Texans' Kenyon Green: 'Growing Pains' vs. 'Biggest Bust'?

When the Houston Texans used a first-round pick in 2022 on offensive lineman Kenyon Green, they did so hoping he would be a franchise building block in the trenches. 

Like most rookies, his first season in the NFL had its fair share of ups and downs. After all, playing along the offensive line is one of the more difficult positions to transition to in the NFL. 

Despite that, though, he did show flashes of potential of why the Texans picked him. However, even with those flashes - and maybe because we live in a microwave'able ADD world - Bleacher Report believes he will be the biggest bust for Houston this season.

"Sometimes a rookie takes his lumps and bounces back the following season to prove what he can do," Bleacher Report writes. "Other times, that tough rookie season is simply a harbinger of things to come. It's hard not to shake the idea that Kenyon Green's rookie year was the latter."

"The injuries and poor play in 2022 might not just be growing pains."

We'd suggest a toe on the brakes here. So far in his young career injuries have played a definite factor for Green. Ahead of last season he suffered a concussion in the second week of training camp, and while he still started 14 games, it was a definite factor in his rocky rookie season.

Once again entering his second season there have been injury concerns, as he had arthroscopic knee surgery in March that forced him to miss OTAs. That doesn't mean he'll be a bust, however. The Texas A&M product was the 15th-overall player taken in his draft, and has undeniable pedigree. At 6-4 and 325, he's got all the tools to success.

The second-year offensive lineman will be a key component for a new-look Texans offensive line, hoping to anchor a unit needing to take a step forward. If he can play up to his full potential then something special could be brewing in Houston. ... but maybe we ought to give him just a bit of time to grow into the job.

You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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