RSS Texans Team Notes

[Houston Texans]

Value of Things: Texans Quarterback Alternatives

I work throughout the day as a teacher. Officially, I am a special education teacher, but I spend the vast majority of my time in English classrooms. If there is one axiom that has been drilled into us over the years (28 for me) it is that if one student has a question then a lot more have the same question and are afraid or too timid to ask. I had one commenter ask a question that should be the number one question for any Texan fan. If C.J. Stroud is not the answer at quarterback then who is?

Before I get there, I should note my personal view of Stroud as we speak. I believe that you cannot give him a hefty extension now under any circumstances. You should never give a player a huge extension if you aren’t sure if they are the guy at that position. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to jettison Stroud. You don’t have to make the call on extending him now. You can exercise the fifth year option and effectively kick the can down the road another year. Maybe he shows you something in year four that makes you more comfortable with extending him.

All that being said, there is a point of view that says if you don’t think he is the guy now then he probably never will be the guy. I’m not necessarily advocating that, but if we follow that thought experiment to its logical conclusion then that would assume Stroud is dealt for either another quarterback option or draft capital. So, what are the reasonable options at that point.

The Big Fish​

Kyler Murray: 67.1 completion percentage, 6.86 adjusted yards per attempt, 4.1 TD%, 2.0 INT%, 92.2 rating, 32 rushing touchdowns

This would almost certainly involve trading Stroud to the Cardinals. Obviously, the Cardinals have given up on Murray and given that he has a contract connected to him, Stroud would be worth more than Murray. So, I’m guessing that additional compensation would be coming from the Cardinals. It would be impossible to say how much. The Rams traded two firsts along with Jared Goff to get Matthew Stafford. There is no way in hell that Stroud is worth two firsts AND another quarterback. Could he be worth an additional second or third round pick? I suppose anything is possible.

Pros: Murray has better numbers than Stroud and is a lot more athletic. He is already under contract. I am not a capologist, so I am not going to be speculate as to how much the Texans would be responsible. Officially, the cash for 2026 is 42 million, but that comes with a base salary just under 23 million. Obviously, the Cards will be on the hook for some of that. Athletically, there is probably no one better in the league outside of Lamar Jackson. So, obviously, if you feel like he could fit into the Caley system then he could give you some things that Stroud cannot.

Cons: Saying that Murray has missed time would be a gross understatement. The Cardinals finally gave up on waiting for him to be healthy. There are numerous scouts and executives that think he is too small to make it as a quarterback. He also had most of his success in a glorified college system. So, there is no obvious system fit. He might be a financial fit, but he may not be a positional fit.

Trade Market​

Mac Jones: 66.5 completion percentage, 6.36 adjusted yards per completion, 3.6 TD%, 2.7 INT%, 86.9 rating

Jones has more or less rehabilitated himself in San Francisco. We have seen other quarterbacks do the same with Sam Darnold being the most obvious of those. He is slated to make about four million dollars next season. The Texans wouldn’t be the only ones in line for him, but they may have the most attractive opportunity for him and his career.

Pros: Jones put up much better numbers in the Shanahan system than he did in New England. That includes turnovers as he had a 2.1 interception percentage. I should note that Stroud has a very similar record the last two seasons. If we assume that last year is the real Jones then he could easily be just as good as Stroud right now. He might even be a better fit for Caley offense when all is said and done.

Cons: 2026 is the last year of his contract, so he would be a pure rental. Obviously, if he balls out then you would have the exact same issue that you would have with Stroud if he balls out. Like Stroud, he is limited physically, so you would have to work harder to protect him. That means invested more draft capital in the offensive line and possibly sign a free agent. Obviously, we don’t know what draft capital would come back for Stroud and how much would go out for Jones.

Free Agents​

Malik Willis: 67.7 completion percentage, 8.43 adjusted yards per attempt, 3.9 TD%, 1.9 INT%, 98.9 rating, 4 rushing TD

Obviously, there is no telling how much money and how long a contract would be for Willis. His playing time has been more limited, so you would be buying on spec. At best, he could be a Lamar Jackson type of quarterback. At worst, he would be very limited offensively. He might be the most sought after free agent quarterback on the list, but I doubt there would be a more attractive location than Houston.

Pros: As a free agent, you can structure the contract any way you want. It could be a short-term prove it deal or a long-term contract with a relatively low AAV as compared to the monster contracts that the big boys get. If he ends up being a Lamar Jackson clone you will have won the lottery. Who knows what his running ability would do to the offense, but at the very worst he would be able to make more plays when the protection goes sideways.

Cons: Most scouts question his throwing ability and accuracy. The numbers say something different, but he might not be capable of making the throws that Stroud was able to make when he was at his best. So, some offensive adjustments would need to be made.

Marcus Mariota: 62.8 completion percentage, 7.21 adjusted yards per attempt, 4.5 TD%, 2.6 INT%, 89.7 rating, 19 rushing TDs

Mariota has had a bit of a renaissance of sorts in Washington running the same system that Kyler Murray ran in Arizona. This is a less than appealing option long-term, but he would likely come cheaper than Willis and would be a much more short-term option.

Pros: Since Mariota is obviously athletic, he would be a more appealing starting option than Davis Mills. However, he has better career numbers than Mills even though many see him as a failed quarterback. Obviously, if you have a system that does not expect its quarterback to do as much then he could be a very reasonable option until you are able to get your long-term answer.

Cons: When you have two backup quarterbacks then you have no starting quarterbacks. It would be very fair to question whether such a move would be a step backwards at a time when you can ill afford to take a step backwards.

Preferred Route​

The best bet out of this group is probably Mac Jones. All roster moves of this type are a gamble. What we have seen in recent years is that some first round quarterbacks have been able to restart their careers elsewhere. I think that is a much more reasonable gamble than any of the others and Jones might very well be more suited for a Nick Caley system than C.J. Stroud.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...lue-of-things-texans-quarterback-alternatives

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans Position Outlook: Running Back

Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) celebrates with fullback Andrew Beck (47) and wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (19) after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Last offseason, it felt like the Texans had a very strong group heading into the regular season. You had Joe Mixon, who, when healthy, is one of the best running backs in the league, penciled in as the starter. You also drafted a young, promising rookie in Woody Marks out of USC, and added a veteran in Nick Chubb, who was once among the best at his position.

As the season started creeping in, there was more and more doubt about Mixon’s availability for Week 1 due to a lower-leg injury he suffered at some point during the offseason. His status became less and less optimistic as the season went on, and that trend never really changed.

Now, in the 2026 offseason, there is still very little information about what exactly happened to Mixon, and it doesn’t feel like we’ll ever get full clarity. Mixon seems to believe he’ll be back next season, as he has been posting about it on social media.

There is definitely a scenario where Mixon is not on the Texans next season, given the questions surrounding his ability to stay healthy. At the same time, it also wouldn’t be shocking to see him back as the starting running back in Week 1.

It feels a bit too early to make a firm prediction, but if the Texans feel they can’t trust Mixon to stay healthy, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them pursue an above-average running back. There should be plenty of options available in free agency.

Regardless, the Texans already have their second running back on the roster in Marks. The former USC Trojan looked impressive throughout his rookie year and could be the future starter, but it may benefit him to be part of a split backfield for now, where his skill set can be maximized.

Chubb will not be back with the Texans next season, which makes sense given his clear decline. Houston will likely want to get younger at the position, and they could also add talent in the draft, where they hold several high picks.

The best-case scenario for Houston is Mixon entering training camp fully healthy, returning to top-10 form, with Marks taking on a complementary role that helps keep Mixon fresh throughout the season.

It’s hard to feel great about the room as things stand due to the uncertainty, but the Texans have several paths forward regardless of which direction they choose.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst.../houston-texans-position-outlook-running-back

 

[Houston Texans]

Re-Sign or Replace: Every Houston Texans Offensive Free Agent

In an era of one-year contracts and player-friendly deals, free agency is a significant aspect of the team building process. Especially for the Texans, as they still seek their first AFC Championship appearance, all it could take is one or two key free agent decisions.

According to Jason from Over The Cap, the Houston Texans have the ninth most free agents heading into the 2026 offseason. Eight of their 23 free agents are on offense, including two impact starters on the offensive line.

Next Monday, I’ll outline the defensive side of the ball, s0 stay tuned for that.

Teams with the most free agents

Commanders- 30
Dolphins- 29
Jets- 24
Steelers- 24
Chiefs- 24
Lions- 24
Bills- 23
Colts- 23
Texans- 23
Chargers- 22

Patriots have the least with just 7

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) January 4, 2026

While the offense has more room for improvement, they will need to decide whether to resign the below players or let then test the market.

Christian Kirk, WR​

• 2025 Stats: 28 receptions, 239 yards, 1 TD
• Age by 2026 Season: 29
• Re-sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: While he had a career low year, Kirk made himself some money this post-season when he took over WR1 duties from a concussed Nico Collins. He failed to stand out in a crowded WR room full of young options. His role will be duplicative to Tank Dell, who should return to the lineup next season.

Ed Ingram, OG​

• 14 games, 14 starts
• Age by 2026 Season: 27
• Re-sign or Replace: RE-SIGN
• Analysis: According to Spotrack, Ingram’s estimated Market Value is 10X what it was before the season. At just 27 years old, Ingram has resurrected his career in Houston and now carries a heavier price tag after one year with the Texans. This is a good interior offensive line class, which means Ingram can be replaced for cheap if the market gets too hot. Houston should retain Ingram to maintain continuity on an improving offensive line.

Nick Chubb, RB​

• 2025 Stats: 15 games, 122 carries, 506 yards, 3 TDs
• Age by 2026 Season: 30
• Re-sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: A future Hall of Famer, Chubb isn’t the same back as he was in Cleveland. He’s a step slower and doesn’t possess the agility worth a second contract… even if Joe Mixon won’t be around next season.

Dare Ogumbowale, RB​

• 2025 Stats: 17 games, 11 carries, 25 yards, 1 TD
• Age by 2026 Season: 32
• Re-sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: Ogunbowlae has blended in with the wallpaper in Houston. The coaching staff loves his special teams ability and blocking, but the aging RB should finally be passed over for higher-potential players.

