Though the Houston Texans added some intriguing talent via free agency and the draft, they are still considered among the lower tier of teams in the national media's eyes. In a post-offseason program power rankings list conducted by Pro Football Talk, the Texans come in at 31st out of 32 NFL franchises.
"“They’re becoming less dysfunctional. Which technically counts as progress.”"Pro Football Talk
Based on this analysis, I believe they are slightly underselling the cultural transformation currently taking place in the lone star state. I am not arguing the Texans' low placement, as they have much to prove. However, I do feel as though they do deserve some more respect on their name for the moves they are making.
The hiring of DeMeco Ryans was a home run for the Texans organization in desperate need of a culture shock. As a former player for the organization, the first-time head coach understands the very environment in which he is controlling the reigns, an overwhelmingly positive factor.
Additionally, the Houston Texans added some intriguing talent over the offseason. With free agent additions Robert Woods, Denzel Perryman, Dalton Schultz, Devin Singletary, and Shaq Griffin, the Texans added needed veteran leadership and production at numerous positions on the field. Additionally, the haul of a potential franchise quarterback (C.J. Stroud) and pro-ready edge rusher (Will Anderson Jr.) is certainly nothing to scoff at.
Add in exciting youngsters Tank Dell, and Xavier Hutchinson, and you have an offense that on paper can be significantly better than the one that was on the field in 2022. While this is all mere speculation, I do not see an improvement from this team being completely farfetched.
In the eyes of the national media, immediate results garner the most attention. With that being said, I fully expect the Houston Texans to immediately prove this ranking to be far too low once regular season action begins.