Top surprises, wildcards, award candidates for 2024 Houston Texans season
TEXANS ON TAP
30 August 2024
The Houston Texans season starts a week from Sunday. Composite Getty Image.
The Houston Texans season is right around the corner, and now we officially know what the roster looks like in 2024.
One of the surprise cuts was receiver Noah Brown, who has struggled to stay healthy. The Texans elected to go with one veteran receiver for depth, Robert Woods.
Which makes sense, if you're going to roll with one older receiver, go ahead and pick the one who has been more healthy, and has a much better career resume overall.
However, it didn't take long for Brown to find another team, he's already signed with the Commanders and might be their second-best receiver behind Terry McLaurin, pending health.
Running back Cam Akers was the fan favorite to make the team, and the fans got their wish. If Dameon Pierce continues to struggle, the Texans shouldn't hesitate to give Akers some opportunities.
Another positive development on offense is the depth on the o-line. Nick Broeker, Kendrick Green, Jarrett Patterson, and Blake Fisher inspire more confidence should the Texans need them this year.
What about defense?
It really looks like the Texans nailed their first two defensive draft picks. Both Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock are expected to start for the team.
Lassiter is already penciled in as the No. 2 corner, and Bullock should get reps at safety with Jimmie Ward when Jalen Pitre lines up as the nickel defender.
Pitre's ability to play nickel this year certainly gave DeMeco and company the confidence to let Desmond King go. King didn't make the team last season either, but joined later in the season due to poor play and injuries at the position.
Finally, one big disappointment has to be linebacker Christian Harris being placed on short-term IR, which means he'll miss at least the first four games.
Predictions
When looking at the Texans schedule, we see the team finishing with either a 10-7 or 11-6 record. Either way, we believe the Texans win the division and head back to the playoffs.
Could CJ Stroud win MVP?
It's a real possibility. He's only behind Patrick Mahomes according to the odds in Vegas. If not Stroud or Mahomes, Josh Allen could get the nod if he has another big season after losing receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason.
What about DeMeco?
Most Texans fans feel like DeMeco Ryans was robbed for Coach of the Year last season. Do the Texans have to take another massive step forward for him to bring home the hardware in 2024?
Be sure to watch the video above for the full conversation!
How Astros early tests provide important roadmap for first stretch
Mar 31, 2025, 4:42 pm
Coming off the opening series win over the Mets, there's a lot for the Astros to be excited about. The starting pitching led the way in all three games, and Houston's high-leverage relievers delivered when it mattered most.
Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader closed the door on the Mets in games 1 and 3. Bryan King has also looked impressive, and it appears he'll be counted on in the seventh inning to hand the lead to Abreu and then Hader.
If Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski can deliver consistent performances similar to the other starters, the Astros will have one of the most feared rotations in baseball.
Plus, more help could be on the way with Lance McCullers making another step in his rehab pitching for Sugar Land over the weekend.
As good as the pitching has been, there are some legitimate concerns about the offense. Their struggles to hit with runners in scoring position in 2024 are still an issue through the first series of 2025.
Newcomers Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker have yet to do much with the bat, and the only extra-base hits this season (2) have come from Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez.
As far as the learning curve in the outfield, Jose Altuve and Cam Smith are off to a decent start. And despite the shakeup at second base, the team is still getting zero production from Mauricio Dubon and Brendan Rodgers.
It appears Joe Espada's plan in the Mets series was to get everyone some playing time, which seems like a smart strategy early in the season. However, the game plan didn't pay off on Saturday, with Zach Dezenzo, Victor Caratini, and Dubon combining for zero hits.
Polarizing bats
Finally, how are we feeling about the Torpedo bats sweeping the league?
While the Yankees aren't the only team with players sporting these new sticks, their results have been the talk of MLB with the Bronx Bombers mashing 15 dingers over just three games.
With the Astros sitting at one homer on the season, why not give them a try? One thing is for sure, don't be surprised if players opt to use these new bats to break out of a slump at some point this season.
We have 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 live right after the game. Click here to catch!
___________________________
*Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
