If the Texans were ever to have a Super Bowl window, this is it. The planets (and contracts) have aligned perfectly in a way that, at least for the moment, places Houston in the best possible position to finally bring home a title. Some established stars, like Joe Mixon and Danielle Hunter, are approaching the end of their current contracts, which means that the Texans need to make the most of what little time remains with these top talents.
On the other hand, plenty of younger Texans are currently playing for pennies. Their quarterback, C.J. Stroud, is still on his rookie contract and making peanuts compared to other franchise-caliber QBs elsewhere in the league. This discounted rate won’t last long, though.
Stroud is already midway through his tenure, and considering the rate at which quarterbacks have been moving from team to team, this means that the Texans need to make hay while the sun shines before he either demands a well-deserved raise or moves elsewhere.
Houston's Roster Is Young and Inexpensive...for Now
With a cheap QB and so much money left over to spend elsewhere, the Texans are in the much envied position of being able to spend those dollars elsewhere on their roster. Here, too, though, the team is fortunate enough to carry exceptional talent at an affordable price.
Even though receiver Nico Collins recently cashed in on a massive contract and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. is also set to make top-dollar money, there are plenty of other big names that are making surprisingly little this year. Newly arrived from Cleveland, Nick Chubb is on a one-year deal worth as little as $2.5 million; a far cry from his $12 million per year paydays back when he was a Brown. Additionally, Tank Dell is still on a modest third-round rookie deal, and if he can get (and stay) healthy, will earn a new contract in a couple of years that will dwarf his current one.
So with so much extra cap cash lying around, $15,194,977 to be exact, according to overthecap.com, how can the Texans make the most of this rapidly closing Super Bowl window?
The answer is to bet big on free agency and load up on offensive weapons while they can afford them. The team will need to act fast before these big names sign elsewhere.
Cash Is King
Wide receivers Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper are both available on the free agent market, but either of these two enticing options would be too pricey for the Texans to afford, and besides, Houston doesn’t necessarily need another WR1 as Nico Collins is already resigned to that role.
What the Texans do need, though, is depth at the receiver position. After Tank Dell suffered a severe knee injury in Week 16 of last season, there has been a glaring need to sign a competent WR2 to complement Stroud’s passing game.
Perfect Piece Is Right in Texans' Divison
The best bang for the buck free agent who could seamlessly step into this role is Gabe Davis. He was just released by the Texans’ division rival Jaguars, and might be interested in two revenge games in a new uniform. What makes this scenario more palatable is that Davis is likely to come at a price the Texans can afford. Spotrac.com places his expected value well within Houston’s budget, around $13 million.
The Texans already took a gamble on an expensive, polarizing receiver last season in the form of Stefon Diggs. Partially due to injury, this high-risk risk high-reward move failed to deliver anything close to its potential. With Gabe Davis tough, the stakes are much more manageable. Not only is he less expensive than Diggs, but his experience outside the spotlight in Buffalo and Jacksonville, as well as his leadership intangibles, make him the perfect candidate to play Robin to Collins' Batman.
As a proven deep threat down the sidelines, Davis will be sure to benefit from double coverage being heaped on Collins. What’s more, an additional downfield weapon means that Stroud’s other options like TE Dalton Schultz and RBs Joe Mixon and Nick Chubb will have more opportunities to shine as exasperated defenses struggle to cover everyone at once.
Even if it's just for a short stint while the aforementioned circumstances allow, Davis’ addition to the Texans’ equation might be the crucial X factor that finally brings a championship to Houston.