The Houston Texans have started this offseason by making a flurry of changes and shifts on their offensive line, and it's a decision that comes with good reason.
This team finished the 2024 season with one of the worst pass protection units in the league, took a step back as a whole offensively, and ended up disappointed based on initial expectations coming into the year. The Texans then took note of those offensive line lapses, bringing a bundle of new pieces in while shipping several key faces out of the fold.
However, through those early offseason motions, it could actually end up as a setback for the Texans' offense for 2025.
Following Houston's free agency moves and trades throughout, CBS Sports' analyst Garrett Podell noted quarterback C.J. Stroud as one of the biggest losers in the NFL, claiming that the offensive line ended up taking a few steps back rather than forward.
"A case can be made that C.J. Stroud's offensive line got worse despite it being an obvious problem area in 2024," Podell wrote. "Houston traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was Pro Football Focus' fourth-best pass-blocking tackle, and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Commanders for four draft picks. They also traded away 2022 first-round pick offensive guard Kenyon Green and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Eagles... If the Eagles are interested in your team's offensive lineman, it probably means you shouldn't send them to Philadelphia."
Of course, losing an All-Pro level tackle in any sense will sting, but the Texans did get a strong return for his services in the form of multiple draft selections, including two day-two picks. Yet, the bigger question revolves around how Houston will be able to plug the hole left by Tunsil now that he's out of the picture.
With his departure, the Houston brass has added a few interesting names to the mix, headlined by former Minnesota Vikings tackle Cam Robinson, but in Podell's mind, it might not be enough to support Stroud and the Texans' offense.
"They also picked up Cam Robinson after he split time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings in 2024," Podell continued. "Once Robinson took over as a starter for the Vikings last season following being acquired in a midseason trade, Weeks 9-18, his quarterback pressure rate allowed of 10.1% was the fifth-highest in the entire NFL. That's tough for Stroud. "
The Texans' offensive line will look undoubtedly different for 2025, and it's largely a wait-and-see situation to see how Houston can scheme up a better protection plan for the passing attack. Perhaps guys like Robinson and other new additions like Ed Ingram and most recently Trent Brown can offer the necessary improvements, but time will tell.
After the Texans' campaign from this past year in the trenches, the expection would be for the front office to make splashier additions onto the unit rather than cut costs. However, Houston's decided to go with an alternate approach this time around. Let's see if it pays off.
