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL Austin Deculus, #76 (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #2
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Carson Green, #62
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
WR, DaeSean Hamilton, #5 (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
OL, Kenyon Green, #59 (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
DL, Rasheem Green (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Christian Harris, #48 (Photo by Kent Gidley)
DL, Demone Harris, #94
WR, Damon Hazelton, #86
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
QB, Kevin Hogan (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
FB, Andy Janovich, #41 (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
An image from the Aug. 21, 2021 Houston Texans preseason game 2 against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Texans won 20-14.
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
RB, Marlon Mack, #2 (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
OL, Justin McCray, #64
WR, John Metchie III, #88 (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, Jimmy Moreland, #22
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77 (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Jalen Pitre, #42 (AP Photo/Tim Heitman)
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #45
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54 (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84 (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #34 (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
DB, Reggie Robinson, #29 (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #21 (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24 (Photo by: Kourtney Carroll)
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20 (AP)
