The Houston Texans have shown the NFL just how deep they are. While key positions like defensive tackle and the offensive line were only further exploited by the preseason play, the bulk of the team not only looked good, they looked better than expected. The Texans went 3-1 in their four games and while some will cite how little relevance a preseason record means, and they'd be right, it does highlight one key factor; depth.
The Texans are deep. They're deep at receiver, tight end, running back, defensive back, linebacker, defensive end, and even not too shabby at safety. Yet, the place where they're deepest is quarterback. The Texans have, of course, a near-elite quarterback in C.J. Stroud. Beyond that though, they have three guys who showed enough to warrant backup status in the NFL.
Davis Mills, Case Keenum, and Tim Boyle all played very well in this offense. Granted, some played better than others, and the players mentioned rarely played against the best the NFL had to offer, but their ability to play well was on display. When you know you have a reliable backup to your star player, things get a lot easier going forward.
Maybe the position that most impressed us from top to bottom was running back. While Joe Mixon will be given the majority of reps, he's not played a single snap this preseason. Instead, guys like Cam Akers, British Brooks, and especially J.J. Taylor all looked impressive.
The 3-1 record won't guarantee anything to anyone. All it shows us is that this team has depth and that depth could be the difference between a deep playoff run and drafting early in the first round next year. Depth is usually the difference maker between the best and worst teams in the NFL because injuries come for every team. Having guys who can fill in when it matters and not lose too much when doing so, is usually all it takes.
The Texans are set in that regard and fans should be very excited about the possibilities that come with that. Now, if only they could fix their offensive line and defensive tackle spots.