Houston Texans Depth Chart
- AFC South
- Stadium
- NRG Stadium
- Head Coach
- Bill O'Brien
- Offensive Coordinator
- Tim Kelly
- Defensive Coordinator
- Anthony Weaver
- Special Teams Coach
- Brad Seely
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
The Houston Texans Defense inside the 20-yard line was last in the NFL in 2019. They also ranked 28th in total defense, 25th against the run and 29th against the pass, making them one of the league's worst all-around defensive teams. Yet somehow Houston went 10-6, won the AFC South and beat the Bills in the wild-card game in the playoffs. The Texans allowed opponents to score touchdowns on 71.4 percent of their trips into the red zone and were also the league's worst at allowed red-zone points (93.9 percent). Only five teams allowed more than their 35 red-zone TDs. Houston had plenty of new defensive backs and injuries in 2019, which caused their coverage to struggle mightily. Getting defensive end J.J. Watt back healthy -- he missed half the season last year -- should help Houston's pass rush improve after they had just 31 sacks last year. There's plenty of room for improvement for Houston's D, but fantasy owners should be avoiding them in fantasy drafts.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has already been working out with wide receivers Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb and Keke Coutee and tight end Kahale Warring, will continue to work out and throw to his receivers after the team's virtual offseason program ends on Thursday. Watson lost his No. 1 receiver in DeAndre Hopkins when he was traded to the Cardinals this offseason, but the Texans added Cobb in free agency and traded for Cooks. There's potential with Will Fuller V as the deep threat, but losing one of the best wideouts in the game will surely hurt Watson's overall production. But the 24-year-old's dual-threat ability and the fact that he might run more often in 2020 give him top-five upside at the QB position.
Pro Football Focus rates Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil as the third-highest tackle in pass blocking among those with a minimum of 300 snaps, having only allowed 29 pressures in 656 pass-protection snaps, including the playoffs. His individual impact in both pass and run snaps combined for the highest win-contribution metric among left tackles by a slim margin. Houston's offensive-line production went from right near the bottom in 2018 to 19th overall last season with the help of Tunsil on the left side. The 25-year-old became the highest-paid left tackle in the league this offseason as a result. The franchise left tackle is tasked with protecting the franchise QB in Deshaun Watson long term.
Houston Texans special teams coordinator Brad Seely announced his retirement on Friday after 31 seasons coaching in the NFL. Seely has served as a team's special teams coordinator in every season from 1989 to 2019 and has 41 years of overall coaching experience. He has appeared in nine conference championship games, won three Super Bowls and coached 10 different players to 17 special teams Pro Bowl selections. Seely started his NFL career with the Colts in 1989 before making stops with the Jets, Patriots, Browns, 49ers, Raiders and finally Texans. He won all three of his Super Bowls during his time with New England from 1999 to 2008.
Free-agent defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan had reached an agreement on a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Houston Texans, but the two sides have agreed to part ways and Jernigan is not expected to sign with the team, according to sources informed of the situation. Jernigan didn't take a physical with the Texans and isn't expected to do so. He was previously cleared by spinal specialist Robert Watkins after playing in just 13 games in the last two seasons due to neck and foot injuries. A second-round pick of the Ravens in 2014, the 27-year-old had his best season in Baltimore in 2016, recording five sacks, 31 combined tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery. He'll look for another one-year deal on the open market now that he's parted ways with Houston.