The season has not looked great for the Houston Texans. Fans have had difficulty watching their favorite team unfold and only win one game.
However, there are some things to look forward to as a Texans fan: the NFL Draft, a healthy sophomore group, and a new coaching staff.
Here are three things that Texans fans can look forward to next season.
Bryce Young or CJ Stroud
The Houston Texans will likely have the first overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Receiving the first overall pick is excellent, but it means that the team has a lot to improve on if they want to win more than one game.
The Texans will prioritize a potential franchise quarterback with the first overall pick, and two QBs are in the race for that selection. Joining the Texans and being put into an organization struggling to succeed will be challenging. The two players most likely to go first overall are Bryce Young from Alabama and CJ Stroud from the Ohio State University.
Bryce Young is the current favorite, as he possesses all the skills of an elite-level quarterback. Young may be smaller in size, but his skills and the ‘IT’ factor are off the charts for Young. He would be the ideal QB to lead the Texans, and we can’t forget that he is a former National Champion and Heisman Winner.
If the Texans miss out on Young, they will look to select Stroud. Very few players have Stroud’s natural leadership, which improves his entire team. His arm talent is impressive, and he is more of a prototypical-size quarterback than Young.
The Texans can’t go wrong selecting either player, but if the organization wants to hit a home run, Bryce Young is the player to draft.
Sophomore Improvements On The Houston Texans
The 2022-23 rookie class has been a rollercoaster for the Texans. Some players look to be elite, some have not lived up to expectations, and one has yet to touch the field.
Three rookies who have performed well this year are Derek Stingley Jr, Dameon Pierce, and Jalen Pitre. Stingley and Pitre have shown star potential and continue to improve each week. Unfortunately, Stingley went down with an injury and missed a few weeks. Pitre improves weekly and is living up to his second-round draft price.
Pierce is the biggest win for the Texans as he is a fourth-round pick who has played like a first-rounder. Pierce continues to show that he is a top rookie back in the league but sprained his ankle and will miss some time.
The Texans took Kenyon Green 15th overall, but he has yet to live up to his draft price. Green has seen limited success because of his lack of technique. It can take time for an Offensive Tackle to adjust to the NFL. He should improve in the offseason, but it will be an uphill battle for Green.
The Texans selected John Metchie in the second round because of his incredible upside as a receiver. Sadly, Metchie is missing the 2022-23 season as he battles leukemia. However, Metchie will provide a significant upgrade to the passing attack if he can play next season. Fans are in for a treat when Metchie touches the field, especially if his former teammate Bryce Young comes to the Texans.
New Coaching Staff
The Houston Texans coaching staff may receive a bad rap for their lack of success, and some coaches will be gone next year.
The Texans dealt Lovie Smith a problematic card for his first season as Head Coach. His defense looks solid other than the run and intermediate pass defenses. Don’t expect Smith to be let go, as he has only one season under his belt, but the Texans did fire David Culley, who had a more successful year than Smith, so who knows what will unfold.
Before the season, there was excitement surrounding Pep Hamilton as the Offensive Coordinator, but reality sunk in. Hamilton is decent, but fans shouldn’t expect him to be a part of the coaching staff next year. Yes, he has some decent games with his play calls, but fans are left scratching their heads, feeling like Hamilton is clueless.
Overall, the coaching staff next year will look different. There is no chance that Nick Caserio will leave the staff untouched, as he will be fighting for his job if things don’t turn around in H-Town.