Top 3 worst NFL rosters heading into the 2022 season
2nd-worst NFL roster heading into 2022: The Houston Texans
Do the Houston Texans have a QB that can raise all boats?
No, but they do have a quarterback who showed some really good things last year.
The team’s top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Davis Mills, brought some life to the Houston offense and was good enough for the team to give him a true audition with a full offseason in 2022 as well as some coaching continuity with Pep Hamilton back as the offensive coordinator and not just the QB coach.
Still, Mills is not quite a “raise all boats” quarterback just yet.
Do the Houston Texans have a roster that can carry Davis Mills while he lives and learns?
They do not, but things are on the upswing.
Unlike the Chicago Bears, I think the Houston Texans actually have a lot to like about their roster on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, the wide receiver position has a strong veteran presence as well as intriguing upside with Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, and 2022 second-round pick John Metchie III.
Brevin Jordan showed upside at tight end last year and the running game has some intriguing wild cards, including former 1,000-yard rusher Marlon Mack.
Most importantly offensively for the Texans? I think this team has some really good pieces on the offensive line. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil, former first-round pick Tytus Howard, and 2022 first-round pick Kenyon Green are building blocks.
Defensively, the team just landed arguably the CB1 of the 2022 Draft in Derek Stingley Jr.
Like the Bears, though, the Texans are banking on a lot of young players showing up for them and other players overachieving in 2022.
Do the Texans have foundational pieces at OT, CB, EDGE, and WR?
Let’s go down the list:
OT: Laremy Tunsil – check
CB: Derek Stingley – the jury is out, but a possible check
EDGE: Jonathan Greenard? That is swinging towards a check
WR: Brandin Cooks – check
The Texans check a lot of boxes, the issue is, other teams simply have more proven players to check those boxes and in some cases, multiple players at those key positions.
The depth of this roster is not there right now, although I love Nick Caserio’s strategy of throwing darts at the free agent board and trying to hit a bullseye. He nailed the Maliek Collins pickup last year as well as Desmond King.
Ultimately, I think the somewhat motley crew in Houston could be better than people think if Davis Mills progresses, but right now, they simply don’t have a great-looking roster on paper, or it’s at the very least in need of players proving themselves.