Despite offseason additions, team needs a go-to wideout
Day 2 of the legal tampering period came and went Tuesday, and the Texans again addressed one of their most pressing needs.
They agreed to a deal with former Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown, who gives them a potential weapon out of the slot to help revive what was one of the worst passing attacks in the league.
Brown joins Robert Woods as the second wide receiver to agree to a deal with the Texans since free agency began. The Texans announced Tuesday that they had signed Woods to a deal. (Terms weren’t announced but the contract is for two years and $15.25 million).
But while the Texans have made some upgrades to their wide receiver room, and figure to get John Metchie III back, they still need more.
Woods and Brown will only replace the production of Chris Moore and Phillip Dorsett, both free agents who are expected to sign with new teams.
The Texans have not signed anyone to account for the inevitable departure of leading wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who has a standing trade request. Cooks said after the season that he didn’t want to be a part of a rebuild and was looking to move on.
Coach DeMeco Ryans recently said that he had had a conversation with Cooks and would love to have him back but also said they would do what’s in the best interest of the team. General manager Nick Caserio echoed a similar sentiment.
The expectation, those close to the situation say, is that Cooks will be traded at some point. How or when that will occur is uncertain, but it’s inevitable. The issue at hand is his contract and the $18 million he is owed in guaranteed money. The Texans likely will need to take on at least half of that salary to deal him.
Cooks was the Texans’ best wide receiver the past three seasons. He had 171 catches for 2,187 yards and 12 touchdowns during his first two seasons in Houston. But his statistics dropped in 2022 with the Texans’ emphasis on the running game and lack of success at quarterback.
Statistically, Brown and Woods are upgrades over Moore and Dorsett. But the Texans need more, because even with Cooks, they needed help.
Unfortunately, this free-agent class didn’t have a lot of elite wide receivers. They rarely do.
Assuming Cooks is traded, the Texans will enter training camp with wide receivers Nico Collins, Woods, Brown and Metchie, a second-round pick in 2022 who sat out the season while battling cancer but is expected back.
Those players combined for 133 catches for 1,563 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2022.
Also, Metchie, Woods and Brown all play a decent amount out of the slot and aren’t considered No. 1 wide receivers. Woods, who is 6-foot, 195 pounds, played out of the slot on 27 percent of his snaps. Metchie, who is 5-11 and 194 pounds, played in the slot the majority of his time at Alabama.
And Brown, who is 6-2 and 225 pounds, is primarily a slot receiver who will also help on special teams.
“When you get in a room by yourself and you turn on what we call the silent tape, you’re going to feel a team that’s very aggressive, that’s fast, that’s decisive, there’s not hesitation, everyone knows what we’re doing and we enjoy playing the game,” new Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said last week about his offense. “Overall, that’s really what we want to do on offense, and that starts scheme-wise, making sure everyone is on the same page and putting our guys in the best positions to do what they do best by taking advantage of their strengths.”
The Texans will have to draft a wide receiver within the first two days of the draft and hope he can develop into a No. 1 receiver. Along with their No. 2 pick, the Texans currently have the 12th and 33rd picks.
All across the league, the top quarterbacks who are having success have receiver weapons.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts has A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes has Travis Kelce. Buffalo’s Josh Allen has Stefon Diggs. San Francisco’s Brock Purdy has Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey.
Those are players who can make plays when a quarterback may not be on top of his game.
Among the top wide receivers in the draft are TCU’s Quentin Johnston, Ohio State’s Jaxon SmithNjigba, Boston College’s Zay Flowers and USC’s Jordan Addison.
All are expected to be there at No. 12. At least one could be there at No. 33.
The Texans should draft the best one of the group.
jonathan.alexander @houstonchronicle.com twitter.com/jonmalexander