There’s a acquainted time period within the gaming world for characters or technique with excessive offensive energy and low protection energy known as “glass cannons”. In NFL phrases, it’s a participant who’s extremely productive on the sector, however isn’t totally wholesome attributable to accidents.
The Texans have a number of glass cannons on offense. Specifically, Tank Dell and Brevin Jordan. The latter is the topic of in the present day’s article; the criticism and potential getting into his fifth season in Houston.
The previous College of Miami tight finish was drafted within the fifth spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft. On the time, Jordan was slotted in behind veteran Pharaoh Brown and two under-achieving third rounders in Jordan Akins and Kahale Warring. There was each the chance to begin straight away and important competitors for snaps on the place.
Jordan’s rookie season began gradual as he was a wholesome scratch, however as soon as he took the sector he instantly impacted the offense. In 9 video games, he recorded a profession excessive 20 receptions and three touchdowns.
Since his rookie 12 months, the problem has been two fold. First, discovering a constant, authentic position for Jordan. The second is getting him on the sector wholesome. He has but to play a full 17-game season. He’s solely began 12 video games and essentially the most receptions he’s put tighter was his rookie season with 20. That observe document lags behind the leash he’s been given within the Texans group. Way more productive gamers have been given far much less time to develop as Jordan has. Now together with his fifth season in entrance of him and getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract, that is simply essentially the most important season in his profession.
Jordan has given the Texans sufficient moments through the years for the teaching workers to imagine he has extra to given when totally wholesome.
The actual fact of the matter is that Jordan hasn’t performed significant soccer since 2023… and he solely performed 25% of all offensive snaps. That was underneath a unique offensive coordinator and admittedly underneath a unique C.J. Stroud.
Moreover, what will be Jordan’s position on offense? Dalton Schultz is your pass-catching TE1. Foster Moreau is the grizzled veteran blocking tight finish. Cade Stover is the utility belt, potential full again. Marlin Klein is the younger buck slated to be the blocking tight finish of the long run. That leaves a small sliver of alternative for Jordan to carve a task.
His 2023 stat line positions him properly within the offense. As a primarily inline blocker, he can be utilized within the play motion passing sport in addition to supporting the run. His pace and uncooked athleticism will create positional mismatches for the protection. If opposing defenses use a defensive again to cowl him, then the Texans will choose to run the ball in opposition to a weaker field. In the event that they heavy-up to cease the run, he’s quicker than most linebackers within the league.
The under chart illustrates his functionality to make an impression over the center of the sector. Supplied by PFF, nearly all of Jordan’s catches and targets in 2023 occurred inside 10 yards of the road of scrimmage. Despite the fact that his pace was a defining consider his play, it was solely used to get first down and to the sideline.
Further movie from his 2023 season helps show the best way Jordan was used. #9 in your display and probably #4 in your depth chart, Jordan is a flexible chess piece within the Texans offense.
The Texans appreciated to stay Brevin on this prolonged tight finish place. It expands the defensive finish away from the road of scrimmage whereas additionally brings in a secondary participant to guard in opposition to the run. The quasi-slot position limits combines the assist of the run sport and risk of the play motion go.
This place creates a improbable angle for Jordan to dam down on the defensive finish. It additionally encourages the protection to make the most of a defensive again as an alternative of a linebacker as J
This play from 2023 reveals the impression Brevin’s pace has on a protection. From the tight finish place, he’s capable of be at the very same distance downfield as WR Nico Collins, which forces each safeties to crash. That left Collins one-on-one down the sideline.
As an inline blocker, Brevin leaves quite a bit to be desired. His 6’3, 245 pound body is just not outfitted to dislodge and transfer defensive ends or linebackers. Nevertheless, when employed in conditions the place he can seal edges, create gaps, and combo, he’ll be way more profitable in two tight finish schemes. This play illustrates how his pace impacted the play by sealing off the defender to create a greater run lane for Singletary.
Whether or not Jordan could have his hand within the grime, break up out huge, or within the backfield, he brings a versatility and wrinkle to the offense that may certainly be wanted. Nick Caley’s offense final 12 months was infamously unoriginal. Utilizing Jordan
