Houston Texans: 5 keys to a successful 2023 season

We all know the Houston Texans were one of the worst teams in the NFL a season ago. So bad, they were "awarded" the number two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.  The Texans have been mired in mediocrity since the 2020 season when they finished with a record of 4 – 12 and have won only 11 games over the last three years.

Over the last three NFL drafts, the Texans selected only two first-round picks, having lost both first-rounders in the 2020 and 2021 seasons by way of the trade to acquire Laremy Tunsil.  Houston also dealt All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals, a trade that I believe set the team back even further.

The team also gave up their first-round selection from 2018 in a deal that resulted in the team selecting Deshaun Watson in 2017.  We all know how that worked out but in the trade that sent Watson to the Browns, the Texans acquired an additional first-round selection in the 2022 draft, which landed them guard Kenyon Green.

The deal also netted the team an additional first-rounder in the 2023 draft, at number 12 overall, as well as extra picks later in the same draft and 2024. The Texans followed up their first-round pick of C.J. Stroud by trading up from number 12 to add the number three pick and selected Will Anderson Jr.

It will be vital to the success of the Texans’ 2023 season to hit on these two first-round selections but what more is needed?  What do the Texans need to do to have what might be considered a successful first year under new head coach, DeMeco Ryans?