The Texans' impressive defensive additions make their Super Bowl chances even stronger
The Houston Texans are not messing around with the financial flexibility from quarterback C.J. Stroud’s rookie contract.
Stroud, who established himself as one of the league’s rising superstars last fall, will be the sun, moon and stars for the Texans in the years to come.
He’s the kind of dynamic quarterback who can win you a Super Bowl, but as the Kansas City Chiefs have proved lately, it helps to have a fearsome defense, too. The Texans seem fully aware of that championship blueprint.
Coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio have fully played into their cap benefits to add real firepower to that side of the ball.
Tuesday’s reported blockbuster deal for pass rusher Danielle Hunter underlines just how well free agency has gone for the Texans in that pursuit.
Hunter, a multi-sack regular when healthy, will pair with breakout rookie outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. to give Houston one of the best pash rushing tandems in the NFL. Hunter is arguably an upgrade over Jonathan Greenard, who ironically left the Texans to sign with Hunter’s old team, the Minnesota Vikings, as did linebacker Blake Cashman.
The Texans didn’t just reportedly add one of the NFL’s best pass rushers.
The team has also reportedly added, clears throat, linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Del’Shawn Phillips, defensive ends Denico Autry and Foley Fatukasi and cornerbacks Jeff Okudah, Michael Ford and Lonnie Johnson.
Whew. That is a lot of talent to add to one side of the ball in two days. Quality starters in Al-Shaair, Autry and Fatukasi all come from opposing AFC South teams, too, helping make a divisional challenger even more formidable.
When you factor in the established defensive starters Houston already has in Anderson, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., safeties Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward, linebacker Christian Harris and defensive tackle Maliek Collins, this side of the ball looks mighty impressive.
The Texans probably aren’t done building up the defense, either. Consider what this unit might look like after the 2024 NFL Draft.
At least two days into 2024 NFL free agency, the Texans feel like stealthy winners when it comes to achieving the goal of building a championship-caliber team for Stroud while he’s on his rookie deal. We haven’t even mentioned the team reportedly trading for Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, who will help on offense.
The more work the team does that impresses, the more you begin to wonder if the AFC’s new juggernaut is ready to challenge the Chiefs as the conference’s best team.