Trent Brown, OT​

• 2025 Stats: 7 games, 7 starts
• Age by 2026 Season 33
• Re-sign or Replace: RE-SIGN… post-draft
• Analysis: Houston’s offense has drastically improved since Brown’s entry mid-season. The veteran tackle elevated the line’s play to the best it had been since 2022. However, an ankle injury kept him out of the AFC Divisional Round. Brown should be let to explore free agency and brought back as a depth/short-term piece in pre-season to usher in a rookie right tackle for the future.

Non-discussion worthy cuts:

Braxton Berrios, WR – should have flown out to LA to be with Alix Earle

Harrison Bryant, TE – Veteran’s minimum, backup-TE only needed for break-glass scenarios

Jarrett Kingston, OG – young, training camp-worthy guard

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/nfl-f...ace-every-houston-texans-offensive-free-agent

 

[Houston Texans]

Value of Things: Are the answers in house?

We have spent a great deal of time over the last couple of weeks looking at what is wrong. I have to cop to that myself as we have focused a lot of angst towards C.J. Stroud and deservedly so. Some of that could be labeled as click bait as the odds of Stroud being anywhere other than Houston are slim and none. A lot of the retorts to any Stroud speculation is that he needs more help in the form of better blockers upfront and a more consistent running game to support him.

Obviously, those are two different things. Just like with Stroud, the focus on the offensive line seems to be an annual affair. We will certainly look at their performance in more detail as the offseason continues. According to ESPN, they ranked 30th in pass block win rate and 32nd in run block win rate. Naturally, those are just one set of numbers. We will dive into those in due time.

The bigger question is what will happen at running back. Nick Chubb is almost certainly not gong to be back. Chubb was never his former self, but maybe that lack of run blocking win rate played into his lack of production some. Joe Mixon is still technically under contract, but no one is quite sure what is going on with him and that probably includes the front office themselves. They have been cagey about what the issue is and what caused the issue.

Nick Caserio said that he was putting his best foot forward in trying to recover from his injury. If he is putting his best foot forward then we can surmise that he has both of his feet. Beyond that, there are no answers. Of course, I comment with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, but I think the odds are better than 50/50 that Mixon doesn’t play another down for the Texans. They can recover nearly seven million dollars by cutting him and that money can go to a number of different players either on the offensive line or to another running back.

Clearly, the Texans will be in a salary cap crunch. Will Anderson is all but guaranteed a huge extension and that is already on top of huge Derek Stingley money. Even if we assume that C.J. Stroud’s contract will be punted until next offseason, there still will not be a ton of money available to throw around both the offensive line and in the running back room at the same time.

So, the Texans have a couple of different avenues they can go if they choose not to dive into the free agency pool for running back. Obviously, the easiest path is to draft another running back fairly early in the draft. A first round running back is probably not in the cards, but they do have two second round selections and a third round selection that could go to a back to pair with Woody Marks. However, there are a couple of candidates in house they could turn to.

• Jawhar Jordan: 45 carried, 193 yards, 4.5 YPA, 0 TD
• British Brooks: 17 carries, 78 yards, 4.6 YPA, 0 TD

Watching both backs down the stretch was uplifting and maddening at the same time. For comparison sake, Chubb added 4.1 yards per carry and Marks had only 3.6 yards per carry. Now, does that mean that either Jordan or Brooks are better than either of those two? Of course not. Those results were over the course of a couple of games for Jordan and one game for Brooks.

However, if you are looking for a complementary back then you could do a lot worse than either of them. You could easily foresee a roster with both backs making the final cut along with Dare Ogunbowale. Brooks has also served as a fullback (actually he was the highest rated fullback according to Pro Football Focus). Doing so would allow the Texans to spend their draft capital and free agency capital elsewhere.

Maybe more importantly, one of the issues with the Texans offense was that it took them a long time to settle on the best group of 11 players to play. Some of that was a reluctance to play younger players like Jayden Higgins and Jaylen Noel. Some of that was an inability to settle on the best five guys upfront. However, the rotation at running back was also one of the struggles for much of the season.

One can only hope that continuity in the running back room and receiver room will alleviate some of those issues. Obviously, the chances of the team returning the same five blockers into front of Stroud are slim and none. In particular, the team needs to seriously upgrade left guard and center if they want to elevate the line to something resembling league average. They may want to bring back Ed Ingram at right guard, so saving a little bit of money at running back may be an avenue to do that.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-analysis/73988/value-of-things-are-the-answers-in-house

 

[Houston Texans]

Post-mortem on the 2025-26 Houston Texans

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 12: Azeez Al-Shaair #0 of the Houston Texans speaks to his teammates before kickoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers during an AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

BIG PICTURE: In one respect, this season was a massive success. The team tied its record for most wins in a regular season, matched its longest regular season winning streak and counting the playoffs, set the franchise winning streak record. It finally won a road playoff game. It got three players on the All-Pro team and had multiple Pro Bowlers. They became just the second team this century to come back from an 0-3 start to make the postseason. The team had arguably the best defense in the league, leading the league in yards allowed and almost leading the NFL in points allowed.

Yet, you could also say that this season wasn’t all that. They lost (again) in the Divisional Round. They struggled most of the year with consistency on offense, and now the narrative about the team is what is going on with CJ Stroud. Imagine ending this season with questions about the starting QB? Given that many of the traditional AFC powers weren’t in the mix (Chiefs and Ravens missed the playoffs), teams like Houston had a chance to breakthrough for at least an AFC Conference Title matchup, if not a Super Bowl appearance. Yet, Houston could not get there. That the season ended with the only double-digit loss of the year just seemed to reinforce that the Division round is more obsidian ceiling than glass.

DE-FENSE!! (Clap Clap) DE-FENSE!!! Coming into this season, this author felt that this could potentially be the best defense in franchise history. That was a gross understatement. Tied the franchise record for points per game allowed, set the record for yards allowed/game. 2nd most sacks in a season. 3 defensive All-Pros and of (now) 7 Pro Bowl selections, 6 came from the defensive side of the ball. A legit DPOY candidate (more later) and just an overall dominant year on that side of the ball. Before this year, Ryans called the defenses. However, as Houston started 0-3, Ryans turned over defensive play-calling to Matt Burke. The team went a collective 13-3 with the defense leading the way. You have to really look to find flaws with this squad, mainly the propensity to allow teams to convert on 3rd/4th and longs (especially if it was 10+ yards) and issues with QB scrambles. Ultimately, this was the type of defense that had Houston moved on, could have taken their place among the great single-season squads.

Yet, this was a fairly basic scheme. They didn’t blitz much and played straightforward coverage. Then again, think about that talent. You don’t have to scheme up much pressure when you have Anderson and Hunter as your bookends on the pass-rush. You don’t need to get too fancy on pass-coverage with Stingley and Lassiter manning up on receivers and a defensive backfield with ball-hawks like Pitre and Bullock. The DT rotation benefited from the DEs, but they could lock down the middle. The LBs were the weakest overall unit, but still pretty [KITTEN] good. While most of the key stars should return next year, it will be hard to match the performance they offered in 2025-26

Defensive MVP: Danielle Hunter. There is some logic to this move as you will see later. He led the team in sacks (15.0) and paired with Anderson to give Houston perhaps the best pair of defensive ends in the league. Arguably the best free agent signing of the Caserio era.

Unsung Hero: Kamari Lassiter. Hard to call a Pro Bowl selection with 4 INTs unsung. However, consider that he plays next to Derek Stingley Jr. By the end of the season, teams just did not throw anywhere near the 2-time All-Pro. Thus, a lot of the burden of coverage fell to Lassiter. He more than answered the bell. Yet, his impact was best measured when he was out. When he missed time against the Chargers and sat out the game against the Colts, teams had some of their best passing days against the Texans. Not a coincidence.

Defensive LVP: CJ Gardner Johnson. The big off-season trade acquisition, he was expected to add even more dynamite to an-already dangerous secondary. Yet, the only explosive element he added was the kind that could damage a locker room. His big highlight was making a tackle on Baker Mayfield after he scrambled for a massive gain on a 4th and long in a Monday Night loss. His attitude was trending toxic, and the Texans immediately released him.

OFFENSE: WELL, THEY WERE AN OFFENSE: This offense never seemed to get going. They started the year on pace to match the expansion season for worst scoring output in a season. While they did manage to end the year 13th in scoring, a lot of that came as a result of special teams and defense. The team had problems converting Red Zone trips into TDs (30th in the league), manifesting itself when the team went 1-for-4 at New England. The season-long loss of Joe Mixon hurt. We all witnessed the worst two-game stretch in QB CJ Stroud’s career in the playoffs. The offensive line, the expected weak spot on the roster, lived down to expectations, rating among the worst squads in blocking winning rates.

This is not to say that everything was horrid. Caley’s play-calling did improve as the season progressed, lending some credence for the team keeping him. Woody Marks, while not the most explosive back, proved an effective chain-moving runner, especially when the team needed to eat clock and yards. Nico Collins validated his status as as WR1. Dalton Schultz acted as a major security blanket for Houston QBs this year. The team saw its sacks allowed numbers drop from 54 to 31 and in the regular season, and aside from the playoffs, didn’t turn the ball over that much.

Offensive MVP: WR Nico Collins. The top weapon for the team. Another 1000-yard season. The concussion that kept out of New England hindered Houston’s attack at New England.

Unsung Hero: RB Woody Marks. With Joe Mixon a season-long scratch and Nick Chubb a shell of his former self, the burden of the running game fell to this 4th rounder. More than a few heads were turned when Caserio traded up to draft him, and most figured him a depth piece/3rd down back. Instead, Marks ended up the primary ball-carrier, rushing for over 700 yards.

LVP: LT Cam Robinson. The big OL free agent pickup, Houston signed him to a 1 year/$14M deal to try to man the LT position vacated after the Laremy Tunsil trade. He started at LT in the season opener, but he did not last long. By the 3rd game, he had given way to the talented, but incredibly raw rookie Ersery. He was soon traded to Cleveland for a mere pittance.

