Cody Stoots of Houston Football joins BRB for five questions.
Independent media is one of the newest trends in sports, news, and political coverage. Cody Stoots has been a member of that movement for the past couple of years now. He left a high profile position as a drive time sports radio host to start this venture. You can access Houston football directly on the internet or through Substack.com to get daily updates and commentary on your Houston Texans. Included in that are some YouTube videos as well. We caught up with Cody during his busy schedule to ask him some basic questions on the offseason so far and a preview of what we might expect from the NFL draft coming up in April.
Battle Red Blog: Obviously the Laremy Tunsil deal was the biggest Texans deal in the new league year. What did you think of the idea of trading him and more specifically the return we got back?
Cody Stoots: The Houston Texans made a solid decision and got a solid return. They traded a player they wouldn’t be able to pay when the huge contracts started coming due. I liked the multiple picks versus the one singular pick in a higher round. They maximized the return by not waiting. They will have a long road to replace him permanently, but I have long thought being great at left tackle is an overrated element of team-building. Houston seems comfortable with the whole is greater than the sum of its parts on the offensive line.
BRB: In terms of the new additions/re-signings, which one do you think will end up being the most significant?
CS: C.J. Gardner-Johnson will be the most significant addition. He will start and bring an additional edge to the secondary. He has a little injury history, but not like Jimmie Ward. This could help add to the defense’s upside. It should be one of the elements that pushes them into the elite category. He could join the returning starters in the secondary form the best defensive backfield in football.
BRB: If we assume the Texans aren’t done, what is the one significant move they have in them?
CS: If they aren’t done I would like to see a veteran outside receiver. The name I have in mind is Tyler Lockett. He wouldn’t fully block a rookie the Texans select in the draft but would allow that player to come along at a modest pace. Lockett also isn’t a long-term investment. I do feel like they’re done now though and there aren’t many options where Houston actually could use
BRB: How if at all have the Texans draft needs changed based on what has happened this last week?
CS: The Houston Texans still need a guard and youth at wide receiver. That was at the top of the list for me when the offseason started and it remains there. Additions Laken Tomlinson nor Ed Ingram should keep them from drafting guards. It might have allowed a wide receiver to creep ahead of a guard in the need list. Running back behind Joe Mixon would be wonderful too. The Texans feel like one of the only teams that don’t have multiple options they trust. There is still hope for long-term tackle help as well, but they’d have to get lucky.
BRB: It’s been a while since the Nick Caley hire. Based on his past coaching career and the changes from the last week, what tangible changes can we expect from the offense?
CS: I would expect a better blocking scheme. That’s one of the most important elements. The offensive line looked lost last year. They have to connect an executable scheme to the big fellas and give C.J. Stroud a chance to be excellent. Nick Caley hammered home the team would cater to player strengths. Right now that means Nico Collins is a well-fed target and the rushing attack led by Joe Mixon grinds out teams. There isn’t a strength outside of those two right now. The tight ends are a huge question mark. The offensive line has plenty to prove. It’s Collins and Mixon for now until further notice. Christian Kirk returning to his injury-free form would be a welcome addition but that’s far from a guarantee.
We want to thank Cody so much for joining us and for his support as an independent Texans reporter. His reports at Houfootball.com have been invaluable for the past two plus years while he has been doing them. We want to wish him the best of luck into the future as he tries to make a go of it as an independent media source.