Risky New Texans Addition Could Sabotage Houston from the Inside

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) participates in a drill during an NFL football minicamp at NRG Stadium.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) participates in a drill during an NFL football minicamp at NRG Stadium. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans entered the offseason with a clear directive: find a way to close the gap between your organization and the elite teams in the AFC.

This is a roster on the rise thanks to C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, and Will Anderson Jr., among others, though the unfortunate injury to standout wide receiver Tank Dell complicates matters for the offense. As a response and an effort to compete, Houston invested heavily in the position during the offseason.

Not only did they draft a pair of Iowa State stars in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, but the Texans also traded a 2026 seventh-round pick for Christian Kirk as well. Unfortunately, that could prove to be a problem that sabotages the franchise from within.

New Texans WR Christian Kirk Could Accidentally Sabotage Houston from Within

This is nothing against Kirk, who had 1,108 receiving yards in 2022 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's a fine player, though he's dealt with injuries in each of the last two years and ranked just 62nd out of 98 qualified wideouts at Pro Football Focus.

Kirk is projected to be a starter alongside Collins. The issue there is that he's a pending free agent and already 28 years old. He's not past his prime, by any means, but the Texans made Higgins and Noel priorities in the draft and should invest in their respective development. Once Dell comes back, Houston could have perhaps the best wide receiver room in the entire conference.

However, if Higgins and Noel get less time on the field and fewer opportunities to develop chemistry with Shroud, that could set the offensive back in future years. Should Kirk sign a new deal elsewhere after the 2025 campaign, he won't be part of the plan anyway. Higgins and Noel have similar abilities to impact the offense that Kirk does, so why not give them the chance to shine with Collins?

All in all, this feels like a risky bet to win in 2025 that could have negative implications on 2026 and 2027. By accident, Kirk may indeed foil the Texans' long-term plans from within.

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