The Texans enter the draft under pressure to upgrade their offensive line after their quarterback faced a harsh beating in the divisional playoffs. The team moved on from key veterans this offseason, added a few new linemen and still lists protection for C.J. Stroud as its top priority.
Houston traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and former first-round left guard Kenyon Green. The team also released right guard Shaq Mason. It signed tackle Cam Robinson and guards Ed Ingram and Laken Tomlinson, but the line remains porous.
Stroud still led the Texans to the AFC South title, yet he was sacked 52 times last season — the second most in the NFL. Coach DeMeco Ryans stressed the need for better protection. “Getting better protection for C.J. is definitely a main point of emphasis for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We know when C.J. is protected, he has a clean pocket, he’s a pretty good quarterback. … He’s capable of making any throw on the football field. But it’s just a matter of protecting him and giving him that comfort when he’s in the pocket.”
Houston holds the 25th pick in the first round and has seven total selections. General manager Nick Caserio said the team will focus on adding good football players rather than locking into one position. “We feel like we have to add good football players to our football team,” he said. “That’s what we’re focused on. Whatever those positions entail, that’s what’s going to work. That’s how we’re going to approach it and handle it.”
One clear draft priority is finding a long-term left tackle. Robinson could protect Stroud’s blind side this season and give the rookie time to develop. Possible targets who might be available at No. 25 include Texas’ Kelvin Banks, who won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top interior lineman, and Oregon’s Josh Conerly, a two-year left tackle starter and Joe Moore Award finalist.
The Texans regained a first-round pick this season after not having one last year. They also acquired the 79th and 236th overall selections from Washington as part of the Tunsil trade, giving them two third-round picks and two seventh-round picks in this draft.
Outside the line, receiver depth is another concern. Nico Collins has emerged as a top option, but the team needs a reliable second target. Houston traded for Christian Kirk, who battled injuries and a career-low yardage total last season, and it still awaits clarity on Tank Dell’s recovery from a serious December knee injury.
Running back is not a priority. The Texans signed Joe Mixon before last season and still have Dameon Pierce as a dependable backup.
Caserio has a track record of finding contributors beyond the first round. He drafted Stroud, Will Anderson and Derek Stingley Jr. in the first round, and later added Nico Collins in the third, Jalen Pitre in the second, Christian Harris in the third, Henry To’oTo’o in the fifth, and more recently Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock, who both started many games as rookies.
The coming draft will test Houston’s ability to solve its protection problems without sacrificing other needs. Strengthening the offensive line looks like the most urgent task to keep Stroud upright and sustain the team’s recent success.