SPECIAL TEAMS: STILL GOOD. The struggles to start the season impacted the special teams as well. Adjusting to the new kickoff rules took Houston some time and even as the season went on, they still had their issues. On the season, Houston ranked 21st in kick return yards allowed. The punt units had their struggles this season, punctuated by allowing Parker Washington to return a 71-yard punt for TD. However, the special teams units offered more good than bad. Ka’imi Fairbarin set the NFL record for FGs made in a season and Tommy Townsend continued the validate the money invested in him. Jaylin Noel offered some quality returns in both the punting and kicking game, doing what he could to help the mercurial Texans offense. Throw in a couple of FG blocks by Autry and you had a special teams squad that generally did a lot to get the team to where it ended up.

Special Teams MVP: PK Ka’imi Fairbairn. An alternate for the Pro Bowl, he might have had his finest season yet. He tied the NFL season mark for FGs made and matched the franchise record for FGs in a game (6). Additionally, he improved his kicking performance in cold-weather outdoor venues (remember his struggles at Arrowhead the previous season).

Unsung Hero: PK Matthew Wright. Called up to replace Fairbairn when he missed two games. Those two games were against Jacksonville and Tennessee. Two narrow divisional matchups where his kicking was desperately needed. The walk-off against the Titans was a nice touch for his short tenure in Houston.

LVP: KR/RB Dameon Pierce. How the mighty have fallen. The one-time rookie phenom was relegated to the bottom of the running back and kick return room. Played in only 4 games, managing only a couple of returns. Was a mid-season release, later signed by the Chiefs, but ultimately did nothing.

TEAM AWARDS:

Team MVP: DE Will Anderson Jr. Hard to find a game where he didn’t have a major impact from the defensive end. He led the league in pressures, finished with 12.0 sacks and was perhaps the most relentless DE in the game. That continued in the playoffs, when he led the defense to the Divisional Round. If not for the (overrated) exploits of Myles Garrett, Anderson might just be your DPOY. Probably should be the winner (although LB Nik Bonitto from Denver also has a case). Still, Team MVP isn’t a bad consolation.

Runner Up: PK Ka’imi Fairbairn. If he didn’t have the season he did, would Houston have made the playoffs?

Team Unsung Hero: LS Austin Brinkman. For a team that lived and died on defense and special teams, getting the snaps right was critical. He did that. All while replacing the longest tenured and most consistent Texan in franchise history, Jon Weeks. One season went well. Just needs to do that for 14 more years to match his predecessor. No pressure.

Team LVP: Dameon Pierce. You could put Gardner-Johnson or Robinson here, along with others on the O-line, and Stroud’s playoff debacle will have some mention here, but Pierce’s fall impacted both offense and special teams. The full backstory of what happened to him may never be known, but an unfortunate waste.

A COUPLE OF OTHER SUPERLATIVES:

Biggest Game/Best Win: Week 10. HOU 36-JAX 29. Arguably the fulcrum of Houston’s season. At 3-5 coming into that game, this was a must win if Houston had any playoff hopes. Going with Davis Mills after a less-than-stellar relief effort in the Denver loss didn’t inspire confidence. Then Houston fell behind 29-10. Oops. Yet, somehow, someway, Houston managed to climb out of a massive hole with their record-setting 26-point 4th quarter. The beatdown in Pittsburgh for the Wild Card and the road wins at KC and LA (Chargers) also merit consideration.

Worst Loss: Week 2. TB 20-HOU 19. . The loss to Tampa Bay, the team’s only loss to a non-playoff team, really hurt. This was a game that Houston lead by 5 with under 2 minutes left. If they had stopped Mayfield on a 4th and long QB scramble, they likely win that game. At 13-4, they win the tiebreaker against Jacksonville due to a better division record, thus hosting at least one home playoff game. While they climbed out of that setback, it probably never should have come to that. Also considered was the home loss to Denver and the Divisional Round debacle against New England

Most Critical Play: TE Dalton Schultz 20-yard reception on 3rd and 10 at the HOU 7 against Jacksonville. Back to the biggest game. In the Week 10 TDATDA, this was the critical play. Given how the season played out, this was the most important play of the season. The 10-game win streak stemmed from this game, and this play was the one that allowed Houston to then drive down the field for the go-ahead TD. That win sparked all that followed it.

With that, we turn the page on the Texans’ 2025-26 season. For the NFL, there is still the Super Bowl, but after that, the long, but far from boring, offseason awaits.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...973/post-mortem-on-the-2025-26-houston-texans

 

[Houston Texans]

Battle Red Survey: Predict the Super Bowl LX winner

DEDHAM, MA - JANUARY 31: A detail view of a Super Bowl LX logo patch on New England Patriots jerseys on display for sale on January 31, 2026, at DICK'S Sporting Goods, in Dedham, MA. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Texans fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

With the Super Bowl just days away, it’s time to get everyone on the record. Who will win Super Bowl LX? Let us know if it will be the Seattle Seahawks or New England Patriots. We will have results later this week and can compare how Texans fans feel about the game compared to the rest of the league. Cast your vote now before the survey closes!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-discussion/73992/texans-predict-super-bowl-lx

 

[Houston Texans]

Building a better Houston Texans defense

With all the focus on the offense right now, particularly what C.J. Stroud will do in 2026, it seems like a good time to take a look at the defense.

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke built one of the best defenses in the NFL last season. Along with secondary coach Dino Vasso, linebackers coach Bill Davis and assistant linebackers coach Ben Bolling, Burke and Ryans turned the Texans EDGE and secondary into a game-wrecking force of flesh, bone and will-to-win.

Unfortunately, as these things go, that defense was unable to make the game this weekend due to #reasons.

And, since I’d rather spend a day getting a root canal than watch the New England Patriots in yet another Super Bowl, the 2025 NFL season is effectively over. Time to look ahead.

First on the list is making this defense better. Unfortunately in the NFL, success brings out the cannibals: other teams want what you have and will do what they can to take bites of it for themselves.

The BESFs and the Arizona Cardinals have both expressed interest in hiring Vasso. The New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers have interviewed Bolling. Odds of the Texans brass running back the entire defensive coaching staff for another season is pretty slim.

Ben Bolling, #Texans assistant linebackers coach for #NFL top-ranked defense last season, interviewed today for #Jets linebackers coach vacancy, per league source, and Thursday for same position with #Chargers
Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair named to first Pro Bowl last season… pic.twitter.com/P6Zs3lLCGU

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 5, 2026

The #AZCardinals have requested an interview with #Texans DBs coach Dino Vasso for their defensive coordinator job, source says. Veteran secondary coach gets a look for a DC job in Arizona. pic.twitter.com/SESa3o92wa

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 4, 2026

Per Houstonpress.com the following defensive players are free agents:

Denico Autry, defensive end

Sheldon Rankins, defensive tackle

Derek Barnett, defensive end

E.J. Speed, linebacker

Foley Fatukasi, defensive tackle

Tim Settle Jr., defensive tackle

M.J. Stewart, safety

Naquan Jones, defensive tackle

Leki Fotu, defensive tackle

K’Von Wallace, safety

Christian Harris, linebacker

Damone Clark, defensive back

Ja’Marcus Ingram, cornerback

That’s a lot of names that contribute in small, or in some cases, large ways to the overall defensive success seen in 2025. But, there are also places where the roster could improve. We all hear about Will Anderson Jr, Danielle Hunter, Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, Derek Stingley Jr, Kamari Lassiter, Callen Bullock and Jalen Pitre. But that’s just 8 of the 11 starters, with at least 10 rotational positions.

Houston Texans Defensive Line​

Sure Anderson and Hunter have the edges locked down and Togiai makes highlight reel plays in the middle, but improving the defensive interior line would shore up the run game. Doing so would make it harder on opposing quarterbacks as well.

Houston Texans Linebackers​

When Al-Shaair went out in the Indianapolis Colts game in December, the defense was noticeably less effective. Removing a star player from any defense will have a negative effect, but Al-Shaair, as good as he is, isn’t Ray Lewis or Brian Cushing – or DeMeco Ryans. Having another LB on the team at or above Al-Shaair’s level would make for an instant upgrade to the existing roster. Despite the hope, Christian Harris has yet to achieve his potential, and at this stage isn’t likely to do so in H-Town, if ever. Letting him seek employment elsewhere opens a seat for a top tier LB.

Houston Texans Secondary​

Unlike the other two defensive units, the secondary is virtually an all-pro squad on its own. Maybe an additional safety to line up across from Bullock would make it even more spectacular, but the D needs help in other areas first (see: defensive tackle & linebacker).

With free agency next month and the draft in April, general manager Nick Caserio and his crew have their work cut out for them. Not only in retaining the current free agents such as Denico Autry, E.J. Speed and Sheldon Rankins, but loading more talent onto the Demeco Dawg Train for 2026.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-analysis/74003/building-a-better-houston-texans-defense

 

[Zedster]

Interesting breakdown on the Texans' situation. As a Jazz fan looking in from the outside, it's fascinating to see a team with such a dominant defense still fall short in the playoffs. That 0-3 start to 13-4 finish is pretty remarkable though.

The offensive line question seems like the real elephant in the room here. You can debate Stroud all you want, but those pass block and run block win rates (30th and 32nd respectively) are brutal. Hard for any quarterback to succeed behind that. The Trent Brown analysis makes sense - bringing him back as a bridge piece while developing a rookie tackle seems like the smart play rather than committing big money to a 33-year-old.

On the running back front, I think the in-house approach has merit. Jordan and Brooks both showed flashes with better YPC than Chubb or Marks in limited action. With the cap crunch from Anderson and Stingley's extensions looming, spending draft capital or free agent money on a premium back seems like a luxury Houston can't really afford right now. Better to allocate those resources to the interior line.

The defensive free agent list is concerning though. Autry, Rankins, and Speed all contribute meaningful snaps. Losing too many rotational pieces can erode depth quickly, and we've seen plenty of elite defenses regress when the supporting cast gets picked apart.

