Fansided
Fansided

What Can the Houston Texans Expect In 2016?

By Sam Weaver

Jan 9, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (59) reacts with defensive end J.J. Watt (99) after sacking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (not pictured) during the second quarter in a AFC Wild Card playoff football game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (59) reacts with defensive end J.J. Watt (99) after sacking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (not pictured) during the second quarter in a AFC Wild Card playoff football game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Jan 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) looks to throw the ball during the first half against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) looks to throw the ball during the first half against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

The Questions

Quarterback: The Texans needed to upgrade at the quarterback position, without a doubt.  After starter Brian Hoyer had four interceptions in Houston’s blowout loss to the Chiefs in the playoffs, the Texans needed to look for answers elsewhere.

The front office wasted no time addressing their most glaring offensive issue, throwing a four year, $72 million contract at Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brock Osweiler.

The problem? Osweiler has only seven NFL starts and is largely unproven.  He showed some mistakes and room for growth when he stepped in for Peyton Manning last season, and will need to prove that he is worth his paycheck.

Receivers:  DeAndre Hopkins has been a reliable playmaker for Houston.  Outside of Hop, there are several question marks for the Texans’ offense that received a huge overhaul this offseason.

Will Fuller is a quick receiver and very talented, but he dropped nearly 15% of his passes last year.  WR Braxton Miller is still a raw player and will need to develop a little to become more reliable.  Jaelen Strong, entering his sophomore season with Houston, had offseason issues that could cause problems.  All of these questions will need to be answered as the Texans look to solidify their offensive weapons.

Clowney: Jadeveon Clowney has been a bit of a touchy subject in Houston.  After his number one overall selection in the 2014 NFL draft, Clowney’s immense talent has been hampered by injuries and subpar play.

This feels like a make it or break it season for Clowney.  If he can’t step up and contribute to the defense in a more consistent way, he may lose his position on the depth chart.  Clowney could make a huge impact on Houston’s defense this year if he can return to his former exceptional physical talent.

Next: The Obstacles

Home/NFL Hot Takes