After putting another 10-7 finish on the books paired with a second-straight playoff win during the 2024 campaign, the Houston Texans enter this offseason with a strong base to build on for their coming season.
However, this roster is still one with a few needs to address over the coming months. Ranking 19th in scoring offense and 14th in scoring defense, there remains room for improvement on both sides of the ball, and it's a task head coach DeMeco Ryans seems eager to take on.
Ryans dove into some of the Texans' offseason plans during this week's NFL Combine, where he noted one big area on the roster the team will look to focus on: the offensive line.
"Better protection for C.J [Stroud] is definitely a main point of emphasis for us," Ryans said. "We know when C.J. is protected, he has a good pocket, he's a pretty good quarterback... I show guys the types of throws C.J is able to make in the middle of the field, on the sideline. He's capable of making any throw on the football field, but it's just a matter of protecting him and giving him that comfort when he's in the pocket. When we do that, we can move the ball and we can make plays. So, that is a point of emphasis for us –– making sure he is protected better."
The Texans had some considerable struggles up-front this season. Stroud was the league's second-most sacked quarterback in the league with 52 takedowns, placing behind only Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams who had 68. It was a large part of the team's regression on the offensive side of the ball, dropping from the 7th-best passing unit to 21st.
For Houston to continue their run of representing the AFC South for the third consecutive season, it'll have to start with improvement on the offensive line. Strong veteran staples like Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason will remain in the five-man unit for 2025, but some work around the edges needs to be enacted.
Whether that need be tackled within the draft or through the free agency market remains to be seen, but expect Ryans and the rest of the Texans brass to keep the offensive line as a center focus in the weeks ahead.