Curious to see how Caserio navigates the balance between keeping the defense elite and actually giving Stroud some help up front.

 

[Houston Texans]

Battle Red Survey: Results

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Sam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks takes the field during a practice ahead of Super Bowl LX at the San Jose State University on February 05, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We asked and you answered, so let’s take a look at the results from this week’s survey!

It looks like most of y’all made the correct decision in picking the Seahawks to win it all.

May Durga bless and keep the Seahawks on Sunday.

And if you want to make some picks of your own with a bigger stake on the line, don’t forget to check out FanDuel for all your sports wagering needs.

Just please be responsible and do not take financial advice from a football blog.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-discussion/74018/battle-red-survey-results

 

[Houston Texans]

Super Bowl LX Live Discussion Thread: Seahawks v Patriots

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: A detail view of the Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots logo on a game ball with Levi's Stadium in the background prior to Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots on February 07, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to the precipice. Beyond here is the football wasteland. Seven months of uninterrupted non-football punctuated by the various oases of football activity like the combine, free agency, the draft, the schedule release (for reasons that elude me) await us past this point.

With that in mind, here is your Super Bowl live discussion thread so you can talk about the Super Bowl with your fellow Texans fans and lament just what could have been instead of the Patriots…yet again.

Please admire and adhere to the house rules which can be found here but summed up below:

• Be respectful in your interactions with contributors and fellow fans.
• Don’t be a jerk, and don’t call other people jerks.
• We may remove anything we see that jeopardizes our communities.
• You can help with that. If you see something that doesn’t align with our guidelines below, let us know. Flag any comments, FanPosts, or usernames that you think violate our guidelines so our community managers can review them.

Other than that, this is your thread, do as you (mostly) please.

Go Hawks, I guess, the eyes of the entire AFC are upon you.

Join the conversation!​

Sign up for a user account and get:

• Fewer ads
• Create community posts
• Comment on articles, community posts
• Rec comments, community posts
• New, improved notifications system!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...lx-live-discussion-thread-seahawks-v-patriots

 

[Zedster]

Seahawks getting the nod from 58% of voters feels about right. Sam Darnold's redemption arc has been something to watch this season, and Seattle's defense has been playing lights out in the playoffs.

Can't say I'm thrilled about another Patriots Super Bowl appearance though. Feels like we just did this. At least the Seahawks matchup gives us a chance at something different.

The "May Durga bless and keep the Seahawks" line gave me a chuckle. Pretty much sums up the sentiment across the AFC right now. Everyone who isn't a Pats fan is temporarily a Seahawks fan for the next few hours.

Seven months without football is rough. At least the draft gives us something to obsess over in April. Given everything discussed about the Texans' needs - interior line, linebacker depth, maybe some offensive line help - should be an interesting offseason to follow even from the outside looking in.

Enjoy the game, folks. Pulling for Seattle from Salt Lake.

 

[Houston Texans]

Re-Sign or Replace: Every Houston Texans Defensive Free Agent

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 26: Tim Settle Jr. #98 of the Houston Texans runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at NRG Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Part two of our Re-Sign or Replace analysis for the Houston Texans heading into the NFL Free Agency period, which opens March 9th.

I chose to re-sign our two offensive lineman free agents Ed Ingram and Trent Brown while letting Christian Kirk, Nick Chubb, and Dare Ogumbowale find another home in the league.

The Texans are projected to lose three starters on defense: Tim Settle, Sheldon Rankins, and E.J. Speed to free agency. What’s more alarming is amount of depth they’re losing up front with seven defensive lineman set to hit free agency. Fortunately, the projected salary cap increase of $20+M this offseason will afford the Texans the ability to bring several of these dependable defensive players back!

Jimmie Ward, S (DNP)​

• 2025 Stats: Did not participate
• Age entering 2026 season: 34, almost 35
• Re-Sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: Ward is old, injured, and problematic. He should not be brought back in 2026. His absence forced a series of bad moves including the signing of C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Texans must find a long-term safety to pair with Calen Bullock.

Derek Barnett, DE​

• 2025 Stats: 16 games, 17 tackles, 5 sacks
• Age entering 2026 season: 30
• Re-Sign or Replace: RE-SIGN
• Analysis: Arguably one of the best rotational defensive ends in the league, Barnett has turned it on of late, logging five total sacks for the second straight season. He may opt to start for a team in desperate need of pass rush, but his role as a situational pass rusher has not diminished his production. He’ll be a priority to keep on the defense for depth behind Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter.

Tim Settle, DT, (IR)​

• 2025 Stats: 12 games, 15 tackles, 1 sack
• Age entering 2026 season: 29
• Re-Sign or Replace: RE-SIGN – TOP PRIORITY
• Analysis: Settle was an underrated asset on the defensive line until his foot injury ended his season in December. His injury will make him less enticing on the free agency market, and he should get a contract similar to Denico Autry’s current tw0-year $20M deal.

Denico Autry, DE​

• 2025 Stats: 11 games, 8 tackles, 3.5 sacks
• Age entering 2026 season: 36
• Re-Sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: While incredibly productive f0r his age, Autry entered each of his two seasons in Houston either injured or suspended. At some point, Autry effectiveness as a rotational, versatile lineman will drop off. Houston can bring him Autry back on the veteran’s minimum, but also add him mid-season if no one else wants to kick the tires.

Sheldon Rankins, DT​

• 2025 Stats: 16 games, 33 tackles, 3 sacks
• Age: 31, almost 32
• Re-Sign or Replace: RE-SIGN
• Analysis: Back from a tumultuous 2024 in Cincinnati, Rankins regained his form in 2o25. He can be counted on as a starter or a situational defender and deserves a low-end contract to remain in Houston.

E.J. Speed, LB​

• 2025 Stats: 15 games, 62 tackles, 6 stuffs
• Age entering 2026 season: 36
• Re-Sign or Replace: RE-SIGN
• Analysis: Speed usurped Christian Harris as the third linebacker on defense. He rotates with Henry To’oTo’o as the starter and has brought an added tenacity to the defense and special teams. Bring Speed back on a one-year contract as he’ll be 31 by the start of next season.

Christian Harris, LB​

• 2025 Stats: 15 games, 11 tackles, 1 pass defended
• Age entering 2026 season:
• Re-Sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: Harris’ falloff must be studied. After his calf and ankle injuries in 2024, he was non-existent in 2025. He fell to the fifth string LB, getting less playing time than practice squad signee Damone Clark. However Harris fell out of favor with DeMeco and the coaching staff, he will be better served playing for another team.

Foley Fatukasi, DT, (IR)​

• 2025 Stats: 4 games, 8 tackles, 1.5 sacks
• Age entering 2026 season: 31
• Re-Sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: Two injury-riddled seasons in Houston should be enough to let Fatukasi walk. Effective when healthy, Caserio should look elsewhere to retool the defensive line.

M.J. Stewart, S, (IR)​

• 2025 Stats: 9 games, 25 tackles, 2 passes defended
• Age entering 2026 season: 31
• Re-Sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: Houston asked a lot of Stewart the past four years with little to note. He landed on IR Week 10 due to a quad when he was carted off against Jacksonville. He’s a known commodity that could be brought back mid-season in case of injuries.

Myles Bryant, CB​

• 2025 Stats: 11 games, 40 tackles, one tackle for loss
• Age entering 2026 season: 29
• Re-Sign or Replace: RE-SIGN
• Analysis: Bryant backed up Pitre and played well at safety when called upon due to injuries at the position. Bryant is a high floor, low ceiling free agent who won’t command much interest in the market, but will be a good system backup in Houston if he resigns a veteran’s minimum contract.

Damone Clark, LB​

• 2025 Stats (Houston only): 6 games, 14 tackles
• Age entering 2026 season: 29
• Re-Sign or Replace: REPLACE
• Analysis: Clark was brought on mid-season to the Texans and played as the fourth linebacker on the roster….ahead of Christian Harris. Why? No clue. Clark looked putrid in man coverage and gave up two touchdowns in the Week 18 game against the Colts. Houston can find more capable LBs in free agency and the draft.

Non-discussion worthy-free agents

• Naquan Jones, DT – Re-sign to practice squad
• Kurt Hinish, DT – Re-sign to practice squad
• Ja’Marcus Ingram, CB – Re-sign to practice squad

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/nfl-f...ace-every-houston-texans-defensive-free-agent

 

[Houston Texans]

Value of Things: Following the Seahawks Blueprint?

It is customary after every Super Bowl to ask whether we can learn anything from the team that won. I suppose all 31 teams are doing that today. Usually the answer is no. There are any number of ways to win in the NFL and the Seahawks used one of those. Teams can try to outscore other teams with high octane offenses. They can be the riverboat gamblers that ride a hot hand to the finish line. They can also use a stifling defense to keep themselves in every game.

The last one sounds vaguely familiar. It should sound familiar because that is what the Texans did all season. It also should look familiar because it is what we saw on Sunday. We also saw it in the NFC Championship game and the divisional round as well. They just did it better than the Texans did it. The mistake that people make is looking at one single football game. Anything can happen in one single game. Instead, we should look at the aggregate.

The Seahawks were built on three equally vital concepts. Some of those concepts actually worked to perfection throughout the season and some didn’t. Ironically, the Texans operate under those same premises. So, we can look at the Texans and Seahawks over the course of the full year to determine how close the Texans are to replicating that concept.

Stifling Defense​

This was on full display in the Super Bowl and it was predicated on three different planks. First, you simply limit yards and points. Secondly, you pressure the quarterback which means generating sacks and pressures. Finally, you turn over your opponents and you do it often. We can compare the Texans and Seahawks on those four principles (yards, points, sacks, and turnovers).

• Seahawks YPG: 285.9
• Texans YPG: 277.2

• Seahawks PPG: 17.2
• Texans PPG: 17.4

• Seahawks Sacks: 47/180
• Texans Sacks: 47/133

• Seahawks Turnovers: 25
• Texans Turnovers: 29

We could argue for days about which defense was actually better. The Texans have the advantage on turnovers and yards allowed. The Seahawks had a slight advantage on points allowed and quarterback pressures (the second number in the sacks column). That advantage was pretty significant, so I would give the slight edge to the Seahawks, but I would certainly listen to anyone begging to differ.

