NFL analyst reveals Texans' biggest remaining priority before 2023 season
The Houston Texans are getting ready for OTAs but still have one huge priority they may need to address, but there is one problem. The Texans have had an amazing offseason so far, but they really aren't done yet. OTAs, or organized team activities, start May 22 and go to May 23, then May 25, […]
The Houston Texans are getting ready for OTAs but still have one huge priority they may need to address, but there is one problem.
The Texans have had an amazing offseason so far, but they really aren't done yet. OTAs, or organized team activities, start May 22 and go to May 23, then May 25, May 30-31, June 2, June 5-6, and June 8. So, there will be plenty to talk about soon enough.
But, there is one thing that needs to be focused on more, and it has a lot to do with the Texans' new prized possession – C.J. Stroud, the guy they hope can turn around their franchise.
One NFL analyst named every team's biggest priority before the season started, and the Texans' was spot on. However, there is one big problem with a potential solution to that problem.
Top priority: Reliable receiving help
I have DeMeco Ryans atop my candidates for Coach of the Year. I expect new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik to become a household name in time, as his Shanahan-inspired offense takes hold in Houston. Arrow up for C.J. Stroud and the Texans, but the rookie passer's progress will take time unless the front office finds more help around him. After trading away Brandin Cooks, Houston's cast of wideouts looms as suspect. Nico Collins is a promising third-year building block. Hope surrounds John Metchie III's return from acute promyelocytic leukemia. From there, though, Robert Woods, Noah Brown, and a whole bunch of inexperience round out the cast. General manager Nick Caserio isn't afraid to churn the roster, so expect the Texans to find veteran assistance in time. -Marc Sessler, NFL
This is a team that just hasn't had a great receiving core even when DeAndre Hopkins was in town, and after he left it was terribly worse. You could argue that some of quarterback Davis Mills' struggles were because of a poor receiver room, but he was also just not great. For C.J. Stroud, let's hope it's a bit different.
Coming into his rookie year he won't have as much to work with as his draft counterpart Bryce Young will on the Carolina Panthers. They have guys like Adam Thielen, Johnathan Mingo, and even Hayden Hurst at tight end and a great offensive line they have been building for years. The Texans have some guys that can get some things done but still need some help in that department.
Nico Collins, John Metchie, and Robert Woods will headline the group, with the possibility of rookie Tank Dell making a push for a starting spot using his speed and agility. That's fine, but yes, they do need more help. They need reliable depth, but there is a problem there – there isn't a ton of that available worth spending money on when the Texans don't plan on competing this upcoming year.
Some of the notable receivers available in free agency are Jarvis Landry, N'Keal Harry, Sammy Watkins, and Rashard Higgins. In my opinion, none of those guys are worth signing if it means stifling a young receiver's ability to develop in a season where developing means more than almost anything.
Sure, they need to get Stroud some more help on the outside, but it just doesn't look like that is entirely possible or logical. And, who knows, Collins, Woods, Metchie, and Dell could be enough.
