New power structure but same goals
Quest to repeat as AFC South champ will begin after offseason marked by GM’s firing
Welcome to the Texans’ sixth training camp under coach Bill O’Brien, setting up a season in which they will try to defend their AFC South title against a more difficult schedule.
After spending all or part of the last two training camps in West Virginia, the Texans return to Houston Methodist Training Center for their first practice Thursday.
During camp, the Texans will practice against the Packers in Green Bay before their first preseason game. Then they’ll host joint practices against Detroit before their second preseason game against the Lions at NRG Stadium.
The big news involving the Texans during the offseason was chairman Cal McNair’s firing of general manager Brian Gaine. When the Texans failed to get New England’s Nick Caserio to replace Gaine, McNair opted to go with the current management team.
Everyone answers to McNair. O’Brien, who enters the first season of his four-year contract extension, is in charge of personnel and will rely heavily on the scouting department led by director of player personnel Matt Bazirgan, pro personnel director Rob Kisiel and college personnel director James Liipfert.
O’Brien’s right-hand man in the front office will be Jack Easterby, who left New England to become executive vice president of team development. Easterby will play a major role in football operations.
Chris Olsen, senior vice president of football administration, will continue to oversee the salary cap and negotiate contracts. President Jamey Rootes remains in charge of the administrative side of the organization.
O’Brien will call plays again. He named his second offensive coordinator in Tim Kelly, who was promoted from tight ends coach. There are five new assistant coaches, including former Texans Andre Johnson (special adviser to O’Brien), Brian Cushing (assistant strength and conditioning), T.J. Yates (offensive assistant) and Akeem Dent (defensive assistant).
Unlike in 2018, when quarterback Deshaun Watson, defensive end J.J. Watt, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus had spent the offseason recuperating from surgery, the Texans don’t have many injury issues.
Clowney’s situation will be a topic of conversation until he reports. He’ll have to play under the franchise tag and attempt to get a new contract next year. He’s expected to report before the first game at New Orleans, when players begin drawing their base salaries over 17 weeks.
O’Brien will need every player to be available during the season’s opening seven-game stretch, when the defense will be challenged by quarterbacks
Drew Brees (New Orleans), Nick Foles ( Jacksonville), Philip Rivers
(Los Angeles Chargers), Cam Newton (Carolina), Matt Ryan (Atlanta), Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City) and Andrew Luck (Indianapolis).
Obviously, the Texans would like to avoid another slow start like last season’s. They began 0-3 before going on a nine-game winning streak and finishing 11-5.
To win consecutive division titles, the Texans will have to hold off the Colts, who won twice at NRG Stadium, including a 21-7 victory in the wild-card game.
Indianapolis is favored to win the AFC South and compete for the Super Bowl. Top to bottom, it should be the NFL’s toughest division.
The Texans, Colts and Tennessee finished with winning records. The Jaguars improved their offense with the addition of Foles, who led Philadelphia to a last-second victory over the Texans last season.
The Texans’ goal is to make the playoffs and compete for the Super Bowl. They can’t afford another disastrous postseason appearance. O’Brien has only one playoff victory on his résumé.
How well the Texans do against a first-place schedule will determine how they finish, of course. Injuries play a role, as they do with every team. It’s no secret where they have to improve the most: the offensive line and secondary.
Watson will ignite the offense. He’s got an abundance of weapons, led by All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins and including Keke Coutee and Will Fuller, who’s recovering from surgery to repair an ACL.
The running game should be better with the return of D’Onta Foreman behind Lamar Miller.
Watt and Clowney are the best players on a defense that will be tested early and often. Barring injuries, the front seven is intact with Watt, nose tackle Brandon Dunn and right end D.J. Reader up front. Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham are sandwiched between Clowney and Mercilus.
During camp and preseason, the Texans need to develop more depth at linebacker besides Brennan Scarlett (outside) and Dylan Cole (inside).
Cornerback Bradley Roby and safety Tashaun Gipson are new starters in the secondary, signed to replace Kareem Jackson and Tyrann Mathieu.
Also new to the secondary are rookie cornerbacks Lonnie Johnson (second round) and Xavier Crawford (sixth) as well as free agents Jahleel Addae (safety) and Briean Boddy-Calhoun (cornerback).
Another cornerback competing for a spot on the roster is Jermaine Kelly, last year’s seventh-round pick who spent his rookie season on injured reserve and was impressive in the offseason program.
Improvement in the offensive line and secondary is imperative.
This week, O’Brien and his coaching staff take the next step in putting together a team they believe will be good enough to earn another AFC South title and actually win a game or two in the playoffs.