The Houston Texans have a lot of the characteristics of a contending team entering 2025.
The hiring of head coach DeMeco Ryans has been a success with back-to-back AFC South championships. C.J. Stroud looks like a franchise quarterback. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter provide a relentless pass rush and a receiving group that includes Nico Collins and rookie Jayden Higgins should help Houston take a step forward next season.
But if you ask any Texans fan, they’ll share their concerns about the offensive line. Houston was leaking in the trenches throughout last season, allowing 52 sacks and eight more in a divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Entering the offseason, all fans wanted was for the team to fix the offensive line but organized team activities (OTAs) proved that it might not be as simple as a one-season project.
Texans OTAs Revaled Houston Won’t Fix Offensive Line Overnight
The Texans’ improvement in the trenches won’t be for a lack of effort. General manager Nick Caserio made a slew of moves to improve the offensive line this spring, trading left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders and sending failed first-round draft pick Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Houston also added offensive guard Ed Ingram in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings and signed Cam Robinson, Laken Tomlinson, Trent Brown, and Jake Andrews in free agency before selecting Aireontae Ersery in the second round of April’s draft. Despite those changes, it still doesn’t feel like it’s enough to transform the offensive line into a top-tier unit.
ESPN Texans reporter DJ Bien-Aime wrote an article listing his top takeaways from minicamp on Tuesday and the No. 1 thing at the top of the list was Houston’s pass rush. That’s a good thing considering they’ll rely on Anderson and Hunter heavily next season but not great considering they’re working against an unprove offensive line.
Ryans also admitted the offensive line was coming together and had rotated multiple positions throughout training camp including left tackle, right tackle, and center.
“For the big guys up front, they play a physical game, we truly won’t know what we have until we put pads on,” Ryans said. “Until we see these guys in training camp and see them in game action, actually get their job done.”
For what it’s worth, the Texans are willing to work with what they have. Tytus Howard, who is moving inside from right tackle to right guard noted that his linemates are bringing a different attitude and hope to be a nasty group under a new offensive line next season.
“We’ve got a chip on our shoulders and people underestimate what we’re going to be this year, but, you know that’s their problem,” Howard said via KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson. “When that first game comes and we come off that ball and hit them in the mouth, like they’re gonna be, ‘These guys are for real.’”
A better attitude is a great step for a room that was rumored to be “toxic” last season. But it only gets you so far when you’re going up against Steve Spagnulo’s defense or the Baltimore Ravens pass rush in the playoffs.
In reality, it may take a series of moves to get a long-term answer for Houston’s offensive line, which could frustrate Texans fans as they look to go further this season.