Dom Capers wants seven offensive linemen active on gameday. The more versatility
that group of seven can offer him, the better.
"The more guys you have that are multi-position players, the better you're going
to be," Capers said Tuesday. "The old adage is the more you can do, your stock
goes up."
The stock of Houston's offensive line went up in 2003 but, then again, you could
argue that's the only direction it could go. The Texans did cut their sack total
from 76 to 36 and helped running back Domanick Davis crack the 1,000-yard rushing mark.
But as we approach year three, the offfensive line is truly starting to take
shape. The Texans are finally starting to match the experience of other units
around the league. And the Texans are also starting to boast some rather enviable
versatility along the offensive line, which can come in handy when injuries ensue.
We bring this up because second-year pro Seth Wand has been working at left tackle the past two days, while Chester Pitts has been working at left guard. We're still two months away from training camp
and Pitts has certainly proved himself to be a capable left tackle, starting all
32 game since his arrival in Houston. But the fact that the 6-7 Wand is in position
to line up with the first team is impressive, even at this early stage.
"He's made progress, I'll say that," Capers said. "He's bigger and stronger.
He knows more of the speed of the game than he did when he first came in. We thought
he made a lot of progress last year. It'll be interesting to follow how much progress
he makes into the coaching sessions and on into training camp."
Whether it foreshadows a starting gig or simply gives the coaching staff more
confidence that he can back up Pitts, Wand is excited to get the reps.
"Right now, I wouldn't say it's a permanent thing," Wand said. "If Chester got
hurt and I was going to go in there it's still the same difference. I still have
to go out there and show them that I can do this and then maybe they'll feel more
confident in me. Or maybe they'll see that I'm one of the best five guys and they'll
find a spot for me on the line."
Either way it's encouraging for the Texans. If Wand improves enough to be a capable
backup, that just improves Houston's depth. And if Wand can somehow improves enough
to snag the starting slot, the domino effect could really boost the line.
"If Chester is in at guard, and Zach (Wiegert) is in at the other guard, we'll have two guards that have starting experience
at tackle," Capers said. "So if something were to happen, we could bump Wiegert
out to right tackle and Chester out to left tackle."
Remember, Wiegert was originally projected at right tackle when the Texans signed
him last year. And Pitts was drafted in 2002 with the idea of playing him at guard,
but Tony Boselli's should injury forced him into the most conspicuous position
on the line. So Pitts can make the transition if necessary.
"Chester's fine," Capers said. "I don't think he needs to get any stronger. Last
year he banged his shoulder so he wasn't able to carry through and lift as much
in the off-season.
"But I think Chester, with a good six to seven-week session after we're done
here, can continue to gain strength. Things happen a little quicker inside. You've
got a few more calls to make and there's a little more coordination between the
center and the guard, as opposed to being more on an island at tackle. But I think
he has all the qualities."
Want more versatility? Todd Washington, who started 14 games at left guard last season, has shown his versatility by
lining up at center while Steve McKinney nurses a calf injury. McKinney played left guard at Indianapolis before moving
to center with the Texans. Fred Weary has logged starts at right guard in Houston and even played center in college.
And we haven't even taken into account the newest member of the line, right tackle,
Todd Wade, who was signed as an unrestricted free agent. Wade has looked especially feisty
and quick on his feet, especially for a 6-8 player. Wade started 63 games over
four seasons in Miami, blocking for one of the NFL's top rushers in Ricky Williams.
We know, we know -- it's early. But it does appear that in two short seasons
the Texans have turned a liability into a potential strength. No matter which
starting five trots out against San Diego Sept. 12, the Texans feel a little bit
better about their talent and depth in the trenches.
