Houston Texans Offensive Lineman Draws Bold Comparison in Preseason Preview

The Houston Texans have an important season ahead for their offensive line. The season hinges on the unit to a certain degree.

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Houston has a talented group of interior players, but not much depth at the tackle position. It makes players like starting left tackle Aireontae Ersery so important.

The Texans have made risky moves along the offensive line in recent seasons. Last offseason, the team traded away Laramy Tunsil. This offseason, they traded dependable right tackle Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns. Those moves may have made sense for the salary cap but have left the cupboard near bare behind the starting group.

There is reasonable confidence, however, that Ersery can make the unit function just fine. He drew a strong comparison on Friday.

Rowan Fisher-Shotton of Newsweek discussed offensive tackle Ersery's trajectory heading into a crucial 2026 season. The Texans have a special player. Here's what Fisher-Shotton wrote on the Texans' rising star offensive tackle.

"Ersery was a three-year starter at Minnesota, where he earned first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honors as a senior in 2024. Despite being an early Day 2 pick, it was a bold bet to have Ersery replace Tunsil, and yet by Week 1, he had already won the starting job.

But the transition from college star to NFL starter came with growing pains. He started 16 of 17 games, and finished with an overall PFF grade of 59.3, which ranked 68th of 89 qualified tackles. His 64.9 pass-blocking grade ranked 56th, and his 51.8 run-blocking grade was 78th. He also allowed 43 total pressures, 11 hits, seven sacks, and was flagged for 11 penalties over the course of the year.

Now entering his second season in Houston, Ersery has a real chance to take over the 'Tunsil role' and become one of the league’s premier left tackles."

Houston Texans offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery (79) is introduced before playing against the Las Vegas Raiders at NRG Stadium. Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Tunsil comparison is a bold one considering how effective the former Texans tackle was for the team. A five-time pro bowler, Tunsil is the type of player you seldom see traded away. The Texans opted to prioritize other needs.

If Ersery is to become that caliber a player, it would make it less likely to view Houston's offensive line strategy as a, "fly by the seat of their pants," to the neglect of depth kind of approach. It still comes with risk.

The Texans need Ersery not only to stay healthy but to perform at an elite level. If he can, Houston is a real threat to push for more postseason success in 2026.

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