With the first few weeks of NFL free agency now in the books, teams are fully gearing up for the upcoming draft beginning April 24. As the offseason drama heats up, we’re taking a look at the situation for all 32 teams around the league.
Here’s a check-in on the Houston Texans heading into draft season.
State of the Union
Last season was largely business as usual in H-Town. The Texans won their second consecutive AFC South title to reach the postseason, which appears to again franchise’s standard after a brief rebuild just a couple of seasons ago. With a 10-7 regular-season record, a thrilling win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Wild Card Weekend, and a near-comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round, the campaign can be deemed a success short of a Super Bowl.
However, questions remain unanswered. Quarterback C.J. Stroud experienced a brutal sophomore slump after leading the NFL in passing yards as a rookie, though it’s hard to determine whether his statistical regression falls on uninspiring play-calling, poor offensive line play, or the quarterback’s own shortcomings. As a whole, the offense was inconsistent at best and a far cry from the impressive unit of the prior season. Frankly, the unit was unable to support the championship-caliber defense which kept them in games throughout the year.
Ranking 22nd in total yardage and 19th in points scored isn’t exactly a recipe for a Super Bowl contender. The good news? The Texans recognized this, parted ways with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, then hired Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nick Caley in his place. While Caley hasn’t called plays before, he comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree and inherits an offense with a franchise quarterback in Stroud. There’s weapons to wield, too with halfback Joe Mixon, plus receivers Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. The offensive line remains a problem, but they have a new coach for the position group and will continue to address the trenches via the draft.
Of course, a ferocious defense is Houston’s calling card under head coach DeMeco Ryans. The Texans finished top-six in both yardage allowed and takeaways during their 2024 campaign, and they’ve only added to that side of the ball over the offseason. They also extended both All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and edge rusher Danielle Hunter, keeping two key pieces happy for the future. The defense should remain championship-caliber — if the offense can rebound, the Texans will be right back in the playoff mix, especially in a weak AFC South.
Free Agency Recap
It would be malpractice to start with any transaction besides the trade which sent franchise tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders. The 30-year-old is NFL’s top pass blockers, but a he’s due a ton of cash and paced all offensive linemen with 17 penalties last season. Trading him netted the Texans a third and seventh-round selection in the upcoming draft, as well as second and fourth-round selections in 2026. Plus, trading Tunsil frees up money for the inevitable C.J. Stroud extension. While this trade surely wasn’t an easy decision, it may be the right call in the bigger picture.
The Texans also lost Stefon Diggs in free agency, but they replaced him by trading 2026 seventh-rounder to the division-rival Jaguars for Christian Kirk. As an underrated talent who can work both in the slot and outside, Kirk steps in immediately at WR2 and is a clear upgrade for a thin wideout group. Houston also traded guard Kenyon Green to the Eagles for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson —shedding Green is essentially addition by subtraction, but adding more pop to an already-talented secondary is a plus.
The remainder of Houston’s offseason moves don’t consist of big names, however, their work is excellent overall. The Texans retained defensive depth with signings across the board in their front seven, and reuniting with veteran DT Sheldon Rankins is a sneaky-nice acquisition. Major holes remain on the offensive line, especially after trading Tunsil away, but the team brought in a slew of veterans to fill the trenches and it’s very likely they spend draft capital there. Did the team improve? It’s hard to tell, but they didn’t get worse, either.
Key Losses:
- LT Laremy Tunsil
- G Kenyon Green
- G Shaq Mason
- WR Stefon Diggs
Signings + Trades:
- WR Christian Kirk
- WR Justin Watson
- WR Braxton Berrios
- FB Jakob Johnson
- OT Cam Robinson
- G Laken Tomlinson
- G Ed Ingram
- DE Darell Taylor
- DT Sheldon Rankins
- DT Derek Barnett
- DT Mario Edwards Jr.
- LB Nick Niemann
- LB Jake Hansen
- CB Tremon Smith
- S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
- S M.J. Stewart
Team Needs
Offensive Line: 52 — that’s the number of sacks C.J. Stroud took last season, the second-most among all quarterbacks. After such a tough season under center, protecting the franchise signal-caller is undoubtedly the Texans’ top priority entering draft season. They’ve got big shoes to fill at left tackle with Tunsil gone, but it appears every starting spot in the trenches is up for grabs. With a new position coach and a smattering of new faces up front, nobody’s job is safe. Watch for Houston to select multiple offensive linemen once they’re on the clock.
Wide Receiver: Wideout isn’t the Texans’ biggest need after acquiring Christian Kirk, but the importance of depth at the position cannot be overstated after a disastrous sequence of events in 2024. Season-ending injuries to Stephon Diggs and Tank Dell left the receiver room decimated, so Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III each spent significant time on the field with little production to show for it. Dell is still on the roster, but after suffering a torn ACL and MCL with other meniscus damage, there’s no telling he’ll take the field again, much less return to form. With plenty of receiver talent in the draft, the Texans should consider adding a high-end third option alongside Collins and Kirk.
Running Back: Joe Mixon was fantastic for much of his first campaign as a Texan, but he wore down while battling injuries and posted fewer than 30 rushing yards in four of his last six regular-season contests. This running back class is the deepest talent pool in several years and starter-caliber talent will be available in the draft’s middle rounds. There’s no need to use a premium pick on a halfback, but adding a talented running mate for Mixon feels like a prudent call. The 28-year-old isn’t getting any younger, either, so this might be a chance to select his potential successor.
Potential Picks
Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State: At 6-foot-5 and 317 lbs. with 33-inch arms, Simmons is already built to play at the NFL level. He started 13 games at right tackle for San Diego State in 2022 before transferring and starting 13 more at left tackle for Ohio State the next year. He earned an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2024, though he only appeared in six games due to a torn patellar tendon. He’s big, athletic, versatile, and brings championship experience. If he’s healthy, he’s a great fit.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State: Another Buckeye, Egbuka returned to college this past season after an injury-shortened 2023. He posted over 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, but most fun part of this pick is that he and Stroud are former teammates. In 2022, he caught 74 passes from the quarterback to the tune of over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns. Is the chemistry still there? The Texans can answer that question if they take him in the first round. He’s a nice route-runner, and while his speed isn’t eye popping, he’d be a great complement to Houston’s wide receiver room.
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas: A highly-acclaimed tackle from Texas’ pancake factory, Banks brings similar size to Simmons, albeit with a more impressive trophy case. The Longhorn was a three-year starter and racked up three All-Conference selections, a First-team All-American nod, and a Lombardi Award in his college career. He’s arguably undervalued in mock drafts thus far, which is shocking given his body of work. If Banks Jr. is available at 25th overall, there are few better choices to protect Stroud’s blind side.
