Houston Texans own Biggest Roster Hole in AFC South
By Dan Salem
The Houston Texans own the biggest roster hole in the AFC South, despite looking like its best team. When you ignore a position, you’re left with a hole like Houston has at tight end.
Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream, and debate sports.
TODD:
Last season, the AFC South was a topsy-turvy division. The winner needed just nine wins to clinch the title. That winner was not the Indianapolis Colts as everyone assumed it would be. Despite overall poor records, the futures of these four teams actually look pretty bright because of their respective quarterback situations. All four teams also made major strides this offseason to get back into the thick of the conference.
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The latest QB situation to be filled in the AFC South also filled what probably would have been the division’s biggest hole. That being the Houston Texans’ signing of Brock Osweiler this offseason. The Texans also needed skill players on offense, which they addressed both through free agency and the draft. This team is looking like it may repeat as division champion, but it left one spot unaddressed. That is the position of tight end.
C.J. Fiedorowicz was supposed to be the team’s future at the position. He was drafted in the third round back in 2014 yet has never developed into a real threat on offense through two full seasons. Last year, he had fewer catches than the team’s backup running back. Ryan Griffin is also around at tight end for Houston but he is less-heralded than Fiedorowicz. Yet these are the two guys who will carry this position in 2016. Wide receiver was already a position that Houston needed to upgrade. It doesn’t help Osweiler that there is no safety net at tight end as Will Fuller and the receivers attempt to take the pressure off of DeAndre Hopkins.
The rest of the three teams here in the South each have weaknesses in a smattering of areas of their roster, but I’m not sure any stack up with the glaring emptiness that is Houston’s tight end spot.
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Surprisingly, Jacksonville may be the most balanced of the bunch with the additions it made and money it spent this spring. The Titans had a bad defense a year ago, as did the Colts. However, both units look like they should be improved. Indy has questions along the front, but it drafted Hassan Ridgeway and will be getting Arthur Jones back from injury. Tennessee added pieces in the draft to help fix its secondary depth.
It’s bizarre that the team that might be the best overall also has the biggest hole in the division, but I find myself believing that is the case here with the Texans and the AFC South.
DAN:
Its easy to fall victim to offseason improvement and an expectation of players getting better, but we all know that every team in the AFC South won’t be good this upcoming season. None of them were much better than average just a year ago, but all show signs of life. All have promising young quarterbacks, so for me its defense which will ultimately define things.
The Texans overcame a hole at tight end last season, so while your assessment of the position is accurate, I can’t label it the biggest roster hole of all. Houston added weapons around this ‘hole’ and many teams thrive without utilizing their tight ends in the passing game. This is why the biggest roster hole in the AFC South belongs to… damn it you’re right!
Houston is my pick for best team in this division, but they did nothing to address a lack of production from their tight end. I hate calling them out because their rivals all look worse on paper. But the Colts did add to their secondary and pass rush. Tennessee has a ton of youth that may or may not work out, but no glaring position that was ignored. Same goes for Jacksonville, who keeps looking like a wildcard team more and more. The Texans got nothing from their tight ends last season and stuck with the same two guys.
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The Broncos did not get the ball to their tight end a ton last year, but Osweiler’s old team worked him enough. Owen Daniels was 21st in the league in tight end production with 46 receptions. The two Texans’ tight ends ranked 41st and 47th with only 20 and 17 receptions respectively. Combined they put up fewer yards than Daniels. This says to me that Brock will need to look elsewhere in Houston, or light a fire under one of these players. I’m not sure why Houston did not draft a tight end for competitions sake, but with only six picks it was likely a difficult decision This is the division’s biggest roster hole, despite it residing on arguably the best team.