HOUSTON – About 8,000 Houston Texans fans packed the outdoor Miller Theater in Houston before the NFL Draft began on the last Thursday of April as the Texans hosted a draft party that marked a historic day no spectator can forget.
It was a huge screen showing the live action taking place in Kansas City, Missouri, the star of a party featuring current players from Texas eagerly awaiting potential new faces for the franchise.
All eyes were locked on the screen as the Carolina Panthers selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young at first with Texas on the clock for second pick. Almost every fan eagerly got up for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to announce the selection.
The fans were hung on every word, and as soon as Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud’s name was announced, the crowd’s happy celebrations and standing ovations resounded. And the waiting game began as the Texans were slated for the 12th pick next.
Until they weren’t.
As emotions subsided, a sudden announcement occurred in front of a shocked crowd. Yes, the Texans were traded up to No. 3 (where they were going to draft Alabama defensive end Will Anderson Jr.).
But that moment was not about this choice. The 15-minute teaser was about how the Texans came up with a plan that could take years to implement.
Here’s how they got there.
When the general manager Nick Caserio started in January 2021, and it was the end of an era for Texas that featured former coach and general manager Bill O’Brien, quarterback Deshaun Watson, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and pass forward JG Watt — three players who led the organization to four AFC South titles from 2015 to 2019 and coach with the only . 500-plus record in franchise history.
The Texans were coming off a 4-12 season in 2020 when O’Brien was fired after an 0-4 start. Watson demanded a trade the same month Caserio was hired, Watt asked to part ways the following month to avoid being part of the rebuild and Hopkins was traded the previous season to the Arizona Cardinals after expressing his frustration.
Caserio only had $20 million in space to work with in his first year. He also did not have a first or second round pick after O’Brien traded franchise first-round picks in 2020 and 2021 and a second-round pick in 2021 to the Miami Dolphins for left tackle Armie Tunsil and former receiver Kenny Picks in 2019.
In Caserio’s second season, he was able to trade Watson for first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as well as a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick, but an inflated cap number of $77.9 million in 2022 limited his cap space. last year ($15 million).
The Texans have determined who they’ve committed to long-term over the past two seasons, having had 42 players take at least one snap while playing on a one-year deal over that span. That number was tied for fifth (the Cardinals were first with 47).
Houston also let starting safety Justin Reed, linebacker Jacob Martin and receiver Will Fuller fifth into free agency, and linebacker Zach Cunningham was cut in December of 2021 after he signed a four-year, $58 million contract extension in 2020.
Caserio committed to attracting wide receiver Brandin Cooks in 2022 and Tunsil in 2023 with a contract extension, but the Chefs called for a trade last season. Chefs got his wish in March when he was dealt to the Dallas Cowboys to a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-round pick in 2024.
But Texas cap issues didn’t stop them from adding young talent. He created resilience for the aggressive drafting of the Texans’ next wave as one of those picks turned to running back Damon Pierce, who was seventh in rushing (939 yards) despite suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 14. They used their second first-round pick in In 2022 to take over left guard Kenyon Green.
The remainder of the 2022 class featured safety Jalen Peter, who became the eighth player in history to finish with 140+ tackles and five interceptions, in the second round, and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who did not allow a touchdown. In coverage, he was the #3 pick overall.
But while trying to fill the roster with young talent and add players on one-year deals, Caserio struggled to find the coach of the future. He has hired and fired two head coaches in consecutive seasons – David Cooley (4-13 in 2021) and rookie defensive coordinator Lovie Smith (3-13-1 in 2022).
during this evasion, Caserio has hired one of the hottest prospects in the coaching cycle in former All-Pro linebacker for the Texans DeMeco Ryans. He also had about $40 million in cap space to work with and just $5.55 million in dead cap to suck on.
Former Texas Cowboys signed tight end Dalton Schultz to a one-year, $9 million deal to replace production tight end Jordan Akins, who signed with the Browns after leading the Texans in touchdown receptions (5). In the past three seasons, Schultz has totaled 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns, ranking seventh among tight ends in receiving yards, fourth in catches and fifth in touchdowns.
They signed wide receiver Robert Woods to a two-year, $15.25 million deal after finishing for 527 yards in 2022 with the Tennessee Titans. The offensive line was bolstered after a sixth-round pick was traded for right guard Chuck Mason from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mason, who had a 92.7% winning rate (27th in the NFL), according to ESPN Stats & Info, and allowed just three sacks last season, signed a three-year extension with the Texans on Wednesday.
Mason joins an offensive line anchored by rivals Tunsil and Tytus Howard, who had a career-high 12 sacks attributed to them (tied for second). This trio is why Mason believes the Texans’ offensive line can “definitely be one of the best in the league.”
On the defensive side, they signed defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to a one-year, $10.5 million deal and added former San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward to a two-year, $13 million deal.
Rankins will be familiar with the new Texas defensive system, having played the past two seasons for the Jets and coach Robert Salih, and Ryans and Salih are running the same scheme after being cut as the 49ers’ final defensive coordinators. Both will be able to help teach the system to their teammates, with Ward already seeing himself as an “extra coach”.
“Obviously, I know that defense,” Ward said. “I’m not perfect. Sometimes, I’m sure I make mistakes. [I’ll] Just try to bring the guys in because I’ve been through a lot in my 10th year in this league.”
The organization also added two veterans of former Pro Bowl players, Denzel Berryman and Corey Littleton.
The hope is that these defensive acquisitions, Anderson included, overhaul her run defense that allowed the sixth-most rushing touchdown in a season (2,894) all-time and ranks 30th in total defense, allowing 379.5 yards per game in 2022.
However, after giving up snaps on the 12th and 33rd and a first receiver to get Anderson, the Texan is hoping that all the patience it took to get to that moment was worth it.
“I think the goal every year every step of the way is to add players that we think have a chance to help us,” Caserio said after the draft. “With that lens, hopefully we’ve done that. We’ll find out more when they’re actually here and then when they actually start our program.”