Strong Running Game​

I have a feeling we all know this is where the rubber will meet the road. DeMeco Ryans has long talked about his desire to be a physical football team and they have done that in spades on defense, but the offensive side of the ball is more tricky. I’m sure we know there is going to be a gap, but the question is how big of a gap do the Texans need to make up here?

• Seahawks rushing: 507 carries, 2096 yards, 4.1 YPC, 19 TD
• Texans rushing: 475 carries, 1852 yards, 3.9 YPC, 9 TD

Neither team was anywhere near the top in rushing. I suppose one of the reasons is that neither team have a running quarterback. It isn’t a mistake that the Bills, Ravens, and Bears were the top three in team rushing. They rode running backs AND running quarterbacks to their level of success. Still, the deciding factor are those touchdowns. That is equivalent to 70 points. It is probably more on the level of 40 points because the Texans likely were settling for field goals.

Give the Texans 40 points and they become a top ten scoring offense. They would have not been on the Seahawks level because they were the third best scoring team in the league, but they certainly would have been better than 13th ranking and given that most of their games were one score games they might have been 13-4 or 14-3 instead of 12-5. That would have won them the AFC South and potentially given them the one or two seed in the conference.

Gaining an extra 250 yards over the course of a season is not a huge undertaking. You are talking about an extra 15 yards a game or even less. A part of that is running the ball more. You do that with more quality running backs. Everyone knows about Kenneth Walker, but the Seahawks also had Zach Charbonnet with over 700 yards. I should point out that he gained more than everyone on the Texans. So, the Texans need someone better than Nick Chubb to complement Woody Marks.

Competent Quarterback Play​

I use the word competent purposefully. Neither the Seahawks nor the Texans are built around a franchise quarterback. There are some people that think C.J. Stroud can get there someday, but he clearly hasn’t been that guy the last two years. The question is what is the current delta between Stroud and Sam Darnold? Stroud might not be able to be Allen, Jackson, Mahomes, or Burrow. He might not be able to be Prescott or even Herbert. He might be able to be Darnold.

• Sam Darnold: 238.1 YPG, 67.7%, 5.2 TD%, 2.9 INT%, 8.21 AY/A, 99.1 Rating
• C.J. Stroud: 217.2 YPG, 64.5%, 4.5 TD%, 1.9 INT%, 7.24 AY/A, 92.9 Rating

We can see the delta as plain as day. The biggest keys can be seen in the completion percentage and touchdown percentage. Darnold was just more productive. He also was more turnover prone. He led the NFL in turnovers. Ironically, the Texans had the least turnovers in the NFL in the regular season. So, for 14 games Stroud seemed to understand the assignment and managed to pull it off. Darnold threw five touchdowns and zero interceptions in the postseason with zero lost fumbles.

We obviously know what happened with Stroud. The question is how much you put in two games? I am usually not a big fan of small sample sizes. After all, Darnold might turn out to be another Joe Flacco. If we look at the aggregate and give Stroud just two more completions a game then he would end up matching Darnold in yards per game and likely completion percentage as well. Those two extra completions would also raise his rating. It’s not completely unreasonable.

How far are the Texans away?​

If we decide they are running the same blueprint then we would see that they are essentially there on defense, but a little behind on running the ball and quarterback play. However, maintaining the defense is harder than it sounds. Players leave via free agency and others get hurt when they were healthy before. Every season exists in its own universe. Theoretically, you could improve in some areas on defense as well The question is whether the push factors will outweigh the pull factors.

Running the ball requires not only a better running back, but a better line. How realistic is it to improve both in the same offseason? Are we to assume that Stroud will magically be better if these things happen? Are there other things that need to happen for him to reach Darnold’s level? These are the questions facing the Texans before free agency and the draft.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...ue-of-things-following-the-seahawks-blueprint

 

[Houston Texans]

The Day After the Day After: Super Bowl LX review with some Houston Texans’ considerations

Seattle Seahawks' quarterback #14 Sam Darnold and Seattle Seahawks' head coach Mike Macdonald celebrate with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8, 2026. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

THIS SEASON, NO DEFENSE, NO CHAMPIONSHIP: Most know the cliche of “Defense wins championships.” Is that really true every season? Not necessarily. However, for 2025-26, if you didn’t have a top-tier defense, or one that could consistently play that way, you weren’t getting very far. The culmination of that sentiment came in Super Bowl LX. Seattle boasted the top scoring defense in the league, and the Patriots claimed the best scoring defense in the playoffs. Seattle clearly played to form, pitching a shutout for 3 quarters and effectively nullifying whatever momentum New England brought into this game. The Patriots, for while they struggled on offense, their defense kept them afloat, holding the Seahawks to four FGs before turnovers doomed the Patriots in the 4th.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION QB SAM DARNOLD: When the Jets made Darnold the #3 overall pick in 2018, they did so with visions of him leading a team to a Lombardi Trophy. In a way, they got that part right. How that came to pass…uh, this might have been the most circuitous route to a title since Jim Plunkett. Another in a series of failed QBs from the Jets, to a damning exile in Carolina, a back-up gig in San Francisco, a solid season in Minnesota before a horrid finale, and then his arrival in Seattle. He didn’t have a great game per se (19 of 38 for 202 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs), but on this night, it wasn’t needed. A great night from the “Dark Side” and Kenneth Walker will do that. Still, from now until the end of time, whenever you say the name Sam Darnold, you must preface it with “Super Bowl Champion.”

THE DAWNING OF THE DEFENSIVE ERA, OR A BLIP? As aforementioned, defense dominated this season. Yet, it will be curious to see if that is the case next season. In a bit of a narrative flip, a lot of top-level QBs didn’t make the playoffs (Burrow, Mahomes, Jackson), or didn’t get all that far in the playoffs (Herbert, Rodgers, Love,). Perhaps the highest rated QB to advance (MVP Matthew Stafford) fell in the NFC Title Game to the “Dark Side,” with Darnold in tow. They say that the NFL is a QB league, and more often than not, it is. However, this season, the teams that advanced seemed to do it in spite of their QB, or took a back-seat to a defense that played the lead role. At present, there is not a push to call for major chances to aid the offense, but it will be interesting to see how the dynamic evolves next season. Will a team like Seattle be able to lean on a dominant defense for more than this season, whereby the Dark Side can overshadow the Legion of Boom, or will this be like 2015, where a dominant Broncos defense led the charge, only to fall into obscurity and obsolescence?

WHAT COULD A TEXANS’ FAN TAKE AWAY FROM THIS GAME?: While Houston’s season ended well before his kickoff, that is not to say that Houston couldn’t take a few things away from this game. A few points:

• Defense can take you far: Right now, defense is king in the NFL. Seattle holds scoreboard on being the best defense this season. However, right behind them for consistency would be this Texans’ unit. Most of their key players should return, even if the DT and LB rooms might be a bit different next year. However, just because a defense dominated one year does not mean that it will be that dominant the next. They should be the strength of the team, but Houston can’t expect Houston to again be a top-tier dominant defense again, at least not like this season.
• Better shore up your offensive line and running game: Two areas that Houston fell short this season were in the areas of the running game and effectiveness of the interior offensive line. Marks and Chubb combined for over 1200 yards rushing, but the running game never really got going against the better defensive squads. In a not coincidental matter, the Texans offensive interior rated among the worst in the league for run blocking. Ingram was a solid guard, but collectively, this aspect of the team did much to hinder the advancement of the Texans, especially against the Patriots. What moves Caserio et al will make in the offseason to shore up the running game, be it getting a potential game breaking back or a stronger offensive interior, Houston must address this aspect now, especially while the window for this defense is open.
• Missed Opportunity: A lot of fanbases had to ask themselves the question why they couldn’t have make this game. Houston is no different. Their defense was a good as either unit in this or game. However, 8 turnovers in two playoffs games will sink just about any team. Why did Stroud have to play arguably his two worst games ever in these playoffs? Can Caley’s offensive ability evolve and can Stroud put this nightmare of a finish behind him? The last playoff QB to have two [DURGA]-awful games to close a season like that: Sam Darnold.

GAME BALLS:

QB Sam Darnold: What do they call the student that graduates last in their med school class? Doctor. What do they call arguably the worst quarterback to win a Super Bowl?. Champion. If you want to have the debate as to whether Dilfer or Darnold is better/worse, go ahead. Just remember, Darnold has the ring, and Burrow/Jackson et al don’t.

RB Kenneth Walker: 161 yards rushing in a Super Bowl. MVP well-earned.

The Dark Side: The latest named defense. To paraphrase the line, “They don’t name nobodys” [Miami’s No Name Defense excluded]

Patriots Acting Defensive Coordinator Zah Kuhr. Terrance Williams is back from his cancer treatments, but the Patriots playoff run was driven by the defense and acting DC Kuhr had much to do with that. Maybe it is too late for this hiring cycle, but a full-time DC job should be in this guy’s future if he continues his stellar defensive work.

SHOULD BE FORCED TO MOVE FULL-TIME TO THE 49ERS’ PRACTICE FIELD AND THE SUBSEQUENT POWER STATION WHILE LISTENING TO CHRIS COLLINGSWORTH ON FULL REPEAT FOR THE REST OF THE OFF-SEASON.

Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels: The Dark Side had a lot to do with this, but how yuck has the Patriots’ offense been since leaving New England? McDaniels is one of the more legitimate heels of the NFL, but he is built for being a NE Offensive Coordinator. However, he did Drake Maye and the rest of his team no favors.

Patriots Offensive Tackle Will Campbell: He really did not have a very good playoffs. Abused by the Chargers, Texans and Bronocs, he completed the Quad of Failure by being a key contributor in allowing the Dark Side to collect six sacks. Maybe he evolves from this, but hard to think of a worse four games for an OL than this playoff run for Campbell.

The Pearl-Clutching over the Halftime Show: Everybody got so up in arms about the projected halftime show and respective country programming of the halftime show. It seemed like more attention was paid to a 20-25 minute portion of what is usually a 4+ hour event. To quote Ilsa “Let it go.” [Your welcome for the day-long earworm you just received].

