Houston Texans: 2019 Offseason Outlook
The 2019 season was a trying year for the Houston Texans. Each season, the Texans look like they’re going to be the next breakout team and, much like this season, injuries derail their progress. Finishing the season 11-5 and winning their division, their first-round exit was disappointin, gto say the least. On paper, the Texans have both a strong defensive presence and an offense that should be able to compete with the best, yet somehow they just don’t get through.
Even with their first round knock out at the hands of Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts, the Houston Texans still have a bright future ahead. With a reported $70 million dollars in cap space, they should be able to make a decent splash in free agency. Luckily for them, they won’t need to break the bank if players like Lamar Miller, Demaryius Thomas, Will Fuller V, and DeAndre Hopkins can return healthy next season. With enough cap space, they can hit the ground hard find the perfect fit for their offseason plans, without having to reach too much with their pick at 23 in this year’s NFL Draft.
With an injured DeShaun Watson, the team was still able to sneak out 11 wins this season but it’s clear where their focus needs to be. The Texans’ offensive line allowed Watson to take a beating this year with 62 allowed sacks. With speedy, big-bodied receivers, Houston should be able to air the ball out with easy and pull down yards in bunches. However, without the time to do so, Watson could be in a world of hurt next season too. Even the run game suffered behind this line as Lamar Miller fell 27 yards short of the 1,000-yard rushing mark.
If the Houston Texans want to be successful and compete in the AFC playoffs next year their main priority should be the offensive line, offensive line, and back up to the offensive line. Sure, they could sprinkle in some defense along the way, but this team has too much talent and good cap space to fall short. On top of that, their window might be closing, some of their cornerstone players are getting up there in age and their young playmaker will want to get paid soon. The 2019 offseason could be the make or break offseason for the Houston Texans.
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
