The Houston Texans shocked a lot of the soccer world final season, bouncing again from a three-win marketing campaign to win the AFC South championship. With loads of returning weapons and a few thrilling new ones, they will enter the brand new yr as the favourite to do it once more.
Listed below are the franchise’s 5 Most worthy individuals for 2024:
5. Head coach DeMeco Ryans
Upon arriving in Houston, Ryans instantly modified the staff’s tradition, serving to rework a 3-13-1 staff to a 10-7 division champion in solely his first season manning the sidelines.
Final season’s success, paired with offseason upgrades to the roster via free company and the draft, has solely heightened expectations for 2024. After main the franchise’s exceptional turnaround behind “positive, upbeat energy,” how Ryans fares in opposition to new challenges in yr two may inform us loads in regards to the franchise’s route.
4. Vast receiver Nico Collins
The Texans added four-time Professional Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs this offseason, and whereas he’ll be one other huge improve, it is debatable that Collins is extra important to the franchise, now and sooner or later.
Diggs is coming off one other extremely productive yr (107 receptions, 1,183 yards, eight touchdowns) however will flip 31 in November. That is to not say he cannot nonetheless be impactful, however at 25, coming off a breakout yr, Collins might have a decidedly larger ceiling.
Moreover, if the Texans need Collins to develop into quarterback C.J. Stroud’s No. 1 choice long-term, it is essential that he builds off his 2023 output (80 receptions, 1,297 yards, and eight touchdowns).
3. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
Stingley is likely one of the Texans’ prime tone-setters and is taken into account, by many, to be among the many prime cornerbacks within the NFL. The previous first-round decide, coming into his third season, has much more room for development.
In 2023, Stingley earned the fifth-highest protection grade (84.9) amongst corners, per Professional Soccer Focus. In the meantime, he is impressed in camp, with defensive coordinator Matt Burke telling Aaron Wilson of KPRC that the third-year professional was “one of the best ball corners in the league.”
Accidents are a priority as Stingley has missed 14 video games over two seasons, but when he can restrict time missed, he’ll once more be one of many Texans’ largest difference-makers.
2. Left sort out Laremy Tunsil
Tunsil is arguably top-of-the-line left tackles within the NFL and is invaluable to the Texans as Stroud’s blindside protector.
Final season, he allowed solely 5 sacks over 556 cross snaps, incomes the second-best pass-blocking grade (85.4) amongst tackles per PFF. In the meantime, in line with an ESPN survey in July, NFL league executives, coaches, and scouts ranked Tunsil because the third-best offensive tackle within the NFL, behind solely Penei Sewell and Trent Williams.
1. Quarterback C.J. Stroud
Unsurprisingly, the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Yr tops the record for the Texans. As a result of, as overused because the assertion is perhaps, Houston will solely go so far as Stroud takes them.
Stroud had huge expectations coming into because the No. 2 total decide, however his arrival might have been forward of schedule, throwing for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. With one other yr to develop with returning weapons (Collins, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz) and offseason additions Diggs and working again Joe Mixon, the sky may very well be the restrict for the second-year quarterback.
In the meantime, Stroud is coming into the marketing campaign beneath no illusions that repeating final yr’s success will probably be straightforward.
“It’s gonna be tougher,” quarterback C.J. Stroud told the Associated Press. “Now we have a goal on our again this yr, and that’s how it’s best to need it.”