With that, the 2025-26 season comes to an end. As well all head to Cancun, or drink a couple of Mexican-based alcoholic beverages to make us think we are in Cancun, we thank all of you for reading our columns. The ride is not stopping, as we have all the off-season fun to get to, but we appreciate all of you that joined us for this season and look forward to more football in the future.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...eview-with-some-houston-texans-considerations

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans Position Outlook: Wide Receiver

Dec 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (3) walks off the field after the game against the Miami Dolphins at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Throughout this past season, the Texans’ wide receiver group had moments where they delivered — and even more where it felt like they left a lot on the table.

Houston already have their star wideout in Nico Collins. Collins eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards, but it still felt like there were games where he wasn’t involved nearly as much as he should’ve been. Whether that falls on the offensive scheme or C.J. Stroud, the reality is Collins needs to be featured more consistently next season.

After Collins, the production dropped off significantly. The Texans believed Christian Kirk would step into that next role, but he was largely invisible on a weekly basis.

The second-most productive receiver on the roster ended up being rookie Jayden Higgins, who Houston selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Higgins is a matchup nightmare for a lot of defensive backs, and he proved he can produce at this level, finishing with over 500 yards and six touchdowns.

Higgins was used sparingly early on, which is typical for a rookie, but his role grew as the season progressed. If he continues on that trajectory, 2026 could be a big year for him — he just needs to be more involved.

Jaylin Noel, a third-round pick in the same draft and Higgins’ former Iowa State teammate, might be the most explosive player on the Texans’ offense. That explosiveness showed up immediately on special teams, where he thrived as the kick returner.

Noel flashed as a receiver as well, but it was clear the coaching staff didn’t feel he was ready for a larger offensive role just yet. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Development takes time, and Noel consistently made plays when given opportunities. He’ll likely remain the team’s primary kick returner, but he was drafted to do much more — and he could make a real impact next season.

Houston also has solid depth in Xavier Hutchinson, who stepped up when called upon last year. That said, his role is best suited as a depth option moving forward.

The true wildcard in the Texans’ receiver room is Tank Dell, who has suffered multiple season-ending injuries over the past two years. When healthy, Dell can completely reignite the passing attack and bring an element of electricity that few players on the roster can match.

Given his injury history, it’s hard to expect Dell to be available all season. But when he’s on the field, he’s a legitimate game-changer.

Overall, the Texans have a lot of young talent and upside at wide receiver, which makes a major overhaul unlikely — and probably unnecessary. Adding depth wouldn’t hurt, but running it back and expecting growth from the younger players feels like the right move.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...houston-texans-position-outlook-wide-receiver

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans Seven-Round Mock Draft Post-Super Bowl LX

CLEMSON, SC - AUGUST 30: AJ Haulcy #13 of the LSU Tigers celebrates during the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers on August 30, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Gus Stark/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)

The Super Bowl left many Houston Texans fans thinking “that could have been us”. A better offensive line and a healthy Joe Mixon could have been the difference… especially in taking the pressure off of QB C.J. Stroud.

The seven-round post-Super Bowl mock draft is my third of the offseason. Next edition will be after the NFL Combine and will include trades. For now, we’re sticking and picking with nine selections.

Round 1, Pick 28: Monroe Freeling, OT – Georgia​

Analysis: Freeling has the resume befitting of a first round draft prospect. He’s 6’7, has two+ years of starting experience at Georgia, and played both left and right tackle. His True Pass Set Blocking Grade from PFF is an exquisite 74.1 and his long frame offers extremely high upside at the next level. However, he must refine and coordinate his hand placement and footwork before taking over the starting role.

He’ll slot in at right tackle and should be Houston’s starting tackle for the next decade. He does have hiccups on tape where speed to power rushers blast through his frame, but his upside and athleticism offer high-end potential out of a late first-round pick.

While Freeling is a high-upside zone blocker, he may struggle to find a home in Houston given the Texans’ late-season pivot to a gap-heavy scheme centered on power and duo-blocking concepts. Whether the Texans prioritize the player or the system will impact who Houston selects at 28.

Round 2, Pick 38: A.J. Haulcy, S – LSU​

Analysis: The original pick was Lee Hunter, DT – Texas Tech, but recent mock drafts have him going late first round. Plus, picking DT this high goes against Nick Caserio’s draft patterns as he’s never selected an interior defensive lineman before the SIXTH ROUND (Roy Lopez, 2021).

Haulcy is my favorite player in the draft class. Haulcy is a deep-lying play maker whose bone-crushing hits and ball production are among the best in the class. He is at his best when triggering downhill to disrupt receivers than turning and running down the field with them. He slots in next to Calen Bullock in the secondary and provides immediate impact on defense to round out a young, athletic, and physical defensive back room.

Round 2, Pick 59: Connor Lew, C – Auburn​

Analysis: In this mock (and in many more mock drafts to come), Houston doubles down on the offensive line early in the draft. This time, they land the top center on the board. Connor Lew’s mid-season ACL tear will drastically impact where teams have him on their draft board.

Lew’s width, athleticism, and leverage are elite. His ability to shift between DTs is profound and is a skill QB C.J. Stroud desperately needs in front of him. He needs to improve his positioning when facing bull rushes, but there’s enough instances of correct technique on tape to feel comfortable using a second round pick on him. Houston can roll the dice on an injured center due to his production and athletic profile with the anticipation he’ll over midseason.

Round 3, Pick 69: Domonique Orange, DT – Iowa State​

Analysis: Houston continues to address its needs on defense by selecting on of the largest players in the draft. Orange is bigger than Houston’s prototypical defensive tackle, but his ability to stack-and-shed is rare this late in the draft.

Orange was asked to play nose tackle in Iowa State’s 3-3-5 defense. This forced him to play both A gaps, which made him raise up out of his stance and expose his 6’4 frame to blockers. Houston will only ask Orange to defend in four-linemen formations, which should unlock his ability to penetrate and clog rushing lanes.

He immediately slots into the rotation and will play early downs as a high-end run stuffer who over time can incorporate more pass rush skills into his repertoire.

Round 4, Pick 106: Joe Royer, TE – Cincinnati​

Analysis: Houston misses out on a bevy of running back options between the third and fourth rounds. However, there is a goldmine of capable tight ends available to begin the fourth rounds.

Houston’s entire arsenal of tight ends enter the offseason injured. They need both a backup plan and long-term solution. They find that in TE Joe Royer.

Royer is a catch-first, block-second type of tight end, but his 6’5 frame lends itself to inline blocking duties. He’s a natural catcher with some of the better after the catch skills in this class. Houston can integrate him into their red zone offense immediately and add another weapon to this offense.

Round 4, Pick 128: Trey Moore, LB – Texas​

Analysis: Trey Moore transitioned from defensive end to linebacker in 2025 and struggled in coverage, but presents an alluring athletic profile to develop. As a pass rusher, he bends around offensive tackles well to pursue the QB. He lacks the raw power to push through larger blockers, which necessitated the move to LB in his second year in Austin. As a LB, he’s better in man than zone as he looks lost falling back to a landing spot.

Houston adds depth at both DE and LB with the Spring Branch, Texas native. Moore could use a year backing up Henry To’oTo’o before making the transition to full-time linebacker. Whether Moore can learn to drop back into coverage will dictate his career trajectory at the next level.

Round 5, Pick 165: Mike Washington Jr., RB – Arkansas​

Analysis: Washington’s stock is rising and may be out of range by April, but for now he presents great value as a first and second down bruising back. At 6’2”, 220 pounds, Mike Washington Jr. is a fifth-year senior with previous stops in Buffalo and New Mexico State. He had a breakout campaign with the Razorbacks, rushing for over 1,000 yards and hauling in 28 catches.

He carries his large frame well and is a pure downhill rusher. He ran primarily outside zone and dive at Arkansas which should fit in well in Houston’s scheme. Washington needs to add a cutback move and counter to his repertoire and he’ll be ready to rotate in at the next level.

Round 7, Pick 243: Josh Moten, CB – Southern Miss​

Analysis: Houston rarely takes players with a litany of legal issues. Moten was arrested three times at Texas A&M between February 2021 and December 2022. However, Moten has been clean since transferring to Marshall and Southern Miss, where he was among the best cornerbacks in the Sun Belt in 2025.

I could see Moten moving inside to guard slot receivers with his mirroring skills and ability to turn and run.

11 career interceptions and 21 pass breakups is worth the seventh round flier. Houston could use the depth at CB and he’ll be in a room with enough big personalities to deter any misconduct off the field.

Elite Bail rep by Marshall's CB Josh Moten (1) vs. Ohio State.

Once he saw that it was a fade, he pressed the top of the inside hip, gaining control of the WR & ran the route from him.
— pic.twitter.com/ctrVslRJDJ

— Cody Alexander (@The_Coach_A) September 23, 2024

Round 7, Pick 244: Mason Reiger, DE – Wisconsin​

Analysis: Reiger’s catastrophic knee injury in 2024 derailed his entire senior year. He is already 23, but possesses high potential as he further recovers from his injury. His performance at the East-West Shrine Bowl indicates his pass rush acumen, something extremely valuable this late in the draft. At 6’5, 250 pounds, he has the frame to play DE at the next level and could find his way onto the roster if Houston fails to re-sign Denico Autry or Derek Barnett.

With this haul, Houston adds two immediate starters in Freeling and Haulcy, two players who should start mid-season in Lew and Orange, and a host of depth pieces to help bolster the roster.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...ans-seven-round-mock-draft-post-super-bowl-lx

 

[Houston Texans]

New Texans HQ: Toro goes global!

If you live in the NW ‘burbs, your property values are about to jump thanks to the Houston Texans.

Houston Texans

HOUSTON (February 12, 2026) – The Houston Texans, Harris County, and Howard Hughes® today announced plans for Toro District™, a transformative new sports and entertainment destination in Bridgeland®, located in Northwest Harris County. The 83-acre project includes a 22-acre, state-of-the-art global headquarters and training complex for the Texans and represents a bold new model for collaboration between professional sports, public leadership, and long-term community development. Toro District is projected to generate approximately $34 billion in long-term economic impact and create more than 17,000 jobs across the region over time. The Texans will participate in the development of Toro District through an affiliate.

