The Houston Texans have a lot of work ahead of them this offseason.
When the 2016-17 NFL season ended, there was only one hole in the Houston Texans team. They had one of the scariest defenses in the league — if not the scariest — led by AJ Bouye, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus, and that group of Houston Texans excelled despite the absence of J.J. Watt.
Lamar Miller had a solid season for the running game, and the weapons were there with guys like De’Andre Hopkins, Will Fuller and C.J. Fiedorowicz. The only issue was the quarterback with Brock Osweiler proving he wasn’t worth the $72 million he was given. As a result, Deshaun Watson was drafted, and it seemed as if this team was finally ready to become a real threat in the AFC for something special.
Fast-forward to four years later, and everything has gone to hell in a handbasket.
It is crazy to think that only four years ago the Texans had everything except a solidified quarterback at helm. Now it almost seems as if the quarterback position is the only thing that is solidified. While trades that we are aware of certainly hurt the team — which I refuse to dig into for my own mental health — the ultimate downfall for this team was the failure to establish consistency in the front office.
What I can figure out from this is the fact that the current members of the Houston Texans front office failed to maintain a contending team, and I do not see a reason to move with the same front office going forward. The damage has been done, and with the same front office, there’s a possibility of further damage.
The fact is that there are numerous concerns and questions that need to be addressed this offseason, and while that seems to be the norm every offseason for this team, I seriously mean it this time around more than ever.
There needs to be damage control immediately to try to contain the mess that former head coach Bill O’Brien and current interim general manager Jack Easterby have caused. The worst part is the Houston Texans don’t have the necessary assets to make it any easier. O’Brien filled the Houston Texans’ cap space by trading draft picks away for players with heavy salary, and the Texans currently have a 4-10 record.
The basic situation, simplified, is that the Houston Texans have the highest payroll in the league (minimal cap space), no draft picks in the first two rounds, and to be straight to the point, the team has fallen off the wagon despite Watson’s best season as an NFL quarterback.
So why is this offseason more important than ever? Why do the Texans need to complete damage control as quickly as possible? Why is this offseason that much more important than others?
Here’s your answer: The following comments were from Deshaun Watson in the postgame press conference after the heartbreaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 6.
If you need more clarity, it’s the game with that horrible snap when the Texans were within several yards of the end zone to take the lead with approximately a little greater than a minute left in the game.
Deshaun Watson seems more upset than he has been after any loss.
— Aaron Reiss (@aaronjreiss) December 6, 2020
"As a player, over my career, even back to little league, I haven’t lost this many games. It’s tough to handle. You try to carry so much on your shoulders that there becomes a breaking point.”
I rest my case.
Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson needs team to bring back confidence in 2021
The Houston Texans need to reinstate Deshaun Watson’s confidence in this franchise despite having the highest payroll, no GM or head coach, no draft picks in the first or second round, and the team’s fate as of right now rests in Easterby’s hands.
All of those needs also need to be filled as quickly as possible. Even though Watson still has plenty of room to grow considering he is still young, and that his prime years are inching closer, those years can’t be thrown away with a bunch of practice squad wide receivers and a defense that seems to let Watson down nearly every game.
The Texans also still need to overcome what looks to be a dynasty down at Kansas City if the Texans ever want to reach the Super Bowl or have great success in the playoffs.
After all of that has been said, what are the Houston Texans left with? A bunch of tangled wires.
I will never forgive this franchise if they fail to take advantage of Deshaun Watson’s skill set and get him the ring he deserves.
I have lost all trust in this dysfunctional front office completely, and I am terrified of the catastrophic consequences that can result from arguably the most important offseason in Houston Texans history. This isn’t Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas. This is the Easterby and Korn Ferry (the search firm McNair hired) show.
Next, let’s discuss the GM position; however, in the near future we’ll discuss the head coaching position and roster changes that need to be addressed for the Houston Texans.