Houston Texans: Top 4 moves that helped franchise in 2021

What have been the Top 5 moves made by the Houston Texans that have helped in 2021?

Since taking over as general manager of the Houston Texans, Nick Caserio has revamped most of the roster from what it looked like before he arrived, and in doing so he is setting the vision of what he and the rest of the Texans front office wants this franchise to eventually become.

In the early stages of Caserio’s general manager career, he’s let players have their release, he’s traded players who were long-time starters, relieved the team of poor contracts, added veteran players to short-term deals, cut past draft picks and made some draft choices which are built on future potential being reached.

He’s even managed to not let all of the news concerning Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson implode the franchise, no matter what opinions are on the topic and no matter if Watson is at practices or not.

One of the best moves made by Caserio and the decision makers of the Houston Texans has been hiring Lovie Smith as the defensive coordinator, and time will tell what will happen with David Culley in his first year as a head coach, though he’s been an assistant coach at the pro and collegiate level for 40-plus years.

This team isn’t the same team that Bill O’Brien built and was eventually fired for building, and the results from this preseason have given the Houston Texans a glimmer of hope they won’t be the worst team in the NFL once the ’21 season is over.

With all of the changes, it does make a person wonder what have been the moves that have  helped the Houston Texans the most? Next are the Top 4 moves made by the Texans this offseason that will help in 2021.

Houston Texans No. 4: Hiring Nick Caserio as the general manager

Remember before this offseason and before the Texans previously hired O’Brien as the general manager, the Texans wanted Caserio as their general manager. There was also the New England Patriots having none of it, and there were possible tampering issues, and that idea was left to be had for another day.

That day eventually came on Jan. 7, 2021, and the Texans rang in the new year with a new general manager, the one they wanted in the first place. Though the jury isn’t completely out on Caserio’s tenure with the Texans since a regular-season game hasn’t even been played yet, some of the moves made by the first-year manager have stood out, which we will get to later.

Caserio is good for the Texans franchise, and though some of the others in the front office might not be the best for the Texans, hiring Caserio from the Patriots is a Top 4 move made by Houston since the end of last season.

Houston Texans No. 3: Signing Tyrod Taylor to the quarterback roster

Knowing Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson didn’t want to be with the franchise this season, the franchise went out and signed quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who has been maybe the best addition to the team.

Taylor might even save the season for the Texans because without him, who knows what the Texans’ quarterback situation would look like?

Though Watson is still on team, he’s not played in the preseason, and he’s not been a part of any practice when it comes to being an actual quarterback or of any importance in the offense.

The reason Taylor have been such a great addition to the Texans is he has experience as a starting quarterback, and with how the situation gone with this team in the offseason, he’s a bit of fresh air to an offseason that was gloomy at times.

Taylor isn’t the caliber of quarterback of Watson, but he does bring leadership, experience and athleticism to an offense that needed it this season. Taylor brings a sense of comfort as the starting quarterback to begin the season, which might be his best trait for the team entering Week 1.

Houston Texans No. 2: Having a running back competition

The running back competition for the Houston Texans is exciting because even though David Johnson will probably be placed in the starting role, it doesn’t mean he’s the long-term answer at the position or even will garner the most carries.

In his first season with the Houston Texans, Johnson didn’t reach 1,000 yards rushing, and he was just in a tough spot as he was a part of the trade that caused the Texans to lose DeAndre Hopkins. That will always be a part of Johnson’s tenure with the Texans, but as said before, he still has the potential to impress in this league.

Having more than one true running back in the Texans’ offensive system will be fun because adding Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram II gives Houston three different style of running backs, plus three backs at different stages of the career. The main prediction from this is … Lindsay will be the one with 1,000 yards rushing this season if he gets at least 200 carries.

The best part about all three of these players, and whomever else the Texans keep at the position, is all have something to prove as far as if they still can be a productive player in the league, and they can help a team exceed any preconceived expectations.

Houston Texans No. 1: Letting go of the past for future success

As tough as it was to see J.J. Watt granted the release he wanted, maybe it was time for Watt and the Houston Texans to go their different directions because they both have different versions of what the future holds.

Watt didn’t need to be a part of a rebuild, and the Texans didn’t need to have a veteran who is entering his 11th season be unhappy and on a roster that he didn’t want to be a part of. As great as Watt is, he wasn’t going to win a championship in Houston anytime soon, and he needed to go where he thought championship glory awaited him.

The Texans now have a chance to find out which player or players can step up and be the leaders on defense. Watt is one of the greatest defensive ends of all time, so there is no replacing him in that manner. The leadership role must be replaced because every defense needs a great leader to be successful or have a chance to have success.

Players like Lonnie Johnson Jr., Ross Blacklock and Charles Omenihu are just three players that come to mind whom the Texans could look to as possible long-term leaders, as they are young, talented and hopefully a member of the defense for a very long time.

It will be weird watching Watt in an Arizona Cardinals uniform this season, but it was the best possible move made by both parties to improve their overall respective futures in the NFL.