Texans claiming LB Myjai Sanders off of waivers should scare the NFL

Aaron Wilson of KPRC first reported that the Houston Texans claimed former Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Myjai Sanders off of the waiver wire. In other words, a team with a dominant defensive front just got even better, and honestly, with the way DeMeco Ryans has been developing this defense - watch out.

The Texans' defense has taken a huge step from last season to this season, and many think it is because of the head coach, who played linebacker for the Houston Texans back in his hay day. They aren't getting the sack numbers that maybe you would like, but they are putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks at a more efficient rate than before.

Rookie Will Anderson isn't doing anything crazy stats-wise, but that's because he is taking on double teams and doing all the dirty work. He does, though, have the second-best pass rush win rate at 30%, according to ESPN, and gets double-teamed 25% of the time. John Greenard is 16th at 21%.

As a whole, the team is doing what they are supposed to - creating pressure. They just aren't finishing plays. The Texans are 31st in sacks with just nine on the year; however, they are second in the league in pressure rate at 41.9 percent. They make it hard on the quarterback, but they just can't seem to get to him and finish the job.

"We have to execute better," Ryans said. "When it comes to the defensive line, we have to talk about four guys rushing as one. We just have to continue to rush together and make sure we're executing our plan and doing exactly the things we practiced, doing that on gameday. It's just about guys doing the little things and being on it.

"Rushing together and not feeling like they're out there by themselves and nobody pressing to try and make a play. Everybody is just doing what they are supposed to do, playing together, and the sacks will come."

Claiming Sanders off of waivers was the best thing they could have done for their pass rush. Sanders is no star player at that by any means, or he wouldn't have been let go by Arizona. However, he does have some tools and is still super young, and now, the Texans get to develop him.

Sanders had 23 tackles, three sacks, one fumble recovery, and a forced fumble in 13 games last season. Sanders is a former 2022 third-round pick, so the potential is still there. Now, the Texans will have even more firepower on the defensive line. If he develops how we think he can, the league must watch out.