Poll: Which Houston Texans position group still needs help?

1 guess should be obvious

We’ve made it past the initial free agency surge and the 2025 NFL Draft. At this stage, the 2025 depth chart is coming into focus. It’s easy to say the roster is built for this season with a few minor adjustments still coming.

Teams don’t usually make big, blockbuster trades at this point in the year. However, June has been known to see new faces in new places due to free agency rules. And, once cut down day hits, a variety of players will find themselves unemployed before signing on with other teams.

Houston Texans Quarterback:

C.J. Stroud is a lock, injuries notwithstanding. Behind him (and above him) is Davis Mills. While Mills isn’t one of the best 32 signal callers in the league, he is a solid backup. Graham Mertz and Kedon Slovis will likely vie for the #3 roster spot, if Nick Caserio and Demeco Ryans have a #3 QB on the roster. Otherwise, expect one to hit the practice squad while the other hits the street.

Houston Texans Running Back:

Joe Mixon is the bell cow. For sure. Dameon Pierce is still hopeful to return to his 1st year form, while current rookie Woody Marks and career situational back Dare Ogunbowale fill out the room. Jakob Johnson is the sole full back on the roster as of this writing.

Houston Texans Wide Receiver:

Nico Collins. Nuff said. Behind Nico we have Christian Kirk and Tank Dell floating somewhere between the injury tent and the field, rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylen Noel, journeymen Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie III, Braxton Berrios, Johnny Johnson III and Xavier Johnson. Seems stacked, but could also be a house of cards.

Houston Texans Tight End:

Dalton Shultz still has a lock on the TE1 spot. Next in line we have Brevin Jordan, Cade Stover and Luke Lachey. Moving along…

Houston Texans Offensive Line:

Cam Robinson, Tytus Howard, Jarrett Patterson, Juice Scruggs and Blake Fisher are currently projected as the starters per ESPN.com. After those fellas, we have rookie Aireontae Ersery, the ancient one Trent Brown, Austin Deculus, Laken Tomlinson, Eli Cox, Ed Ingram and a few others who likely won’t survive training camp. Not seeing anything that makes me confident they won’t cause the undoing of the new offense. But, time will tell.

On the other side of the ball, Demeco Ryans has all the tools to straight clown opposing offenses. OC’s for the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and BESFs are gonna need to put on their big boy pants before facing this group.

Houston Texans Defensive Line:

Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Tim Settle Jr., Folorunso Fatukasi, Denico Autry, Sheldon Rankins, Mario Edwards Jr., are the projected starters and 2nd level rotation.

Houston Texans Linebackers:

Henry To’oTo’o, Azeez Al-Shaair and Christian Harris are the starters. E.J. Speed and Nick Niemann are the rotational guys. This group is certainly not as stacked as the defensive line. However, Anderson Jr. and Hunter both come off the edge like outside linebackers when the play calls for it.

Houston Texans Cornerbacks:

Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, Tremon Smith and Ronald Darby make up this group. Sting and Lassiter are pro bowl caliber guys. But if one or both gets injured, this group falls from top tier to average quickly. And, don’t forget nickel backs Jalen Pitre and Jaylin Smith.

Houston Texans Safeties:

Calen Bullock, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jimmie Ward and M.J. Stewart. Bullock and CJGJ, combined with Sting and Lassiter are, without a doubt, the most lethal starting secondary the Houston Texans have ever had. Throw Jalen Pitre in the mix and this should turn into the most locked down pass defense in Houston football history.

This will likely be 95% of the men to take the field this season, barring injuries and mental failures.

Where do you see an area of weakness? Where should Caserio and crew concentrate on further wheeling & dealing to bring in others? Or do you think this is the best depth chart they could assemble in the current NFL climate?

Which brings us to the poll: