3 Questions For The Houston Texans This Offseason

The Houston Texans came into the season with sky-high expectations. Last season, rookie quarterback CJ Stroud took the league by storm and led the team to a playoff appearance and win. This season was a little more of a struggle. While they were still able to make the postseason, things weren’t as smooth on offense as many had hoped. Despite another strong showing in the postseason, this team has some work to do if they are going to be serious contenders in the conference. Here are three important questions for the Texans this offseason.

1. What Offensive Weapons Can The Houston Texans Add?

Going into the season, the Houston Texans had some of the best offensive weapons in the league. Nico Collins had a breakout year and was ready to continue that momentum. The team traded for Stefon Diggs, adding a high-quality veteran to the offense. Tank Dell showed promise in his rookie year. Things have changed drastically. Collins is still elite, but Diggs tore his ACL and is now a free agent. Dell suffered a horrific injury late in the season and most likely will miss the entire year.

It was evident in the playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that the offense needs more weapons for CJ Stroud. Collins was effective, but the Chiefs were able to neutralize him often and force others to make plays. The team will have to decide whether they want to bring Diggs back. They gave up quite a lot of draft capital, and he only lasted half a season. It wouldn’t shock me if they try to bring him back as a veteran presence. If not, they will need to find ways to add some quality pieces around Collins for 2025.

2. Can They Find The Right Pieces To Protect Stroud?

The Houston Texans quietly had a great season running the ball, thanks to Joe Mixon. The offensive line was good at run blocking but absolutely terrible in pass protection. They gave up 54 sacks this season which was tied for third most in the league this year. Only the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears allowed more. It doesn’t matter how good the weapons of an offense are. If the line cannot protect the quarterback, it won’t matter.

The offensive line is one of the positions in free agency in which teams can find value. The Houston Texans might be able to find some great value signings in the offseason. They also will likely look to the draft to find some young talent to develop. We’ve seen many teams this year have promise but struggle because of poor offensive line play. In the playoffs, we’ve seen the effect pressure can have on the game. If the Texans are going to compete in the AFC, they have to protect the quarterback.

3. How Much Blame Goes On Stroud For 2024?

After last season, the Houston Texans looked like they were on the fast track to AFC supremacy with CJ Stroud. In this rookie year, he threw for 4,108 yards, 25 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. This season wasn’t drastically different, which is part of the issue. He didn’t show much growth. The former top-five pick threw for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. How much of the blame goes to Stroud, and should fans be worried?

Overall I don’t think Houston Texans fans should freak out. Are there things Stroud needs to work on? Yes, so does everyone else in the league. His interception numbers are the biggest concern. Yes, he was under duress this season, but he has to take care of the ball better. The front office needs to address some of the serious roster issues to put their quarterback in a better position to win. If they do this and Stroud doesn’t improve, then there should be some concern.

Final Thoughts

The Houston Texans are still in great shape heading into 2025. DeMeco Ryans has proven himself to be a solid head coach. Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. look like cornerstones of the future. If they can fine-tune the offense, this team should find itself back in the AFC playoffs next season.