C.J. Fiedorowicz has gotten better, and his head coach has noticed.
"C.J. has had a good offseason," Bill O'Brien said during the second week of OTAs. "He's definitely an improved player."
The second-year tight end, according to O'Brien spent a lot of time at NRG Stadium over the last four months putting in hard work.
"Looks like he's improved some of his route running ability and some of his skill set there," O'Brien said. "He's improved his hands to a certain degree. The true test for linemen and tight ends is when the pads go on in training camp."
As a rookie in 2014, Fiedorowicz started eight of the 15 games in which he played, catching four passes for 28 yards. His lone touchdown came in the Week 16 win over the Ravens, when he pulled in a pass from Arian Foster.
But through two weeks of OTAs, the former Iowa Hawkeye said the difference over this time last year is drastic.
"There was just so much going through my head where I wasn't able to play fast," Fiedorowicz said. "I noticed already this OTA session, I'm going out there and when I see it I'm going fast. The quarterbacks are really seeing us right now, so we're all excited."
Knowledge of the system has aided in Fiedorowicz's ability to play faster. Also helping is improved health, as Fiedorowicz revealed Monday that he'd gone through arthroscopic knee surgery in January. The tight end said his knee "feels great" and is "strong".
O'Brien wants "to see very consistent play" from the tight end, and said a strength of Fiedorowicz's is his blocking.
"He's a very good blocking tight end and I think he can help us in the passing game," O'Brien said. "I think he can run the different routes that we need the tight ends to run."
The Texans will start their third week of OTAs on Monday at the Houston Methodist Training Center.
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
DL Mario Addison, #56 (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
QB, Kyle Allen, #3
RB, Darius Anderson, #30
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #96
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
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Davion Davis, #14
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
WR, Drew Estrada, #81
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
DB, Jacobi Francis, #38
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Carson Green, #62
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
WR, DaeSean Hamilton, #5
OL, Kenyon Green, #59
DL, Rasheem Green (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Christian Harris, #48
DL, Demone Harris, #94
WR, Damon Hazelton, #86
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
QB, Kevin Hogan, #16 (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55 (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
FB, Andy Janovich, #41
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.
WR, Johnny Johnson III, #89
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
DB, Tristin McCollum, #39
OL, Justin McCray, #64
WR, John Metchie III, #88
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
DL, Adedayo Odeleye, #75
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Jalen Pitre, #42
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #45
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #34 (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Kendall Sheffield (AP Photo/Kevin Sabitus)
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
WR, Connor Wedington (AP)
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20
