Moves the Houston Texans must make after hiring DeMeco Ryans
The Texans have been a dumpster fire, but with DeMeco Ryans, there is a way to ensure they can take the next step toward contention.
The Houston Texans have a new head coach, and with DeMeco Ryans at the helm, the franchise is looking toward a brighter future. It takes time o build a winning franchise, but the Texans have two things that help, draft capital and money. With Ryans’ defensive background, there is plenty of anticipation surrounding the scheme he will bring to the table, especially with the addition of Matt Burke as the defensive coordinator.
Burke served as the defensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals in the 2022 season. However, he was a defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins in the past. Burke will have his work cut out for him.
On the offensive side of the ball, the hiring of Bobby Slowik as the new offensive coordinator has also raised eyebrows. After all, he’s coming from a team where Kyle Shanahan is the guy who designs the offense. However, the former 49ers passing game coordinator has potential. Since they have the No. 2 overall pick, they’ll have a young quarterback Slowik can make that job easier.
What makes the 49ers’ quarterbacks so successful is the use of a lot of pre-snap motion, which helps create mismatches and allows for a better understanding of the defense. Slowik’s offense also features a lot of short, quick passes that allow the skill-position players to make plays in space. The Texans have more holes than swiss cheese but there are three moves they must make to put them on the right track.
Moves the Houston Texans must make with DeMeco Ryans in place
1. Re-sign their top tackles
Fixing the franchise won’t happen in one season, but there’s a way to make the process easy. One way is building the offensive line, and it starts with making offensive tackle Laramey Tunsil, one of the three paid offensive tackles in the NFL. A rookie quarterback will be made better knowing his blindside is protected. Tunsil has done that at a high level in six seasons. He’s made the Pro Bowl three of the last four seasons and should get paid.
Once he’s signed, Nick Caserio must keep their other tackle, Tytus Howard. He proved he can play both inside and out for the Texans. He can spot start in case of injury to Tunsil, and he filled in at guard for Keynon Green. With two bookend tackles, Caserio must turn to the draft to take a guard to fill in the final spot. Given the Texans will probably run a lot, someone like Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence would be the perfect pick late Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s a dominant run blocker who would work well alongside Tunsil. Cody Mauch from North Dakota State is a swing guard who played left tackle but proved he can kick inside at the Senior Bowl.