First-Round Pick Keylan Rutledge Might Not Start, And Nobody In Houston Is Ready For It

Alright, buckle up, Emerald City, because while we're focused on our own, there's a wild scene brewing down in Houston that has everyone scratching their heads. Their first-round rookie offensive lineman, Keylan Rutledge, a guy they just drafted to protect C.J. Stroud, might actually start the year on the bench! Like, what even is happening there? Every interior line spot is apparently up for grabs, and it's early in the stages of OTAs. This is not how you draw it up for a top pick.

Keylan Rutledge's OL Carousel is Spinning Out of Control

This whole situation with Rutledge is a head-scratcher. Just look at the reps he's getting, or rather, where he's getting them. Last Wednesday, he was running with the first-team offense at left guard. Sounds good, right? Except earlier in the week, it was Wyatt Teller holding down left guard, with Jake Andrews at center. And get this, last week, Rutledge was also seeing first-team reps, but with Teller still at left guard. It's like a game of musical chairs over there, and Rutledge is getting tested at every stop.

The buzz on Rutledge coming out of Georgia Tech was his insane position flexibility, which is usually a selling point. He was an All-American guard in college, then worked out at center during the Senior Bowl workouts, and teams kept testing him as a center throughout the pre-draft process. He was considered a top interior lineman, period. Coach DeMeco Ryans even raved, "He’s done a great job with both. Really great communicator as a young player, aggressive, intense, just like the tape you saw at Georgia Tech, so it’s looked great so far in OTAs.” That's high praise for his skills, but it doesn't solve the "where to put him" problem.

Can Houston Find Their Best Five Up Front?

The Texans are basically rebuilding their offensive line from scratch to protect Stroud, planning on four new starters this season. Tytus Howard got shipped to Cleveland last offseason, so he's out. Wyatt Teller and former Colts starting right tackle Braden Smith both inked multi-year deals, and they're expected to grab first-team reps if they stay healthy. And Aireontae Ersery? He locked down the left tackle spot as a rookie last year. So, that's three spots, basically set.

That leaves Rutledge in a straight-up battle with Jake Andrews and Evan Brown for center reps. Brown, by the way, was signed this offseason specifically to fight for first-team center reps with Andrews. The Texans' philosophy is pretty clear: they want the best five players out there. Ersery sounds stoked on the competition, saying, “You got young guys flying around making plays wanting to hit people in the mouth. A couple guys probably mentioned DeMeco pulling the O-line back, which usually doesn’t happen. It’s been refreshing.” It's great to hear the intensity, but if Rutledge doesn't win that center job, a first-round pick starting on the bench is a tough pill to swallow for any team.

So, as we watch our M's chase early season wins and the Sounders get their grind on, let's keep an eye on this Texans' O-line drama. Rutledge is fighting for his starting job, and if he earns it, great. But if he doesn't, this early season O-line shakeup could have ripple effects down there for the entire year. You gotta wonder if they'll find their best five before things really heat up.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.