It is hard to believe that the Houston Texans found a way to make their defense better in the offseason after how well they performed last season.
However, they made multiple additions that only strengthened the team, including signing Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Super Bowl-winning safety Reed Blankenship .
Blankenship spent the first four years in the league as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles . Last season was a season to forget, but in 2024, he recorded four interceptions, had a fumble recovery, and recorded 78 total tackles, 52 of which were solo stops.
Even though they have yet to play in the regular season, Blankenship has been learning a lot from his fellow safeties, including Jaylen Reed and rookie Kamari Ramsey.
"Yeah, 'K-Ram', 'J-Reed', they're fantastic guys and great athletes," Blankenship said Monday. "Especially 'K-Ram', he put on a show his first preseason game. You like to see rookies do that. Trying to get him out of his shell a little bit. He's a little quiet. He's doing a great job. He's starting to communicate a little bit more. I feel like just being around him more and getting him out of his shell lets him play with a little more confidence. Especially 'J-Reed', last year, dealing with some injuries, but at the end of the day, he's a baller, too. Preseason, he's coming downhill. He's hitting guys and I'm just trying to be a good vet to him. Trying to be there to answer any questions and if I have any questions, I'm going to ask, 'J-Reed' about stuff and 'CB' [ Calen Bullock ]. Those two guys, they're doing really good and having some really great camps right now."
Ramsey was a rookie out of USC and a fifth-round draft selection. He also had one of the best plays of the night for Houston in their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers with an interception shortly before halftime that gave the Texans the ball inside of Chargers territory.
Between him, Blankenship and Houston's established safeties from last year including Reed, Bullock and Pitre, this may be the best safety room in the NFL.
The Texans take on the Las Vegas Raiders this Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be locally televised on ABC.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans' Reed Blankenship says Kamari Ramsey 'put on a show' in loss vs. Chargers
