For a Houston Texans team fighting to stay in the playoff picture, the return of a single player could completely change their defensive identity. The team sits at 6-5. Next, they will face the Indianapolis Colts , who are at 8-3. So DeMeco Ryans did not waste a second, as he brought back Jalen Pitre, sending a message to Shane Steichen and Daniel Jones.

“Jalen, he opens our playbook up, the full playbook. We can do a lot of different things with Jalen. Everybody sees he’s been a dynamic playmaker for us.”

And Ryans feels Pitre can be a big threat to the Colts. His skill set gives Houston something rare. He plays like a hybrid, and that kind of versatility is tough to replace. His range helps the Texans shift coverages and hide looks.

“Whether it’s in the run game or the passing gam

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