Between now and the start of the new league year in March, TGS is providing brief summaries looking ahead at the offseason from the perspective of each NFL team. In this edition, we look at the Houston Texans.
2016 record: 9-7 — 1st place, AFC East
What’s new? The next time they play a football game, star defensive end J.J. Watt should be healthy.
Projected salary cap space: $24 million — Only nine teams have less money to spend.
Key in-house free agents: CB A.J. Bouye, S Quintin Demps, DT Vince Wilfork, LB John Simon
Bouye has become a star. He and Demps were their best defensive backs in 2016. They need both back, but they can do without the aging Wilfork. Simon was good in limited action and would be a smart re-sign if they can find the cash.
Key needs: Quarterback, offensive tackle and maybe defensive back.
Cash flow could depend greatly on what they do at the quarterback position. It’d cost them the farm to cut Brock Osweiler after one miserable season, especially because that would require signing someone to replace him.
Draft breakdown: They pick 25th overall and have one selection per round. Status quo.
Other potential priorities: Might they pull the trigger and cut Osweiler? If so, might they trade for someone like Tony Romo, Jay Cutler or even Jimmy Garoppolo?
Outlook: If they can nail down their quarterback situation without costing themselves so much money that they lose Bouye and others, they’ll be a potential sleeper contender in 2017.
