Just a few weeks after going through training camp and the preseason with offensive lineman Kendrick Green, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be reunited with the former third-round draft pick on Sunday in Houston, this time as opponents.
Green, of course, was traded to the Texans prior to final 53-man roster cuts, netting the Steelers a sixth-round draft pick in 2025.
Early on, Green was expected to be depth for the Texans, who lost starting left guard Kenyon Green for the season due to an injury. The Texans also traded for Josh Jones from the Arizona Cardinals to plug in at right tackle, but he’s been filling in at left tackle for Laremy Tunsil, who is dealing with a knee injury.
That’s forced Kendrick Green into the starting lineup the last two weeks against the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Now, he’ll get a shot at his former team in Week Four.
That has Steelers players excited for the chance to not only see Green again but get a chance to play against him in a real game. That includes defensive lineman Montravius Adams, who will see a lot of Green on Sunday inside NRG Stadium. For Adams, their friendship goes out the window as soon as the game starts.
When it comes to getting to Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud or stopping the run game, if Adams and the defensive line have to go through Green, then so be it.
“On the D-line, we are trying to get to the quarterback and whoever else got the ball. If Kendrick get in the way, or anybody else, we got to go through him,” Adams said to 93.7 The Fan’s Jeff Hathhorn, according to original reporting via audacy.com.
Reading that line from Adams, it sounds a lot like the Ivan Drago line from Rocky III: “If he dies, he dies.”
It’s not exactly that extreme, but the Steelers’ defensive line has a job to do. They’ll get an opportunity to go against a guy they are quite familiar in Green, who — if we’re being completely fair — has really struggled at the NFL level.
Though he’s playing at his more natural position of left guard in Houston and earned praise from head coach DeMeco Ryans on Wednesday for being a great athlete in the trenches, Green will likely be viewed as a matchup to take advantage of on Sunday.
So far in the 2023 season, Green has played 140 snaps, grading out at a 55.3 overall from Pro Football Focus. That includes a 64.5 pass blocking grade and a 54.6 run blocking grade. He’s allowed three pressures in two starts and has been called for one penalty.
With injuries decimating the Houston offensive line ahead of the Week Four matchup with the Steelers, Green might be playing alongside a new left tackle again. Tunsil and Jones are expected to miss Sunday’s matchup, which could force practice squad tackle Austin Deculus or Geron Christian into the lineup. Houston could also flip right tackle George Fant to the left side to better protect Stroud, but that would create a hole at right tackle, too.
The offensive line in Houston is a mess, and Green will be a big focal point on Sunday playing against his former team. We’ll see if the Steelers can take advantage and “go through” Green to make plays, like Adams stated.
