Marcus Spears

The Houston Texans well surpassed expectations in the 2023 season. By achieving a 10-7 record and finishing first in the AFC South, the Texans will go from lowered expectations to having high expectations to a never-achieved level.

After hiring Demeco Ryans and drafting CJ Stroud and Will Anderson, fans’ desire was only improvement and to be competitive. This will change in the 2024 season with aspirations of contending for a championship. What has to happen for this dream to become a reality?

First, the team is waiting to see what happens with Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik, who’s currently a hot candidate for a head coaching job. If he leaves, Coach Ryans will have to fill the shoes with another innovative mind that his young quarterback can trust to captivate his talents.

Next, it’s all on General Manager Nick Caserio, who has had limited options in the previous years. He lacked draft capital in his first season with the team and limited cap room, so his options were to plug players off the waiver wire and sign guys who weren’t highly sought. Going into next season, he’s dealing with a roster with 74.8 million in cap space, which is second most in the league. This is vital because he has 28 free agents, with 13 starting at least eight games this season. Three starters are essential special teams contributors: long snapper Jon Weeks, punter Cameron Johnson, and place kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn.

On the defensive side of the ball, a defensive lineman who played outstanding, Johnathan Greenard, will be up for a considerable payday, leading the team with 12 1/2 sacks. Then, some decisions need to be made on starters’ defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, linebacker Denzel Perryman, and cornerback Steven Nelson bringing them back.

Offensively protecting CJ Stroud is a must, so starting linemen Michael Deiter and George Fant will be tough decisions. That may all depend on Caserio’s confidence in Tyrus Howard and Keyon Green returning. Green, in particular, has yet to remain healthy since being drafted in 2022, and his status as a starter is highly unknown. Tight end Dalton Schultz will be another tough decision because of how important he was for Stroud through the season in huge moments. Running back Devin Singletary found his way into the starting role, outperforming Dameon Pierce, and the Caserio will have to decide if they should bring Singletary back or take another chance with Pierce.

These decisions will create a legacy for Caserio in Houston, especially with next season. The team will be closely watched next season after only one nationally televised game being flexed into the week 18 game against the Colts.  When you look at the opponents for the 2024 season, that number will rise exponentially.

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