Tytus Howard & Kenyon Green: Texans Coach Lovie Smith Reveals O-Line Plan

Tytus Howard seems likely to play right tackle for the 2022 season with the Houston Texans

HOUSTON -- Reassurance is one of the things fans are always wanting in sports. With the addition of first-round offensive lineman Kenyon Green, most fans of the Houston Texans projected that fourth-year pro Tytus Howard would be moving back to offensive tackle. 

If anyone was looking for reassurance entering the second stage of OTAs, Texans coach Lovie Smith might have given the answer. In a recent interview on The Cris Collinsworth podcast, Smith talked of the offensive line changes. 

Howard's name was mentioned, as was his role in the trenches. 

"We'll keep Tytus and Laremy [Tunsil] out at the tackle position," Smith said. "Kenyon will be playing guard for us this year."  

Howard, the former No. 23 pick in 2019, played his best ball while on the right side. Coming out of Alabama State as one of the top left tackle prospects, then-coach Bill O'Brien elected to shift him to the right side once the team acquired Tunsil from the Miami Dolphins. 

Lovie on Kenyon Green/OL: "George Warhop, Hal Hunter, our offensive line coaches, we all were in agreement ... we liked him. ... going to help us win a lot of games. ... We'll keep Tytus and Laremy out at the tackle position ... Kenyon will be playing guard for us this year." pic.twitter.com/cyuF0aPJNz

— Rivers McCown (@riversmccown) May 31, 2022

Last season, then-coach David Culley elected to shift Howard inside. His best games came when filling in for Tunsil due to injury. And while the overall production at guard was serviceable, there was a drop off when shifting inside. 

Part of the reason for adding Green was due to his versatility on the line. A two-time All-American and three-year starter for the Aggies, Green played four different positions but was at his best when inside. 

Green graded out among scouts as one of the best run blockers in the class. Last season, the Aggies featured a pair of running backs that rushed for at least 900 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per attempt. 

"George Warhop, Hal Hunter, our offensive line coaches, we all were in agreement ... we liked him," Smith said. "He's a local guy, too, and the more research you did, you realize you have to take care of your lines. 

"[Green] is in our facility now and he eventually is going to help us win a lot of games." 

Smith recognized that if the Texans were going to build around second-year quarterback Davis Mills, they would need to fix their protection. By adding former Jacksonville Jaguars guard A.J. Cann, Houston has a veteran on the right side. 

The expectation is that Green will develop before the start of the regular season, though Smith is pleased with the maturity of his offensive line. Barring regression from Green or one of the vets at guard, plus the growth of tackle prospect Austin Deculus, Howard's return to right tackle is imminent. 

It's exactly what Houston wanted from the get-go.