Toro District will include a dynamic mix of best-in-class retail, restaurant, hotel, entertainment, commercial, and medical space within Bridgeland Central®, the community’s emerging urban core. Designed as a year-round destination, the district will serve residents, visitors, and businesses while strengthening the region’s infrastructure and civic footprint in one of the fastest-growing corridors in Texas. This landmark public-private partnership reflects the Texans’ commitment to redefining and elevating engagement with the community.

“Today is a historic day for the Houston Texans, our fans, and the Greater Houston area as we partner with Howard Hughes and Harris County on a world-class sports and entertainment destination, including our new headquarters and training facility,” said Cal McNair, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Texans. “Our organization continues to grow and this aligns with our goals of bringing a championship to Houston, enhancing community services and making sports more accessible. This project reinforces our long-term commitment to Harris County and our focus on driving growth and opportunity for the community. It will set the new standard for the global sports and entertainment industry and it’s the most significant evolution for our organization since our inception.”

MORE FROM CAL & HANNAH

The transformational economic development project provides residents with better access to Harris County services, increases lifestyle and recreational amenities in the area, and creates more connectivity through infrastructure improvements. The new headquarters and athletic complex will provide expanded training facilities and create new opportunities for youth programming, community events, and educational partnerships. Students from Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Waller ISD, and Lone Star College will gain access to internships, career pathway programs, and sports-focused educational initiatives. The project will also support workforce development through local hiring initiatives and apprenticeship programs for construction and skilled trades.

Harris County Commissioners Lesley Briones (Precinct 4) and Tom Ramsey (Precinct 3) partnered with the Texans and Howard Hughes to ensure the project directly benefits local residents while preparing Northwest Harris County for sustained growth. Plans include expanded parks and trails, infrastructure improvements, enhanced mobility, and a future on-site Community Services Center to increase access to county resources.

“This public-private partnership reflects what we strive to do every day in Harris County—transform lives through education, job training, and employment opportunities. Bringing County resources deeper into the heart of this fast-growing area of Northwest Harris County will create good paying jobs, allow more convenient access to County services, enhance health and wellness with new green spaces, and increase connectivity with needed infrastructure investments,” said Commissioner Briones. “As a former teacher, I am especially energized by the collaboration that will take place with high school and college students through internships and other educational programs. The Toro District is a huge win for our community. We keep our beloved Texans here at home, and are catalyzing a transformative economic development project that will grow the economy of Northwest Harris County for decades to come. I thank the Houston Texans and Howard Hughes for their vision, partnership, and commitment to creating a Harris County where everyone can thrive.”

“Harris County has always been a strong economic driver and innovator in sustainable infrastructure,” said Commissioner Ramsey. “From the Port of Houston, the energy sector, to the world class medical center, it’s only appropriate that we elevate this sports facility to be the best in America. This MOU between Precinct 3 & 4, Howard Hughes, and the Houston Texans is a powerful commitment to the residents of Harris County. This agreement covers everything from infrastructure improvements, more access to Harris County services, youth development, and economic growth – it truly is a great day for Harris County.”

Toro District will serve as a powerful catalyst for commercial momentum in the Northwest Houston corridor, complementing nearby major employers including the future Chevron research and development campus. The project positions the area as a premier destination for business, innovation, entertainment, and civic life.

This is not just a headquarters. It is a statement about where Houston is going,” said David O’Reilly, Chief Executive Officer of Howard Hughes. “When you bring together visionary public leadership, a world-class NFL franchise, and a long-term development partner, you can do something far bigger than any one organization alone. Toro District will create jobs, strengthen infrastructure, expand access to services, and deliver a gathering place that families will enjoy for generations. We are incredibly proud to partner with the Texans and Harris County to build something that reflects the ambition and energy of this region.”

Additional details regarding the development will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit: (www.torodistrict.com).

“Toro District”? The name sounds like a place where rival team mascots get themselves into trouble with local law enforcement. But the idea and vision behind it sounds like a great experience for Texans fans, young and old.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-news/74088/new-texans-hq-toro-goes-global

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans running back prospects

After holding our collective breath for Dameon Pierce to carry on his rookie promise, and Joe Mixon to return from magical, mystery, injury land, it’s time to move on.

2025 rookie Woody Marks managed to hammer out 703 yards on 196 carries for a 3.6 yard per carry average in first year. The beating he took seemed to wear on him more and more as the season progressed, however.

30-year old Nick Chubb still has a little gas in the tank, contributing 506 yards on 122 carries for a 4.1 yard average. The former star tailback’s best days are behind him, but that doesn’t mean he won’t see the end zone a lot more in his future. And, Chubb is a free agent that the Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley may not want general manager Nick Caserio to bring back, simply due to lack of space on the running back depth chart.

Jawhar Jordan shone like the sun in his December 14th game against the Arizona Cardinals, ripping through the Cards D for 101 yards and a nasty 6.7 yards per carry. Unfortunately in the next two games combined Jordan only put up 89 yards on 22 attempts. Potential is there, but the 2024 6th round draft pick has had 2 seasons to cement himself as the bell cow and hasn’t done it yet.

2026 NFL Free Agent Running Backs​

The fine folks at Walter Football have, once again, put together a great list of pending free agents.

Breece Hall​

#1 on that list is soon to be former New York Jets runner Breece Hall. Greg Auman at Foxsports predicts the Jets may toss out big money to bring Hall back. Expected to land “north of $10 million” (which isn’t that big in star player circles) Hall might appeal to any number of other teams with cap space and need of someone to tote the rock. Are the Texans that team?

Hall has amassed 3,398 yards on 755 carries for a 4.5 yard average in his carer with the Jets. At 5’11” and 217 lbs, the 2022 2nd round pick out of Iowa State might endure an NFL running back beating better than Marks. Not sure the Texans and Hall make a perfect match however. Where’s the second coming of Earl Campbell when you need him?

PFF has Hall ranked as #2 on their list with an 84.4 overall grade, as does Foxsports. Profootballnetwork has him in the top slot.

Travis Etienne​

The former Clemson Tiger living highlight reel hasn’t really lit the NFL gridiron on fire the way he did in college. He did finally manage to light the fuse in 2025, rocketing to his second career 1100+ yard season, with 1107 yards on 260 attempts for a 4.3 yard per carry average. Over the course of his 4-year career, Etienne has also grabbed 168 receptions for 1338 yards – which might be a major help to a guy like C.J. Stroud. Just sayin’.

Etienne embodies that Swiss Army knife sort of player profile that the Texans have historically valued. Pulling him from a division rival in the Jacksonville Jaguars wouldn’t hurt either. However, he also doesn’t fit the big, bruiser back that Caley seems to want to build an offense around. Let’s face it, play action, bootlegs and such work an awful lot better when the defenders are still rearranging their mouthguard after getting hit by a freight train on the play before.

Kenneth Walker​

It seems every year there’s a Super Bowl darling player who is smart enough, skilled enough and lucky enough to leverage a playoff run and/or Super Bowl performance into a huge payday. This year’s candidate is Kenneth Walker. It’s not that often that a running back grabs the Super Bowl MVP title, so, pay the man.

Rumors swirl that several AFC teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and others will square off to sign Walker. His expected payday is well into the mid $30 million range. However, other rumors claim he wants to re-sign with the Seahawks in hopes of back-to-back championships.

His 3 playoff outings in 2025/26 brought 313 yards on 65 carries, a 4.8 yard per carry average and 4 touchdowns. Against the New England Patriots he racked up 135 yards on 27 carries. Had the Texans managed to get that sort of production against the Patriots in the divisional round, Stroud may not have been in a position where he started playing catch with the opponents.

$35 million tied up in a tailback doesn’t make sense for the 2026 Texans, however. So, odds of Walker playing for the good guys is pretty slim.

2026 NFL Draft Running Backs​

If the Texans don’t see an answer to the bellcow question in free agency, maybe there’s a rock star in the draft.

Jeremiyah Love​

PFF.com has the Notre Dame tailback as their #1 running back prospect in the upcoming draft.

PFF.com

Strengths:

• Acceleration and top speed are top-tier for the NFL
• Incredibly impressive footwork, with excellent quickness and balance
• Very quick processor for change of direction and jukes
• Determined running and blocking mentality
• Very natural receiver out of the backfield

Weaknesses:

• Work between the tackles isn’t as impactful
• Has moments in pass protection where he gets reckless (dips his head, lunges with his shoulder, etc.)

“Work between the tackles isn’t as impactful” might mean a big NO for Caley’s offense. These Patriot South, EP style offensive coordinators do love to hammer the gap (see Bill O’Brien).

NFLdraftbuzz has Love ranked 91.3 out of 100, with a 97 break tackles rating – a trait that would help Houston as it continues to solidify an offensive line that seemingly lives to have running backs make first contact on the wrong side of the line.

Jonah Coleman​

The Washington back lands at #2 on the PFF RB draft board and he seems a little more suitable for Caley’s hammer the middle running game.

Strengths:

• Has the size to consistently run behind his pads with power
• Has more lateral agility than expected for his weight class
• Decent processing speed to find open rushing lanes
• Very good efficiency numbers (missed tackles forced per attempt and yards after contact per attempt)
• Decent work as a receiver (only one drop on 113 career targets)
• Only one career fumble on 672 career touches
• Great vision, technique and effectiveness in pass protection

Weaknesses:

• Speed appears to be well below average for the NFL, both in top speed and acceleration
• Has some bad misses this year in pass protection, particularly when failing to block pressure with proper inside-out priority

While the speed is definitely worrisome, the ability to make defenders miss, and run over those who don’t, would make a nice compliment to Woody Marks and Jawhar Jordan. At 5’8” 228lbs, Coleman projects that sort of pinball/bowling ball style that gets lost in the mix of bodies only to bounce out of the pack after sneakily t-boning an unsuspecting would-be tackler.

