Coming off a first-place finish in the NFC South last year, the Houston Texans are looking to take a huge leap forward in 2024. Led by Rookie of the Year Quarterback CJ Stroud, the team’s offense exploded last year, finishing seventh in the NFL through the air. Houston notched a 10-7 record a year ago, and some NFL analysts have mentioned them as a potential, dark-horse Super Bowl contender.
During the offseason, GM Nick Caserio added four-time Pro Bowl Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs, who still has plenty left in the tank. At 30 years of age, Diggs hasn’t lost a step, and he will be the type of fearless receiver and home-run threat that Stroud will feed off of.
However, with that much talent, Houston must make some hard decisions as they approach cut day on August 27. While all the top spots seem to be filled up, Caserio and Head Coach DeMeco Ryans will attempt to fortify the offense with less than two weeks to go until the regular season kickoff.
Is Noah Brown on the Chopping Block?
One of the names in question is Wide Receiver Noah Brown, a former seventh-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, who signed with Houston before the 2023 season. The Ohio State product racked up 33 catches for 567 yards and two touchdowns for the Texans last season. He re-signed a second, straight one-year contract with Houston after missing seven games with injuries in 2023,
However, with Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell filling the top three spots on the depth chart, Brown has been fighting for what is likely the last WR spot on the active roster. His main competition in camp has been John Metchie III or Robert Woods.
Recently, Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon penned a column that suggests Brown – who has career marks of 1,547 yards and five touchdowns in six seasons – will eventually be shown the door. He cites the Texans’ depth at the skill positions and Brown’s overall performance in Houston, thus far.
“The talent in the Texans’ receiving corps is a good problem, but it’s a problem nonetheless. They simply can’t keep everyone,” Kenyon wrote. “Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell aren’t going anywhere, but there are rational arguments for releasing Noah Brown, John Metchie III, or Robert Woods – particularly if you believe Xavier Hutchinson has earned a spot. Metchie’s upside and Woods’ veteran presence could persuade Houston to move on from Brown.”
The Texans Have Fortified Their Ranks
As mentioned, Diggs was a major addition to the offense, but the Texans didn’t stop there. They also landed Running Back Joe Mixon, who spent his first six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mixon, 28, rushed for 1,034 yards and nine TDs in 2023. The Texans will also feature Tight End Dalton Schultz, who has become a more featured part of the offense under Ryans.
But, of course, much of the Texans’ success will hinge on the arm of Stroud. The young leader threw for a whopping 4,103 yards last season with a 100.8 Quarterback Rating. He also had an impressive touchdown-to-interceptions ratio. The young passer had 25 TDs with just five picks in his initial NFL season.
“The most exciting thing, what I love about the NFL, is it doesn’t matter what happened last year,” Texans Coach Ryans said in July as his team prepared for training camp, “You get to hit reset. To start back from ground zero, I love that… That’s what I enjoy most. I still enjoy — and it comes back to the Senior Bowl — I still enjoy the growth and development of young players.”
The Texans will open up the NFL regular season on Sept. 8, when they travel to Indianapolis to battle the division-rival Colts (9-8 in 2023).
