Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) celebrates after making an interception during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Texans Defensive Trio Receives Strong Take for 2025 Season

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 4:30 PM ET

The Houston Texans defense could be preparing to be one of the NFL's best for the 2025 season.

Well, at least when it comes to their outlook for the safety position, things are looking decently strong when looking at the talent this team has on paper.

Pro Football Focus analyst Zoltan Buday recently dropped their rankings, stacking up the best safety talents across the NFL from one to 32, and it's hard to say anyone walked out of these looking better than Houston.

The Texans had not one, not two, but three safeties to land within the top 25 of PFF's rankings, between the likes of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jalen Pitre, and Jimmie Ward, all getting their credit amongst the league's best contributors in the back-end.

The lowest of the group of three, but also the Texans' youngest in Pitre, found his way to the 21st spot on Buday's list.

"Pitre made a big leap in his third NFL season despite it being cut short due to an injury," Buday wrote. "The Baylor product recorded career highs in PFF overall grade, PFF run-defense grade and PFF coverage grade, and his 73.9 PFF overall grade ranked 18th among 98 qualifying safeties."

Not too far from Pitre, though, was Ward, who resides just above his younger counterpart as the 19th-best safety in the NFL.

"Ward has been one of the most consistent safeties in the league over the past decade.," Buday wrote. "The former first-round pick has ranked among the top 20 safeties in PFF overall grade in five of the past six seasons. After a down 2023 season, he was once again back among the best, as his 76.1 PFF overall grade placed 15th at the position."

However, the highest on the list for the Texans was none other than their newest offseason trade addition in Gardner-Johnson, who was ranked as the league's 13th-best safety following his Super Bowl-winning efforts with the Philadelphia Eagles this past February.

"Gardner-Johnson put together the best season of his career in 2024 — and not just because he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with the Eagles," said Buday. "His 1,170 snaps were a career high, as was his 77.0 PFF overall grade that ranked 14th among safeties. The now-Texan's 85.7 PFF coverage grade last season placed sixth among 96 qualifying safeties."

For an already-strong Texans safety group shown from last season, adding Gardner-Johnson could be the move that takes this group over the top for 2025.

And to pair that with the young and dominant cornerback room that Houston has established with Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter at the top of the depth chart there, the stage could truly be set for this pass defense to be among the NFL's best in 2025.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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