How latest comments from Texans GM reveal roadmap for immediate priorities
TEXANS ON TAP
25 January
With the Houston Texans 2023 season officially in the books, it's time to look ahead at what the roster will look like in 2024.
Texans GM Nick Caserio spoke recently about the priorities for the offseason. He noted that teams that are able to run the ball, and stop the run in January, are typically the ones that go deep in the playoffs.
Which makes sense, considering the Texans had no answers for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens running game. On the other side of the ball, the Texans struggled to get their rushing attack going all year. Texans OC Bobby Slowik was the passing game coordinator for the 49ers before joining the Texans. It's no surprise that he would have more success airing it out with superstar rookie QB CJ Stroud.
So how can the Texans get better in these areas? On offense, it starts with upgrading the run and pass blocking. With Laremy Tunsil, Shaq Mason, and Tytus Howard locked in for 2024 based on their contracts, center and left guard is where there's some uncertainty.
Juice Scruggs seems like the logical option at center, so left guard could be the position they look to upgrade through free agency or the draft. Ideally, left guard Kenyon Green will live up to being a first round pick this year and help improve the running game. But it's hard to count on him after the last two disappointing seasons.
They could also look for a dynamic running back that could take the rushing attack to the next level, either way, with only Dameon Pierce under contract, expect the Texans to add some competition in free agency or the draft. We also expect them to re-sign TE Dalton Schultz, which will likely cost around $10 million per season.
Outlook on defense
They were much-improved against the run in 2023. But there's room for growth, as we saw late in the season. The Colts and Ravens had success running against the Texans, so there's work to be done. If the Texans want to be true championship contenders going forward, they'll have to have an answer for the Ravens rushing attack. Even if you take Lamar Jackson's 100 rushing yards out of the equation, DeMeco's defense still surrendered 129 yards on the ground to Baltimore's running backs.
Two spots on the defensive line are up in the air for next season, with Sheldon Rankins and Jonathan Greenard both being free agents. And while re-signing Greenard seems like a no-brainer based on his 12.5 sack season, he's going to cost a lot. The Texans $70 million in cap space won't last long after signing Greenard to a 5-year, $75 million contract.
My only concern with Greenard is the injuries. He's great against the run and a very good pass rusher, but he'll play this upcoming season at 27 years old and has never played a full allotment of games due to injury. Plus, the Texans have a lot of players on 1-year contracts that are looking to get paid this offseason. They simply can't pay everybody.
Not to mention, kicker Ka'imi Faribairn and punter Cam Johnston are both free agents.
Blake Cashman is another player the Texans should consider bringing back. He shouldn't cost a ton of money, and he played well at linebacker for Houston this year. Corner Steven Nelson is also a free agent, and safety Jimmy Ward could be a cap casualty based on how often he was injured this year, and his age.
One thing is for sure, Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans will have some difficult decisions to make. Let's hope Caserio has another year of adding quality players in the draft and free agency. And it might be a little easier this season in free agency, with players excited to join a playoff team with a top tier young QB.
How undefeated streaks collide in clash between Texans and road warrior Lions
Nov 7, 2024, 4:41 pm
With the Texans coming off their sorry second half showing at the Jets and the Detroit Lions coming to town riding a six-game winning streak, it has the look of pretender vs. contender Sunday night at NRG Stadium. The 7-1 Lions are obviously the better team but that is no guarantee that they will be the better team Sunday night. The point spread is only three and a half points. It’s not as if a Texans victory would be a stunning upset. The Texans knocking off the Lions would not balance the books for the Detroit Tigers having bounced the Astros from the baseball playoffs last month, but it would be one of the better regular season wins in Texans’ history.
If not upsetting, it certainly isn’t uplifting that Nick Caserio made zero consequential moves before Tuesday’s trade deadline. If you’re a Texans fan it is upsetting, though shouldn’t be infuriating. Claiming off waivers an offensive lineman (Zachary Thomas) who was getting about 10 snaps per game on one of the very worst o-lines in the NFL (New England Patriots) does not qualify as consequential. It’s not as if Caserio could snap his fingers and make a great deal for a legitimate starting left guard. But his job is to build the roster and he made nothing that qualifies as even a modest upgrade to the most glaring weakness on the team. Play can’t be much worse than what Kenyon Green was providing at left guard before his season-ending injury. But Kenyon was only playing because the staff considered him better than Kendrick Green and Jarrett Patterson. Or, Kenyon was getting unwarranted extended run to prove conclusively he was a waste of a first-round draft pick in 2022.
If Caserio believes the Texans are a bonafide threat in the AFC, adding nothing is a clear fail. Any gurgling about “we believe in our guys” as justification for inertia should be scoffed at, unless Caserio or anyone else believes the Chiefs, Bills, Steelers, and Ravens didn’t “believe in their guys.” All those AFC contenders made clear upgrades. This is not talking about the Texans trading high draft choices. Last week the Minnesota Vikings acquired Jacksonville starting left tackle Cam Robinson for a conditional fifth-round pick.
Tale of the tape
As for Sunday, NBC has to be hoping the Texans being 4-0 this season at NRG Stadium bodes well for them, at least giving the Lions a good game. The Texans are with the Chiefs, Bills, Commanders (!), and Bears (!!) as unbeaten at home. On the other hand, the Lions are a perfect 4-0 on the road. The Chiefs and Falcons have also yet to lose on the road.
While hoping that Aidan Hutchinson makes a complete recovery from his multiple leg fractures, the Lions’ beastly defensive end’s absence sure helps the cause of the Texans’ feeble pass-protecting offensive line. Hutchinson was the early leader for Defensive Player of the Year with seven and a half sacks in five games before he went down. The Lions traded for DE Za’Darius Smith from Cleveland this week. It’s unclear whether Smith makes his Detroit debut chasing C.J. Stroud.
The Texans have topped 30 points in a game once this season. The Lions average an NFL-leading 32.3 per game, topping 30 in four of their last five games, only coming up short last Sunday in a rain-soaked 24-14 win at Green Bay. Over those five games quarterback Jared Goff has completed an absurd 83.8 percent of his passes, with 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions. For the season Goff is completing 74.9 percent. If he maintains that number, he’ll break the NFL record of 74.4 that Drew Brees posted with the Saints in 2018.
Third time's the charm?
Only once in their history have the Texans managed three consecutive winning seasons. They went 9-7 in each of them under Bill O’Brien in 2014, ‘15, and ‘16. They did so with three different quarterbacks leading them in passing yardage: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer, and Brock Osweiler (really!). The Lions are two victories from securing their first back-to-back-to-back winning seasons since 1993, ‘94, and ‘95. That was the heyday of the great Barry Sanders at running back. Three different quarterbacks led the Lions in passing yardage those years. You’re probably fibbing if you claimed “I know them: Rodney Peete, Dave Krieg, and Scott Mitchell.”
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!
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