In 2023, Azeez Al-Shaair logged 163 tackles for the fifth-most in the NFL. But just 84 of those tackles were solo, and his efforts took place in relative anonymity on a bad Tennessee Titans team.
That won't be the case in 2024, though. For starters, the 26-year-old has moved from, arguably, the worst team in the AFC South to the best. The Houston Texans are one of the trendiest teams in the league after last season's surprise success.
In Houston, Al-Shaair has been reunited with DeMeco Ryans, who he played for in San Francisco.
The Texans head coach told reporters that he's excited for the Florida Atlantic product's potential after seeing his growth last season:
"By adding Azeez to our team, as you guys will see, we're getting a tenacious player, a guy who plays with relentless passion, energy, physical. The thing with Azeez that stood out for me last year was his first time getting an opportunity to play full time as a starter. He had been in a backup role when we were there in San Francisco for a while, and he showed that he was capable of running the show, and showed that he was able to stay healthy throughout the entire year.
"So, he was durable, he was a playmaker, he was physical, he was a leader of that defense. So, excited to add not only Azeez as a player, but Azeez as a leader. I think he's grown as a leader, and I'm excited to work with him again."
With the 49ers, Al-Shaair played in the shadow of perhaps the best off-ball linebacker in the game in Fred Warner.
By the end of the 2024 campaign, he will be mentioned alongside his former teammate as one of the best at the position in his own right.
