In a word? No
Can new Texans WR Randall Cobb soften the Hopkins departure?
Mar 16, 2020, 11:36 pm
In a word? No
The Texans got to work trying to replace DeAndre Hopkins late Monday.
Cobb has had four 100+ yd games since 2015.
— Raheel Ramzanali (@The_Raheel) March 17, 2020
DeAndre Hopkins had six last year. https://t.co/shGSW5Pgky
Last year for the Cowboys Randall Cobb played primarily from the slot position and amassed 828 yards and three touchdowns for Dallas. It was his first season playing for the Cowboys and he managed two 100 yard games twice.
The #Texans have agreed to terms with WR @rcobb18 on a 3-year $27M deal with $18.75 guaranteed #Texans @nflnetwork
— James Jones (@89JonesNTAF) March 17, 2020
This is a bad deal. Cobb will be 30 before the season starts and hasn't been regularly productive in almost two seasons. His contract checks in around the same as Adam Humphries of the Titans and John Brown of the Bills. Both are much younger or far more productive than Cobb.
The fear here, and the Texans have done nothing to dispel the notion, is Houston is viewed as an ATM. Agents will likely use the Texans to drive up the price on players or just milk them for exaggerated contracts.
Randall Cobb primarily played in the slot last year.
— Cody Stoots (@Cody_Stoots) March 17, 2020
So did DeAndre Carter.
So did Keke Coutee.
The #Texans have three slot receivers and two outside guys who missed games.
The Texans now have three wideouts who played primarily slot receiver in Cobb, DeAndre Carter, and Keke Coutee. Considering Carter just got extended, this is likely the end for Coutee. The former fourth round pick flashed his rookie year but never got out of the O'Brien doghouse as injuries and then a lack of cohesiveness in the offense doomed him.
The #Texans top three wideouts (Fuller, Stills, Cobb) have played in about 72 percent of the possible games over the past two seasons.
— Cody Stoots (@Cody_Stoots) March 17, 2020
Fuller - 19/34
Stills - 29/34
Cobb - 24/32
Remember Stills left more than a few games for long stretches with injuries.
The Texans don't have depth at wide receiver and their top pass catcher, Will Fuller, has never played 16 games. In fact, this trio has five 16 games seasons combined, the same number DeAndre Hopkins had in his career.
A month into the 2025 season, the Houston Astros have emerged as one of MLB’s most confounding teams. Their offense ranks near the bottom of nearly every key category, yet they remain competitive thanks to a pitching staff that has quietly become one of the most formidable in baseball.
Despite winning back-to-back games just once this season, Houston’s pitching has kept them afloat. The Astros boast a top-10 team ERA, rank seventh in WHIP, and sit top-eight in opponent batting average—a testament to both their rotation depth and bullpen resilience. It’s a group that has consistently given them a chance to win, even when the bats have failed to show up.
Josh Hader has been the bullpen anchor. After a rocky 2024 campaign, the closer has reinvented himself, leaning more heavily on his slider and becoming less predictable. The result has been electric: a veteran who’s adapting and thriving under pressure.
Reinforcements are also on the horizon. Kaleb Ort and Forrest Whitley are expected to bolster a bullpen that’s been great but occasionally spotty—Taylor Scott’s 5.63 ERA stands out as a weak link. Lance McCullers Jr. missed his last rehab outing due to illness but is expected back soon, possibly pairing with Ryan Gusto in a piggyback setup that could stretch games and preserve bullpen arms.
And the timing couldn’t be better, because the Astros' offense remains stuck in neutral. With an offense ranked 26th in OPS, 27th in slugging, dead last in doubles, and just 24th in runs scored, it's clear the Astros have a major issue producing consistent offense. For all their talent, they are a minus-two in run differential and have looked out of sync at the plate.
One bright spot has been rookie Cam Smith. The right fielder has displayed remarkable poise, plate discipline, and a polished approach rarely seen in rookies. It’s fair to ask why Smith, with only five Double-A games under his belt before this season, is showing more patience than veterans like Jose Altuve. Altuve, among others, has been chasing too many pitches outside the zone and hardly walking—a troubling trend across the lineup.
Before the season began, the Astros made it a point to improve their pitch selection and plate discipline. So far, that stated goal hasn’t materialized. Many of the players who are showing solid discipline—like Isaac Paredes or Christian Walker—were already doing that on other teams before joining Houston. It raises the question: are the Astros’ hitting coaches being held accountable?
The offensive woes are hard to ignore. Catcher Yainer Diaz currently owns the second-worst OPS in baseball, while Walker ranks 15th from the bottom. Even a star like Yordan Alvarez has yet to find his groove. The hope is that Diaz and Walker will follow Alvarez's lead and trend upward with time.
With so many offensive questions and few clear answers, a trade for a left-handed bat—whether in the outfield or second base—would be ideal. But with the front office laser-focused on staying below the tax threshold, don’t count on it.
For now, Houston's path forward depends on whether the bats can catch up to the arms. Until they do, the Astros will remain a team that looks good on paper but still can’t string wins together in reality.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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