2020 NFL Power Rankings: Patriots moving up as training camp nears

Houston moves from No. 17 to 16

This offseason has been rough for the Houston Texans. Head coach Bill O’Brien has been leading them to decent success on the field but somehow, he keeps getting more and more power behind the scenes that he really doesn’t deserve. Now, he’s the sole shot-caller which led to him shipping off one of the best receivers in the game as he traded DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for running back David Johnson and a second-round pick.

They did end up trading that second-round pick for Brandin Cooks, which helps alleviate the loss of Hopkins but they still aren’t better. In fact, they could be worse since Johnson was actually less effective than Carlos Hyde was for them last season, so unless he returns to form, they’re heading in the wrong direction.

Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. O’Brien has always made weird choices when it comes to personnel, like when he actually started Tom Savage over DeShaun Watson in real life. That kind of thinking is why he felt as though he could get better in a passing league by trading Hopkins for a running back coming off his worst season — who is also on a massive contract.

Even with all that going on, they somehow are still going to be in play for the AFC South. For all his shortcomings with personnel moves, O’Brien does at least know what he’s doing when the game is being played.