Texans Have High Hopes for Veteran DE

Denico Autry should emerge as a big player for the Houston Texans.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 25, 2024

Jan 7, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive end Denico Autry (96) goes through drills during the pregame warmups at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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Houston Texans

Denico Autry made his Houston Texans debut in Week 7 after missing the first six games of the year for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy.

Autry, 34, had a quiet debut for the Texans, playing in just 28 defensive snaps against the Green Bay Packers. However, coach DeMeco Ryans doesn't think that will be the case for the rest of the year.

“Autry, just like anyone else, when you miss that much time, it takes time to get yourself back into playing football and being the impact player that you were," Ryans said. "But I saw some good things from him in the week of practice and in the game, he’s trending, definitely, in the right direction. So, I’m pleased with where he’s headed. I know he’ll be able to make a huge impact for us just continue to get more reps and get his feet underneath him.”

Having Autry on the defensive line is important for the Texans. With Mario Edwards Jr. suspended, Autry needs to step up for the Texans to keep that front seven in shape. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter have done a good job applying pressure off the edge, so if they can have Autry equally as dangerous on the inside, the Texans could have one of the league's best front sevens.

Stick with TexansGameday for more FREE coverage of the Houston Texans throughout the 2024 season.

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Published Oct 25, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.