The Houston Texans are building off one of the stronger offseasons among teams across the league, making key additions to a roster that now seems ready to compete for a Super Bowl.
After the emergence of C.J. Stroud under center during his rookie season, the Texans went all-in on building the strongest possible roster around him during his rookie contract. They added Stefon Diggs, Joe Mixon, Danielle Hunter and more.
Houston won 10 games during Stroud's rookie season, and that was after he truly broke out midway through his first campaign. Now, heading into year two, he's got more talent surrounding him, a second-year head coach in DeMeco Ryans and the ability to run the offense from the jump.
After leading a previously four-win team to the playoffs in 2023, what's in store for the Texans during the 2024 season? According to Action Network's win totals placed for every NFL team for the upcoming season, the Texans' win total line is set at 9.5 wins. Is that too low?
The short answer is yes, 9.5 wins is setting the bar too low. They were a double-digit win team a season ago, with Stroud, Tank Dell, Nico Collins and more set to improve. They've been able to add some key talents, as previously mentioned. Ryans has another year to establish his culture and the front office was able to make tweaks to patch some holes within the squad.
It's hard to imagine any regression coming from Houston. The club started the 2023 season 3-4 before a strong finish to the season. As mentioned, plenty of additions were made around a rising organization with a newfound culture that's built to win big games.
Stroud and Ryans are going to continue leading the Texans in the right direction, and Houston feels like a legitimate threat out of the AFC. Sure, they're going to have to go through some tough teams and elite quarterbacks, but plenty of development within the team could have the Texans ready to compete at the highest level.
