Making Moves: How the Texans Off-Season moves will lead to success in 2024

 

Written by: Jordan Victorian, SFL Contributor | Photo by: Brian Barefield, BigSargeMedia

With the NFL season at our door steps, the Houston Texans look to build on an impressive  2023 campaign. The offseason moves that were made prior to the beginning of last season helped the Texans win their first division championship since the 2019 season. Key among those moves was establishing talented youth on both sides of the ball with the Texans selecting Ohio State Star Quarterback CJ Stroud with the second overall pick and then immediately trading up to the third overall pick to nab Alabama Defensive End Will Anderson. These moves proved to pay immediate dividends with both players securing rookie of the year honors, and Pro Bowl Selections.

 

The Texans not only went in a direction of youth on the field, but in their coaching ranks as well. After serving over half a decade as a defensive coach for the San Francisco 49ers, former All-Pro Texans Linebacker Demeco Ryans, gave the struggling Texans organization a sense of youth and excitement as their first year head coach last season.

 

The Texans have also made significant off-season moves this year as well. On the offensive side of the ball, the Texans most notable off-season acquisition was trading for former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs. While he experienced a statistically down year in 2023, he still managed to rank 8th in the league in touchdowns with 8, and rank 7th in receptions with 107, according to ESPN Statistics. On the defensive side of the ball the team signed former Minnesota Vikings defensive-end Danielle Hunter, who will play on the opposite side of Anderson on the defensive line. According to ESPN, Hunter ranked 5th in the league in sacks in 2023 and recorded a career high 4 forced fumbles.

 

In addition to the aforementioned players, young talent such as Tank Dell, Derek Stingley, Henry To’oto’o as well as seasoned players such as Joe Mixon, Dalton Schultz and Jimmie Ward, make the Texans a favorite to repeat as AFC South division champions and make a push for the Lombardi Trophy.