It was an offseason with many moving parts for the Houston Texans.
Anywhere you look– offensively, defensively, the coaching staff– all saw a few tweaks over the past few months, both big and small. Of course, all of this group's core pieces are still intact on both sides of the ball with the likes of C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, their star edge rushing duo, and Derek Stingley all providing a path to a division win for a third-straight season, but it could still be a season with it's growing pains.
However, there's one new name in the mix in the eyes of Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman that could come in with a bit more added importance, potentially even being the X-factor of the success of this Texans' offense for the year ahead: veteran tackle Cam Robinson.
"Cam Robinson, whom Houston signed in free agency, will attempt to fill Laremy Tunsil's shoes," they wrote. "He’s been consistently below-average in his career, failing to grade as a top-40 tackle during any of his eight seasons. If he can’t adequately protect C.J. Stroud’s blindside, second-round pick Aireontae Ersery could be given a shot. "
Robinson, signed onto a one-year, $12 million deal to the Texans this offseason, will have all of the opportunity to be this team's starting left tackle for Week One of the season, and in turn, be the fill-in for a Pro Bowl talent like Tunsil, who held the left side of the line down in Houston for the past six seasons.
Robinson doesn't need to factor in as an annual Pro Bowler, but for the Texans' offense to be at it's best, the former Minnesota Vikings tackle needs to at least be a true serviceable, starting quality blindside protector for Stroud. If he can manage to do that, this group will be in good shape, but it's a verdict that remains to be seen.
If the Robinson experiment does fall through, then the Texans do have their day two rookie in Aireontae Ersery to lean on as a backup, but for a team focused on competing for a Super Bowl ring as soon as next season, it may not be the best route in putting a year-one contributor on the left side to stop the best edge talents in the NFL.
Instead, the responsibility is put on Robinson's shoulders to do just that. Time will tell if the former first round pick has the means to make it happen.
