Steelers set to face former teammate Kendrick Green, now a starting guard for Texans

One month ago Thursday, Kendrick Green was on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster. Come Sunday, he will be in the starting lineup for a game against them.

Green is in line to serve a third consecutive game as the Houston Texans’ left guard for the upcoming matchup versus his former team in Houston. A third-round pick of the Steelers in 2021 who started at center his rookie season, Green, by the next season, was a gameday inactive every week. During the past year it had become clear he had fallen out of favor with the organization.

“Klemm’s philosophies and techniques were completely different than what Pat Meyer’s are. Switching back & forth– switching positions, at that– it was kinda like starting from ground zero. It’s frustrating, but it’s what I get paid to do, so I gotta do it"https://t.co/xFAO2xRqKQ

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) November 4, 2022

With a logjam of talent on the interior offensive line ahead of him, Green was dealt to the Texans on Aug. 29 for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick.

In making his first two NFL starts at his more natural position of guard the past two weeks for Houston, Green has impressed his new coach.

“Kendrick has done a really good job,” DeMeco Ryans said during a conference call with Pittsburgh media Wednesday. “Kendrick is very athletic, and that jumps off the tape. With athletic as he is and his ability to get to second level, I love his tenacity in how he tries to finish his blocks off.

“I’m encouraged with him. We’ve only had him for a short time, but I’ve been pleased with what he’s able to bring to our offensive line.”

After the signing of guards Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig over the offseason, Green found himself as a backup center and on a third team of guards behind starters Seumalo and James Daniels and second-teamers Herbig and Kevin Dotson. Dotson also was traded at the end of camp.

Green was mostly a guard at Illinois, but the Steelers drafted him to replace multi-year All-Pro Maurkice Pouncey at center. He started the first 15 games but was benched by the playoffs. During the 2022 offseason, the Steelers signed Mason Cole to man center, and Green was given an opportunity to compete with Dotson to start at left guard. He lost out on that.

This past training camp, Green famously dabbled as a fullback. But it was a look that was never shown during a preseason game.

Now, he faces the defensive front that he’s gone against every day in practice over the past 2 ½ years.

“At the beginning (before the game), it will be fun to get to see him,” Steelers defensive lineman Montravius Adams said. “But once the clock starts, all the friendship is out the window, and this all about winning, and at the end of the day, we’re trying to win. And on re D-line, we are trying to get to the quarterback and whoever else might have the ball. So if Kendrick gets in the way or anybody else, we got to go through him.”

For what it’s worth, according to Pro Football Focus, Green has not allowed a pressure in any of his 84 pass block snaps this season. He has been penalized once. Green is graded 42nd overall among 62 qualifying starting NFL guards this season.

Sunday, he will face his former team.

“For me personally I think the toughest thing will be that he knows everyone on the D-line,” Adams said. “So that’s a thing of what he will probably share with other offensive lineman on players like TJ or players like Larry (Ogunjobi), Alex (Highsmith), I think he will share with his O-line that will help them be in place.

“But at the end of the day, the best dog will win. It doesn’t matter what you know. You got to execute.”

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