'Pro's Pro': What QB Tyrod Has, The Texans Need

Houston Texans offensive coaches Tim Kelly and Pep Hamilton are full of praise for veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor as he enters his first season as (presumably) the team's starter.

Entering the 2021 season with an entirely new quarterback room isn't ideal. But the Houston Texans' offensive staff is full of optimism when discussing their options on Tuesday.

"Starting with Tyrod (Taylor), a pro’s pro," said offensive coordinator Tim Kelly. "Comes in, is prepared. He’s seen everything, he’s heard everything. He’s been great in the locker room. It’s been great to get his perspective on how he sees things and he’s been great to work with."

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At this stage, Taylor is the presumptive starter given his experience in the NFL, his experience with multiple coaches in Houston and the size of his contract. 

That being said, Houston's 67th overall pick this year Davis Mills looks like a safe bet to get some meaningful reps at some point this season.

"Davis has come on, come in here and he’s put his head down and he’s gone to work,'' Kelly said. "He’s doing everything he can to learn the intricacies of the offense." 

Meanwhile, QB coach and passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton said that Mills "shows tremendous promise."

Finally, we come to former Denver Broncos backup Jeff Driskel, of whom by comparison, Kelly had relatively little to say.

"Jeff’s come in and has done a great job acclimating to our offense,'' Kelly said. "Again, he’s been around. He’s seen some things, so really putting in the time there to learn."

The main takeaway from these two interviews was how impressed they have been with Taylor, both on and off the field. Both were extremely complimentary of the example that Taylor sets and his willingness to help the likes of Mills learn and progress.

"If anybody has a question, he’s open to answering it," said Kelly "Having an experienced guy in the room is only going to help the maturation process there."

And while this must have come as no surprise to Hamilton, who worked with Taylor in Los Angeles last season, he remains impressed after having seen the former Pro Bowler help then-rookie Justin Herbert excel with the Chargers.

"Tyrod was a tremendous asset to Justin as well as to all the guys in that organization out in L.A.," said Hamilton. "But he’s also just a natural leader and a great example of what it is to be a pro here in our building here in Houston. The consistency in which he prepares himself to be able to go out and play winning football is something that you notice from day one. We treat every day like gameday and Tyrod is the epitome of that."

Given the Deshaun Watson-related drama that has surrounded not only the organization as a whole but specifically the quarterback position in recent months, Taylor, in the coaches' eyes, provides what they need right now: Stability.

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