Houston Texans players and the front office have heard ad nauseam about the offensive line and how much it held back the team last year. They've been questioned about their future after trading standout O-lineman Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders, while also cutting starting right guard Shaq Mason, and trading then left guard Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
The reality is, there's a reason why four of the Texans' five starting blockers are brand new players to Houston. It wasn't for nothing that the franchise opted to draft Aireontae Ersery in the 2nd round of the 2024 NFL draft, and it wasn't for unjust cause that they went the route of trading for, waiver claiming, and free-agent contract offering for immediate answers across the line.
C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, which ranked second in the NFL behind only the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams with 68. On top of that, the unit ranked 22nd in the NFL with a 58% pass block win rate, and that's on top of an even worse run block win rate of 68% (31st).
Texans Need Strong Offensive Line Performance in Week 1
Now, to be fair, former Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik shoulders a lot of the blame for the O-line's shortcomings. Regardless, Houston's offseason shake-up shows that new personnel were needed even if Nick Caley is now handling OC responsibilities.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and the offense are dependent on Caley and the new-look O-line to put forth a transformative effort this season. It doesn't mean the pocket will always be clean; however, the frontline also can't allow their franchise QB to be hunted to the tune of 50-plus sacks again. Tunsil, Mason, and Green's departures might not be a bad thing after all.
An improvement from one of the league's worst offensive lines to at least league-average could be the difference between 10-7 and 12-5. It could also help create the path to a third consecutive AFC South title, as well as a potential AFC Championship appearance.
That journey starts week one against Matt Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, who had the 10th-best Pro Football Focus pass rush grade (73.4) last season. Names like Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, and Poona Forde are all gunning to keep Stroud off balance and in the dirt for most of the game, making it more crucial for the Texans' blockers to do their job.
If an offensive line that has Aireontae Ersery, Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, Ed Ingram, and Tytus Howard can hold up and be serviceable at worst, it would be a huge boon for the Texans in Week 1, as well as their outlook for the entire 2025 NFL season.