Breaking down the Texans depth chart after Week 1 of NFL free agency

The Texans have been extremely active this offseason, and have made several notable additions on each side of the ball.  In addition to keeping a few veterans like Tavierre Thomas and MJ Stewart in the fold, the team also made a notable trade and some solid signings. Robert Woods, Jimmie Ward, and Sheldon Rankins highlight […]

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© Thomas Shea | 2022 Nov 20

The Texans have been extremely active this offseason, and have made several notable additions on each side of the ball. 

In addition to keeping a few veterans like Tavierre Thomas and MJ Stewart in the fold, the team also made a notable trade and some solid signings. Robert Woods, Jimmie Ward, and Sheldon Rankins highlight the notable additions. 

So, what exactly does the Texans' depth chart look like after the initial wave of free agency? Let's take a look. 

PositionStarterReserves

Quarterback

Davis Mills 

Case Keenum

Running back

Dameon Pierce

Mike Boone, Dare Ogunbowale

Wide receiver

Nico Collins 

Jalen Camp

Wide receiver

Noah Brown 

Amari Rodgers 

Wide receiver

Robert Woods 

John Metchie III

Tight end

Teagan Quitoriano

Brevin Jordan, Mason Schreck

Left tackle

Laremy Tunsil 

Austin Deculus

Left guard

Kenyon Green

Jimmy Morrissey

Center

Scott Quessenberry 

N/A

Right guard

Shaq Mason

N/A

Right tackle

Tytus Howard

Charlie Heck 

Texans depth chart on offense after initial wave of free agency

Offensively, the Texans made two major moves: Giving up essentially nothing for Shaq Mason and adding a proven veteran in Robert Woods. 

Woods' addition is even more important given that former Texan Brandin Cooks is now a Dallas Cowboy. 

The offensive line is already improved by the addition of Mason, and locking up Tunsil was huge as well. Expect the team to invest at least a pick or two on the line in the draft, however. The unit is not deep, and upgrading at the center position should be a priority. 

Additionally, the tight end position is now a need in Houston. With Jordan Akins bolting for Cleveland, the inexperienced Quitoriano is currently penciled in to start. 

At QB, Mills is the starter, for now. I believe everyone fully expects the team to take one of Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson, or Will Levis, depending on how the draft goes. 


Defense

PositionStarter(s)Reserves

Defensive end

Jerry Hughes, Jonathan Greenard

Chase Winovich, Demone Harris, Derek Rivers, Adedayo Odeleye

Defensive tackle

Sheldon Rankins, Maliek Collins

Roy Lopez, Hassan Ridgeway, Taylor Stallworth, Kurt Hinish

Outside linebacker

Christian Harris 

N/A

Middle linebacker

Christian Kirksey 

Blake Cashman

Outside linebacker

Jake Hansen 

Garrett Wallow

Cornerback

Steven Nelson 

D’Angelo Ross, Kendall Sheffield

Cornerback

Derek Stingley, Jr.

Cobi Francis, Ka’Dar Hollman

Nickel

Desmond King II

Tavierre Thomas 

Free Safety

Jalen Pitre

Eric Murray, Grayland Arnold

Strong Safety

Jimmie Ward

MJ Stewart

The Texans depth chart on defense after the initial wave of free agency

The defensive front has likely been the biggest beneficiary of the teams' early moves. 

Bringing in Sheldon Rankins, Hassan Ridgeway, and Chase Winovich should provide a huge boost. The Texans were atrocious against the run, finishing dead-last in opponent's rushing yards per game in 2022. Adding a couple of big bodies to the middle should help. 

The linebacker room is very thin as of now, and I would expect multiple additions via free agency and the draft. 

I think many people would be surprised to learn that the Texans actually boasted the 10th-ranked passing defense in 2022. That unit should only improve in 2023 as young stars Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley Jr develop. 

Jimmie Ward follows his former defensive coordinator to Houston and brings a decade of NFL experience with him. This secondary could be the strongest part of the team. 

PositionStarterReserves

Long snapper

Jon Weeks

N/A

Punter

Cameron Johnston 

Kicker

Ka’imi Fairbairn

Kick returner

Dare Ogunbowale

Desmond King II

Punt returner

Desmond King II

The Texans depth chart for special teams after initial wave of free agency

This is a pretty solid and set group. 

Johnston is set to enter his third season as the punter in Houston, and only Johnny Hekker pinned more punts inside of the 20-yard line than Johnston in 2022.

Fairbairn should be back as well after hitting 93.6% of his field goals in 2022. It would not be surprising to see the team take a flier on a late-round or undrafted specialist, however. 

In conclusion: There are still several areas in which the team needs to improve to have any shot at the playoffs. I wouldn't expect any more flashy moves from the team, but more signings will be made for depth. 

The team will most likely have a rookie under center in 2023, so expectations should be tempered. The roster around said rookie QB will definitely have more talent than the 2022 rendition though.