HOUSTON – Myles Bryant is paying close attention to everything, absorbing and learning at Texans practices and meetings even when the subject might not pertain to his specific job assignment.
That’s how and why Bryant builds his versatility: to be ready for anything the coaching staff might call on him to do.
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Since the California native started playing in the NFL six years ago with the New England Patriots, he’s played everywhere from a traditional outside corner to nickel to safety. When the Texans line up Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, Bryant will be utilized again in a multidimensional role.
“It’s something I learned when I first got to college,” Bryant, a three-time All-Pac 12 selection at Washington, told KPRC 2. “We used to all meet: corners, nickels, safeties. We’re all in one room. So my coach was like, ‘If I’m correcting one guy, then I’m correcting everybody in the room.’ I think as I’ve gone through the league, and especially my time here, as I spend more time at defense, I learned just from other guys.
“Learning from their mistakes, learning from the good things that they do, and then just try to store it in my book of knowledge. When my number’s called, I can just go out there and perform.”
Last week, Bryant played nickel with Jalen Pitre out with a concussion before shifting to safety with the first-team defense when M.J. Stewart suffered a season-ending torn quadriceps tendon. The Texans may use Bryant at nickel again or line him up at safety in their 4-3 base defense in three linebacker alignments of Azeez Al-Shair, Henry To’oTo’o and E.J. Speed. The Texans have prepared practice squad safety Jalen Mills, a former Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles starter, for a likely elevation this week and have also increased the practice workload of rookie safety Jaylen Reed.
“Myles is a really smart player,” That’s why he’s able to do multiple things, multiple spots. He’s a guy you can trust, a guy you can count on, whatever the situation is. Even if Myles doesn’t practice a position, if there’s a guy I’m going to throw out there at any given time, it’s going be Myles Bryant because he’s sharp in the classroom, he’s sharp on the field and he’s always going to be where he’s supposed to be.”
Bryant played 51 snaps in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, appearing in 82 percent of the defensive snaps. He also played nine plays on special teams.
He finished the game with five tackles on defense, and added two more stops on special teams.
Does he have a preference on where he lines up? Nope.
“I just like to play football,” Bryant said. “I don’t care whether nickel, safety, corner, whatever. I just like to play ball. In high school, I was a running back and safety. I was like a hybrid linebacker-safety. At UW, my first year I was nickel, then nickel, last year safety.
At Washington, he had 177 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and 3 1/2 sacks. Despite his production, he went undrafted.
For his NFL career, he has recorded 221 tackles, four interceptions, 17 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two sacks.
For the Texans last season, he appeared in 11 games and had 14 tackles as he appeared in 40 percent of the special teams snaps and 10 percent of the defensive snaps for the defending AFC South champions.
He held up in a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, too, including some coverage assignments against star tight end Travis Kelce.
Now, he’s needed again against the 1-8 Titans in a must-win game for the 4-5 Texas as they try to remain relevant in the AFC wild-card race.
“We’re just trying to continue the game plan, continue to move forward,” Bryant said “Get ready for Tennessee.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com