The Texans could be a threat to the Colts and the AFC South very soon
The Houston Texans are in the position to build a competitive roster and really challenge the Indianapolis Colts and the rest of the AFC South.
Just last year, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars that hired a coach that had everyone excited, spent a ton of money in free agency, and drafted a top pick for the second year in a row. All of those actions led to the Jaguars winning the AFC South this past season and also advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs. Now, the Houston Texans are staring at an offseason with similar steps in front of them. If executed properly, Houston could soon be back in the race for the AFC South crown.
The Texans recently hired DeMeco Ryans to be the team’s next head coach. After being drafted by Houston and having a successful 10-year playing career, Ryans transitioned into coaching and became one of the most coveted coordinators in the league. In two seasons as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, Ryans led one of the best defenses in recent years. For that reason, he was on the radar of every team with a coaching vacancy but Ryans had his eyes set on returning home to Houston.
Now, he inherits a Texans team that drafted Derek Stingley Jr. third-overall last year, has the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, and also $37 million in cap space, the fifth-most in the league. With that setup, Ryans could make Houston a competitive team as soon as next season, certainly in the near future.
Will Texans leave Colts at the bottom of the AFC South?
With the No. 2 overall pick, Houston could do a lot of things. They could trade up to No. 1 or they could stay put. Either way, they’ll be in a position to draft quarterbacks Bryce Young or CJ Stroud. With a defensive head coach, it’s also much more possible that Houston selects a prospect like Will Anderson to help build an elite defense. If Houston chooses this path, the team will either pick up a veteran QB or wait until next year’s draft for a quarterback class that is expected to be even better than this one.
And then there’s the cap space. The Texans should be able to recruit some free agents to be a part of this rebuild. It’s expected that a lot of free agents from San Francisco’s defense will be following Ryans to the Texans. That will certainly jumpstart the DeMeco Ryans era in Houston.
As far as what this all means for the Colts, it means they better attack this offseason or they will be left at the bottom of the AFC South. The Tennessee Titans seem to be regressing but it’s safe to assume they won’t just sit around and get worse. The Jaguars have already been aggressive and are back in the mix, and Houston is gearing up to do the same. If the Colts don’t have a successful offseason, they’ll become a non-factor in the AFC South.
