Rookie On 2-10 Texans: 'We Have Something Special Here'

- Sitting at 2-10, the Houston Texans are looking for role players to build around for next season. Is rookie linebacker Garret Wallow one of them? 

Wallow saw his role expand in a 31-0 loss against the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday. The Texans fifth-round pick played 18 snaps in the loss, his most since arriving from TCU. 

Wallow looks for positives in what feels like a lost season. He continues to grow on the practice field, which leads to more reps on Sundays. 

"We have something special here," Wallow said Friday. "We have a bunch of guys who are locked in, a bunch of guys who no matter what, come to work every day and put their best foot forward."

Wallow is one of five rookies the Texans hope will long-term building blocks for under the new regime led by general manager Nick Caserio. Quarterback Davis Mills is expected to close out the season as the starter, but currently holds an 0-6 record. 

Wide receiver Nico Collins ranks third on the team in receiving yards (228) and second in yards per play (12.7). Tight end Brevin Jordan is second in touchdowns with two, and defensive lineman Roy Lopez has started in every game since Week 2. 

Wallow is the final piece of the product to see reps. Defensive coordinator Lovie Smith believes that his willingness to learn has been beneficial in his growth.

"He’s a student of the game, and now it’s just about daily improvement," Smith said. "We’ll continue to talk to him about, as a young player, developing your body. We’ll continue to talk to him about that."

Wallow last week played both on the outside and the edge against the Colts. During the fourth quarter he was able to make a positive play, forcing a fourth-down stop against tight end Mo Alie-Cox on a short pass from QB Carson Wentz. 

That caught the attention of Kamu Grugier-Hill, who finished Sunday's loss with a team record of 19 total tackles. Grugier-Hill has slowly developed into one of the leaders of the defense and should be brought back on a new deal this offseason. 

Fellow linebacker Christian Kirksey echoed a similar response. 

"Garret's been amazing," Kirksey said Sunday. "He shows up in practice. When Wallow came in, he just fit right in and made the plays he's supposed to make and was having fun doing it."

There's no telling if Wallow's participation will continue to grow Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Perhaps he'll see action late once more, this time making more than just two tackles.

Wallow likely will be one of the few players guaranteed to be back in 2022 for training camp. By then, the Texans could be looking to play him with the first-team defense on a regular basis. 

"The real thing is just allowing myself to persevere through tough moments when I feel overwhelmed, but that just made me stronger mentally and better as a player," Wallow said. "I think everybody goes through that through their first year. It’s just a new stage in life, a new stage to grow and step forward. 

"It’s all been just nothing but a blessing.”