Three reasons to be optimistic about the Houston Texans in 2023
The Houston Texans are a team on the rise. After several seasons of turmoil and mediocrity, the team now has hope. Solid free agency and draft moves have set the team up in a much better position than it was in a year ago. With the offseason program in full swing, I wanted to take […]
The Houston Texans are a team on the rise.
After several seasons of turmoil and mediocrity, the team now has hope. Solid free agency and draft moves have set the team up in a much better position than it was in a year ago.
With the offseason program in full swing, I wanted to take a look at the biggest reasons to feel optimistic about the Texans in 2023.
Young stars
The Texans have as much young star power as any team in the league. CJ Stroud was selected No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the team made waves by trading up to select star edge defender Will Anderson Jr. with the No. 3 pick.
While these two will likely be the flashiest, the team has several other young impact players as well. John Metchie III is set to make his long-awaited return after dealing with Leukemia and an ACL injury. Sticking with the receivers, rookie Tank Dell has turned heads in OTAs and appears primed for a big role.
Switching to the defense, the Texans' secondary might just be the most underrated in the league. 2022 first-round pick Derek Stingley Jr. appears healthy and young safety Jalen Pitre had a fantastic rookie season.
Is this roster elite? Absolutely not. But will it be fun to watch? Absolutely.
New coaching staff
The Texans had four head coaches between 2020-2022. Bill O'Brien, Romeo Crennel, David Culley, and Lovie Smith all took turns as the Houston head coach before DeMeco Ryans was hired after the 2022 season.
Ryans is already a beloved figure in Houston from his playing days, and he knows the fanbase well. The first-time head coach also spent six seasons in San Francisco, so he knows what a winning culture looks like.
Ryans brough Bobby Slowik from San Francisco to be the offensive coordinator, and Slowik learned under one of the most creative offenses in the league.
The payoff will likely not be here right away, but there will be a noticeable difference in the way this team performs in 2023.
The state of the AFC South
To say the AFC South is not in a great state would be an understatement.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are current betting favorites to win the division and the Colts and Titans are both projected to be under .500.
Do I think the Texans can win the division? Probably not in 2023. However, I do think the team could make things interesting. Playing the Titans and Colts twice, as well as playing the entire NFC South, the Texans could sneak a few more wins than some might be thinking.
Featured image via © Erik Williams | 2023 Feb 2
