How latest comments from Texans GM reveal roadmap for immediate priorities
TEXANS ON TAP
25 January 2024
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.
It’s the first place Houston Astros against the first place Los Angeles Dodgers as they open their latest head-to-head series. This is not a recording. The two most dominant powers in the sport over the last decade gather at Dodger Stadium this Independence Day weekend. The Astros have a sizable lead in pursuit of their eighth American League West championship in the last nine years. The Dodgers have an even more sizable lead as they chase their fourth straight National League West crown, which would be their 12th in 13 years. Each franchise has won two World Series in that time frame, each has lost two. All Astro and Dodger parties would sign off immediately on a 2025 World Series matchup. This three-game set carries no big picture significance, but every game counts, and it’s just fun seeing these two get after it. It would be more fun if the Astros had Yordan Alvarez available. Then again, the Dodgers won’t have Josh Fields.
Both continue to roll along despite rashes of injuries. When the Astros awoke May 24 their record sat at 26-25. Since then they have gone 26-10. That is a dominant stretch despite this clearly not being a dominant team. The still Alvarez-less offense is mediocre. So is the starting pitching apart from the one-two awesome punch that Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez have been. When Brown or Valdez has been the Astros’ starting pitcher this season, the team record is 25-9. With anyone else making the start, 27-26. They have been every bit as dynamic a duo so far in 2025 that Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole were for the Astros in 2019 when Verlander edged out Cole to win his third Cy Young Award. Brown is a lock to be named to his first American League All-Star team this Sunday. Valdez is worthy of a third consecutive selection but could get caught in a numbers squeeze. Eight or nine starting pitchers are picked for each league.
The Dodgers won’t face Brown this weekend, but will have to deal with Valdez on Saturday night. His mound counterpart will be Shohei Ohtani. Oooooooh! Framber didn’t give up a run in his last 13 innings over his last two starts, and over his last 10 outings has a super-spiffy 1.72 earned run average. The amazing Ohtani is easing back into pitching after his second Tommy John surgery. Ohtani has started three games, totaling just four innings. He has yet to throw 30 pitches in an outing. Saturday he probably will be allowed 30 to 40.
Arms race
While Friday’s outing isn’t remotely a make or break start for Lance McCullers, it does speak to a significant question the Astros hope to find a pleasing answer to over the remainder of the regular season. Who is their third starting pitcher in a playoff series? After Brown and Valdez there is simply no one who inspires confidence at this point. McCullers has been awful his last two times out, jacking up his ERA to 6.61 eight starts into his season. 20 walks issued in 32 2 /3 innings pitched is glaringly bad. McCullers is still reasonably in ramp up mode, but given his injury history along with performance concerns, the third starter spot can’t be considered his to lose. Spencer Arrighetti’s resume is thin but his return at the level he pitched at after the All-Star break last season would be massive. Colt Gordon and Brandon Walter have both done some nice fill-in work, but no one plausibly wants them starting what would be a do or die game if the Astros wind up in a game three of a best-of-three Wild Card series.
Historic achievement
Not as if it’s subplot or anything this weekend, but let’s call it notable that the two active career hits leaders in Major League Baseball share the field this weekend. Jose Altuve this week vaulted past Jeff Bagwell for second in Astros’ history behind Craig Biggio. Altuve enters the weekend 743 hits behind Biggio. He is no lock to catch him before Altuve’s five-year contract expires at the end of the 2029 season. Altuve will be 39 then. Biggio was 41 when he rapped his 3000th hit, then added 60 more before beginning the waiting game for election to the Hall of Fame.
Like Biggio got and presumably someday Altuve will get, Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman will get the call from Cooperstown some day. Like Altuve, Freeman is 35 years old, has won a Most Valuable Player Award, one Gold Glove, and with his selection this week been named an All-Star nine times. Aaron Judge may change this in the next couple of years, but among active players only Mike Trout (by a long shot) has compiled more Baseball-Reference offensive Wins Above Replacement than Freeman (second) and Altuve (third).
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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