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How the Houston Texans can avoid an unmistakable draft trap
Apr 5, 2023, 1:30 pm
It's time for the Texans to draft their next QB. Composite image by Brandon Strange, photos by Getty Images.
How all signs point to the Houston Texans finally taking the plunge
The Houston Texans are reportedly hosting Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud on Wednesday. With the NFL Draft roughly three weeks away, we're seeing a lot of smoke and mirrors around the league.
Earlier in the week, Peter King tossed out the possibility of the Texans taking a defensive player, such as Alabama’s Will Anderson, at No. 2 instead of a quarterback.
While in theory, Houston has the capital to take a defensive player and then either trade back up to get a quarterback in this year’s draft or punt all together for next year’s class of play calling prospects, doing so could be a huge mistake for the Texans.
The most important position in the NFL is at quarterback.
This past season’s final four teams in the postseason featured Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy. While only three of those players are fully established, even San Francisco’s Purdy was playing at a high level leading into championship Sunday.
When Purdy went down with injury, the juggernaut offense of the 49ers became a skeleton of itself despite weapons like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle still on the field.
While Anderson is an impressive prospect, the Texans have first-hand experience that not even a dominant defensive star, like J.J. Watt, is enough to overcome a subpar offense led by an average-to-below-average quarterback as was the case in 2014 and 2015.
USC’s Caleb Williams is next year’s consensus top pick but nothing is guaranteed in football. Williams could have a down season that plummets his stock, just look at Spencer Rattler. While that probably won’t happen, there is also the factor of Houston winning more games.
After three straight seasons of having four or fewer wins, the Texans could finally get out of the NFL’s basement, meaning the team would have to trade up to put itself in position to get the top quarterback in 2024.
Or the Texans can avoid having to pay that hefty price altogether. They are guaranteed to have a shot at taking either Stroud or Alabama’s Bryce Young. If they want, they can take Anthony Richardson or Will Levis too.
Houston wants to forget about the Deshaun Watson era for many reasons, but think back to the first six weeks of the 2017 season. It was clear that Watson was a special quarterback, as he left Texans fans in awe with spectacular performances week in and week out before he tore his ACL.
The city’s fans are hungry to experience that hope and joy from its pro football once again. Houston needs to take its quarterback at No. 2 and build the rest of the team after that.
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The Astros closed out their latest road trip with a winning record, a feat made more impressive considering the turbulence at the back of the rotation. Brandon Walter and Ryan Gusto both endured rough outings, with Walter in particular getting tagged hard. Still, Houston salvaged the finale, thanks largely to Mauricio Dubón’s breakout performance. The utilityman launched two home runs to power an offense that’s quietly been heating up for weeks.
But even with a solid finish, not everything is trending upward.
Josh Hader, who’s been one of the game’s most reliable closers this season, has begun to show signs of vulnerability. He’s allowed a home run in three of his last six outings. While his overall numbers remain strong, the long ball—a problem that plagued him last year—is starting to creep back into the picture.
As the Astros return home, the schedule offers no breather. They’ll face the Phillies and Cubs before a brief trip to Colorado to take on the struggling Rockies. After that comes a marquee series against the defending champion Dodgers in Los Angeles. With three of their next four opponents being legitimate World Series threats, the coming stretch looms large.
Can the bats keep pace?
If the last month is any indication, the Astros have reason to feel optimistic. Christian Walker has started to show signs of life after a quiet start to the season, hitting .260 with a .762 OPS and five home runs over the past 30 days. José Altuve has been scorching with a .302 average and .901 OPS in that span, while Jeremy Peña has taken things to another level, batting .384 with a 1.009 OPS.
As a team, the Astros rank 7th in OPS, 5th in runs, 3rd in batting average, and 7th in home runs over the last 30 days. It’s a surge that’s come at the right time—and one they’ll need to sustain.
The injury picture is also starting to shift in Houston’s favor.
Cristian Javier threw a 20-pitch live BP today in West Palm Beach. According to Joe Espada, he was up to 95 mph.
Luis Garcia should throw a live BP next week.
Spencer Arrighetti is still not throwing off a mound yet.
Yordan Alvarez has not resumed hitting.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 20, 2025
Joe Espada told The Athletic's Chandler Rome that Christian Javier recently threw a live batting practice session, touching 95 mph as he continues his return from Tommy John surgery. JP France has thrown multiple live BPs and could be ready to help if things continue to progress with his shoulder. Luis Garcia, however, remains further away despite undergoing surgery more than two years ago. He's expected to throw a live BP this week.
Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) should be able to return in August, and Lance McCullers has resumed throwing and is currently on the 15-day IL with a foot sprain.
The Astros are winning. The offense is rolling. The reinforcements are on the way. But with a brutal stretch looming, the team’s margin for error is about to be put to the test.
There's so much more to cover! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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