The Houston Texans made some bold moves in the 2023 NFL Draft, acquiring the No. 3 pick in a blockbuster trade with the Cardinals and selecting quarterback C.J. Stroud in the first round (Sports Illustrated). They followed that up by selecting linebacker Will Anderson Jr. with their second pick (Houston Texans). Despite rumors that they might go in a different direction, the Texans reportedly had their sights set on Stroud all along (Bleacher Report).
The Texans’ draft success wasn’t entirely surprising, given their strong front office leadership. General manager DeMeco Ryans has impressed with his decision-making since taking over in 2022 (Battle Red Blog). However, the team still faces plenty of questions heading into the 2023 season (Battle Red Blog).
One issue to watch is the ongoing Deshaun Watson saga. The star quarterback remains embroiled in legal trouble after a spate of sexual assault allegations, and it’s unclear whether he’ll ever take the field for the Texans again (Battle Red Blog).
Another area of uncertainty is the defense, which struggled mightily in 2022. The Texans were near the bottom of the league in sacks, and they gave up an average of 28.9 points per game (Battle Red Blog). They’ll look to shore up those weaknesses in free agency and the later rounds of the draft.
Overall, though, there’s reason for optimism in Houston. With Ryans at the helm and Stroud at the quarterback position, the Texans have a chance to turn things around quickly and compete for the playoffs in the coming years.
