Texans safety Jalen Pitre looking to get back on track after 'up and down' 2023 season

After authoring an impressive rookie campaign, Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre took a step back in Year 2. Entering his second season under DeMeco Ryans, the safety is ready to get back on track.

Pitre undeniably had a tumultuous 2023 season, securing only 84 tackles, which was 63 less than his rookie year, and failed to make any interceptions. He also experienced multiple failures in coverage.

“That’s a part of life,” Pitre said last week, via the Houston Chronicle. “Everything is not always going to be sunshine. I felt like I did a lot of great things in my first year, made some plays, but last year, it was more up and down.”

In 2023, Pitre was the nearest defender in coverage during three touchdown plays and allowed a 127.9 passer rating, according to Next Gen Stats.

The safety, who will be turning 25 on Monday, stated that he’s focusing on maintaining “calmness” as he heads into his third year to aid him in achieving a turnaround in 2024.

“He said, “I believe the next step for me is to remain calm and understand what the coaches expect of me.”

In 2022, Pitre was a natural fit in Lovie Smith’s system. However, the shift to Ryans’ scheme proved to be more challenging, causing inconsistency. Additionally, the young playmaker’s cause wasn’t helped by missing two games at the start of the season due to a collapsed lung in Week 1.

Pitre believes that the stability of the coaching staff, going into his third season, will help him get back to playing dynamic football.

“The utmost priority for me is to not disappoint those who have faith in me,” stated Pitre. “This begins with my teammates, coaches, and parents, and ensuring I meet their expectations. That’s my primary focus. I aim to maintain my focus on what’s most important and stay committed to my process.”

After last season’s achievements, the bar has been set incredibly high for Houston in 2024. In order to meet these expectations, developing players such as Pitre need to step up their game.