An optimist’s guide to the 2024 Houston Texans

The Houston Texans shocked many in the NFL with a 10-win season and AFC South title in head coach DeMeco Ryans’ first season. Now, expectations are higher heading into Year 2.

Here’s why the Texans could be dark-horse Super Bowl contenders.

Scary pass-rush

Houston was a top-13 team last season in sacks, and the unit got even better over the offseason with the additions of Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry and Mario Edwards. The Texans have reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson coming off the edge on one side with Autry on the other and Hunter, who ranked fifth in the NFL in sacks last season (16.5), roaming free. 

Behind that trio, Edwards and Derek Barnett provide solid depth while 6-foot-3, 328-pound Tim Settle can help anchor the defensive tackle group with Sheldon Rankins and Maliek Collins playing for new teams.

They have the best QB in the division

Had Stroud not been hurt toward the end of the season, there’s a good chance he would own every single-season rookie passing record in the NFL. Despite missing two games, Stroud still led the league in passing yards per game (273.9) and ranked eighth in passing yards (4,108), fifth in passer rating (100.8) and 13th in touchdowns (23). His five interceptions were the fewest among QBs with 20 or more touchdown passes.

The Colts and Titans are banking on their second-year passers (who have a combined 13 games of experience) to take a step forward in their development in 2024, and the Jaguars have been waiting three seasons for Trevor Lawrence to have plays like the can’t-miss, generational player he was touted as in 2021. Conversely, Stroud is already at the top of his game with better weapons heading into his second season.

Ownership’s willingness to add the right pieces

The running game was a weak spot for Houston last season, so the team acquired four-time 1,000-yard rusher Joe Mixon. The Texans needed to bolster their WR depth after feeling the weight of injuries to Tank Dell and Noah Brown last season, so they traded for four-time Pro Bowl WR Stefon Diggs.

They also upgraded their pass-rush and shored up their secondary by signing cornerback Jeff Okudah and selecting two Day 2 cover men in  Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock. Whatever flaws the team had heading into the offseason were addressed, and Houston could legitimately make a run at a Super Bowl in 2024.