Jonah Coleman (5’8 227) Washington

+ Bowling ball build
+ Contact balance
+ Decisive runner
+ Powers through arm tackles
+ Capable in pass protection
+ Patient to allow blocks to set up
+ Improved receiver with a career-high 354 receiving yards in 2025
+ 34 career rushing… pic.twitter.com/yZ7M0Apfmj

— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) February 5, 2026

Honestly, this sort of running back seems like the missing piece to the Texans offensive puzzle right now. A Maurice Jones-Drew style back would make the rest of this offense electric.

Emmett Johnson​

The Nebraska Cornhusker is both slippery and elusive. He also provides a safety net for Stroud to dump off a pass and watch a teammate take it downfield, ala Etienne.

Strengths:

• Excellent footwork — light on his feet with precise, explosive cutting behind man/gap concepts
• Good top speed for the NFL level, though not top-tier
• Very determined running style — competitive toughness and consistent effort
• Natural hands as a receiver with strong yards per route run usage and missed tackles forced per reception in space

Weaknesses:

• Has the determination but lacks the weight and strength for consistent pass protection
• His game is built more around vision and elusiveness than true explosiveness

Strength and weight are something Texans strength and conditioning coach Mike Eubanks can develop if the player has the same commitment to win that head coach Demeco Ryans seems to instill in all the players. Johnson’s ability to make jump cuts and see the field translates well to the NFL and he’s fast enough to run away from most big bodied defenders.

I think about this run from Emmett Johnson and pray he lads in a good spot pic.twitter.com/sLIWYNuEiY

— The FF Mediators (@TheFFMediators) February 6, 2026

Whether the Texans grab another free agent, pick up a back in the draft, trade for someone or do any combination thereof, they need another back. Will it be one of these guys? Maybe. We’ll know in the next 10 weeks.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-analysis/74070/houston-texans-running-back-prospects

 

[Houston Texans]

Blake Fisher’s potential has a major impact on Texans’ future

HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 15: Blake Fisher #57 of the Houston Texans lines up before the snap during an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins at NRG Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I’ve been mulling this commentary on Blake Fisher on for quite a while.

Unsurprisingly, I think about the Texans an uncanny amount. ‘What if’s’ careen through my mind like highways in downtown Houston with the names of players whose missed opportunities could have opened so many doors for the franchise.

Jaelen Strong. Tyler Ervin. Martinas Rankin. Louis Nix. John Metchie. Kevin Johnson. The list goes on. (Add yours in the comments for some quality group therapy).

While some people think about the Roman Empire, I stay up at night thinking about where Blake Fisher fits on Houston’s offensive line.

So far, he’s been unable to consistently crack the starting lineup on an offensive line in desperate need of talent. In 2025, Blake Fisher spent 214 plays at tight end, 78 at left tackle, and 67 (SIX-SEVENNNN) at right tackle. Using him as a sixth offensive lineman was a schematic Band-Aid for a long-term problem. To be fair, the offensive line performed better in the second half of the season with Fisher at tight end than it had at any point in the previous two years. However, the Texans have to stop hiding him at tight end and finally decide where he fits on the offensive line.

As I said before he started the Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, the training wheels must come off.

At this stage, there are only two explanations. Either Fisher isn’t good enough, or he isn’t nearly ready. Neither is encouraging.

The Reckoning of blake fisher, Dec 24, 2025

And it’s not for a lack of opportunity. For instance, when Trent Brown was out with an ankle injury in the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots, Blake Fisher didn’t start. Instead, Houston shifted Tytus Howard over to tackle and started former sixth-rounder Jarrett Patterson at guard. Under no circumstance do I believe Patterson is a better blocker than Fisher, but yet again Fisher doesn’t crack the starting lineup.

In an ideal world, Fisher has served his apprenticeship at tight end and is ready to assume the right tackle role from 32-year old Trent Brown. Brown is set to be a free agent and will demand a $15M+ price tag in free agency, That’s a steep increase from his current $1.5M deal with Houston.

If Fisher can slot it at right tackle, Houston can either re-sign Ed Ingram to a short-term deal or use one of its three picks in the first two rounds on a premier offensive guard.

At 6’6, 315 pounds, Fisher has the size to play tackle. However, it’s not uncommon in today’s NFL to have taller guards who are more proficient at pass protection.

The question that keeps me up at night is…

Why can’t Blake Fisher move inside to guard?​

It’s been two years… if he can’t hack it at right tackle then can he play guard? Can the former 59th overall pick not play one of the open guard spots? Why didn’t he get the nod over a former sixth rounder pick in the biggest game in Texans history?

Projected offensive line with Fisher at guard:

Imagine if the Texans didn’t need to spend a first or second-round pick on an offensive lineman? They could draft an elite linebacker to pair with Azeez Al-Shaair, use a second-round pick on a top-end running back, and use the other second round pick to select the incumbent to Danielle Hunter to develop him for the future.

Fisher’s development opens up a myriad of doors the Houston Texans need to open to make their first AFC Championship game. Regardless of the reason or issue behind the Texans slow-playing Fisher, it’s going to come to a head this offseason.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/nfl-a...potential-has-a-major-impact-on-texans-future

 

[Houston Texans]

Weekend Musings: The newest heel for the Houston Texans?

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 18: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans reacts after a 28-16 loss against the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Texans fans since their season came to an inglorious end at New England. Watching the Patriots get slapped around in a beating worse than the 29-13 score indicated did little to allievate some of that pain. The team had a lot go right for it. A franchise-best 10-game winning streak, the best defense in franchise history, a somewhat favorable AFC. It seems like it was all there for Houston. Even having to play on the road, an AFC title matchup seemed more likely than not. Then the game. Yeah, it still hurts.

In particular, the worst part of that game centered on the performance of QB CJ Stroud. His four 1st-half INTs did much to set the tone for Houston, along with one of his more inaccurate days throwing the football. All in all, it was not a very good day for the franchise QB. Throw in a sloppy performance at Pittsburgh, and the narrative around this QB has completely changed in Houston. After a rookie season for the ages, Stroud has put together two rather uneven seasons, culuminated with one of the worst playoff runs in recent memory for a QB.

Granted, it is not all on Stroud. The inconsistent-at-best offensive line has been an issue for the team these past two seasons. In 2024, Stroud got sacked over 50 times and while that number went down considerably in 2025 (24), he still faced signficant pressure on most of his dropbacks. While Nico Collins is a legit #1 WR, he hasn’t had as consistent a performer in the receiver room. Tank Dell could provide some firewpower, but Dell missed a good bit of 2024 and all of 2025 with injury. Other receivers and TEs have had their moments, but they haven’t offered the consistency of Collins. The running game has also been hit or miss. Joe Mixon offered that game-controlling ability at RB in 2024, but he missed 2025, with the other backs on the roster providing solid but far from spectacular performances. Thus, a lot has been thrown at the potential franchise savior, with mixed results.

Yet, most of the attention and blame now falls to Stroud. That this will be his longest off-season as a pro is a given. Perhaps even a bit more jarring, Stroud now faces a Houston fanbase that when they historically turn on a QB, they really turn on a QB. While social media is not the end-all/be-all for fan analysis, a vast majority of the comments about Stroud since that New England game have been in the negative. His playoff performance offered fodder for content creators to tear down the QB they once uplifted. The hot take industry does not lack for content associated with Stroud, from Bryce Young actually being the better pick from 2023 to Davis Mills being a better starting option to a validation of the results of the Wonderlic Test just to name a few examples.

Setting aside all of that, Stroud now finds himself where many a Texans franchise savior lands: franchise heel. Go back to David Carr, the first great franchise QB hope. The good looks, the rocket arm, the glowing profiles seen in places like Texas Monthly. He seemed straight out of central casting for Texas franchise QB…until he got broken by one of the worst offensive lines in recent memory. By his fifth season in Houston, the masses seemed to excoriate then coach Kubiak for not jettisioning him sooner than he did.

Then you have the fate that befell his successor Matt Schaub. At his peak, Schuab could run the Kubiak offense as effectively as any QB out there. Granted, signficant defensive limitations knee-capped the team, but Schaub had the makings of at least a solid playoff-tier QB. Yet, injury and a collapse in confidence/ability saw the Houston fanbase out for blood. By the end, the Houston fans cheered Schaub’s injury and booed so loudly when he returned to a home game that the Texans’ offense, at home, had to go to a silent snap count. It almost became a right of passage to burn a Schaub jersey in the parking lot of NRG.

The most recent great franchise hope, Deshaun Watson, well, his fall was not so much from on-field drop off, but more form off-field issues. Arguably the best of the Houston franchise QB hopefuls when he was at his best, Watson grew tired of the direction of the Houston franchise and wanted out. Initially, the fans backed his stance, but then some major accusations of sexual harassment/assault ended that vibe. Few in Houston cried when Watson left for Cleveland, but many joined in the condemnation as Browns fans turned on Watson with a sharp decline in on-field performance to match his off-field collapse.

Now, Stroud faces such a situation. While he hasn’t had the off-field issues of Watson, on-field struggles are making him a target for Houston fan vitriol. Not that Texans fans want to loathe Stroud per se. They want him, or at least any QB in Battle Red to play well. Yet, the impatience to have a championship-caliber QB does not abate in Houston. The promise shown in his rookie season only makes Stroud’s struggles more pronounced and painful. The fans will cheer his touchdowns and the big plays he can make with his arm and feet. However, that first stretch of bad passes or that first bad INT, and the boo-birds at NRG will be among the loudest Stroud will ever hear in his football career.

Thus, all of us, from Stroud to the fanbase, must wait to see how he responds after a horrid playoffs. When Stroud declined a Pro Bowl invitation, it generated a fair amount of positive support, as most noted that he was focused on improvement and not distractions. Still, until the snaps count for real, meaning 8 or so months from now, we’ll won’t know if Stroud’s arc continues down the path of Texans heel/pariah, or if the Texans see Stroud rebound to become the QB that we not only saw his rookie season, but one that evolves into the best in franchise history.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...usings-the-newest-heel-for-the-houston-texans