The 2024 NFL offseason has been the year of the Texans. After a surprising 2023 campaign, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans didn’t hesitate to take advantage of stellar quarterback C.J. Stroud’s rookie contract.
The trades, signings and draft picks provided immediate talent upgrades to the roster. Now, the page turns to getting them to play with the chemistry of a collective unit.
On offense, the Texans maintained most of their key pieces with the re-signings of tight end Dalton Schultz and receiver Noah Brown. They made calculated upgrades to that side of the ball with the trades for running back Joe Mixon and receiver Stefon Diggs.
The draft selections of tackle Blake Fisher, tight end Cade Stover and running back Jawhar Jordan provide upgraded talent at depth positions in the offense. Houston’s ability to retain offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson gives continuity to the offense and continued growth of Stroud.
TEXANS 2024 SEASON: Full schedule | Predictions | Primetime games | 53-man roster predictions
Defensively, it’s a different story. Houston could have up to six new starters on this unit. The Texans will need to get them up to speed as they can’t afford early-season growing pains from the talent-filled unit.
Here’s how Houston ensures they don't get behind the eight-ball to start the season due to defensive struggles.
Texans defensive chemistry is key to early season success
The Texans added new, front-line pieces at every level of their 2024 defense.
Projected new starters
- DE Danielle Hunter
- DT Denico Autry
- DT Foley Fatukasi
- LB Azeez Al-Shaair
- CB Kamari Lassiter
- CB Jeff Okudah
Key additions at backups
- DT Tim Settle
- DT Marcus Harris
- DL Mario Edwards
- LB Jacob Phillips
- LB Jamal Hill
- CB C.J. Henderson
- CB Myles Bryant
- S Calen Bullock
That’s possibly six new defensive starters and eight key backup defenders. If Houston is going to get out of the gate early, they’ll need to ensure that they’ve found the best course of action to build chemistry among the unit before the season.
MORE: Texans boast 3 young stars on PFF's top-25 under 25
How Texans defensive chemistry plays into 2024 season
NFL teams hardly play starters in the preseason these days. It’s led to the early weeks of the NFL season looking like what preseason football used to be. It’s already harder for the defensive units. If one guy is undisciplined, forgets an assignment or is not in regular season form, then the offense could quickly pop an 80-yard touchdown.
Offensively, there may be more turnovers, miscommunications and sloppy play. However, they just need the blocking and running back or quarterback and his target to be right on one play a series and they can sustain success and band-aid mistakes. Defensively, 11-men need to play as a unit down after down or the offense will be able to gash them, at least occasionally.
Texans season schedule by quarter
- @ Colts
- Vs Bears
- @ Vikings
- Vs Jaguars
- Vs Bills
- @ Patriots
- @ Packers
- Vs Colts
- @ Jets
- Vs Lions
- @ Cowboys
- Vs Titans
- @ Jaguars
- BYE WEEK
- Vs Dolphins
- @ Chiefs
- Vs Ravens
- @ Titans
The Texans schedule gets progressively tougher with each new quarter of the 2024 season. By the third quarter of the season, the Texans should be tired and banged up as they have the latest bye at Week 14.
They’ll need to power through the tough slate of third-quarter games. They could then get to the bye week to refresh and get some players back that were hurt earlier in the year.
Even after a brief rest, the last quarter of the season is brutal. Houston will need to take advantage of the first four to eight games of the year to get off to a good start. To do so, they’ll need their defense to play on par with the offense in Week 1.
How an extra preseason game helps Texans
- Vs Bears (HOF Game)
- @ Steelers
- Vs Giants
- Vs Rams
Houston received an extra preseason game with former Texans receiver Andre Johnson becoming the first member of the franchise to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Typically, the added game would be more of a nuance. Due to the Texans' aspirations for the season and the need to build defensive chemistry in the offseason, it could provide a much-needed opportunity.
Starters rarely play in the preseason, even with having a fourth preseason game, the playing time on the field shouldn’t be drastically amplified. The extra practice time, however, is extremely beneficial.
The Texans have been participating in OTAs, mini-camp is this week and a mandatory camp the following week. It’s great to see the teammates getting familiar with each other and taking reps.
The pads don’t go on until training camp, which they get to open a week early due to their participation in the HOF game. Currently, the team is still tinkering with finding out the best position, combination and rotation of all of their new defensive personnel.
There will be tons of mix-ups and miscommunications with so many new, constantly moving pieces. I wouldn’t get carried away with clips and highlights of players getting “burnt," “looking bad” or where they’re lined up on a given play or two. This is the time to find out how to best utilize each player’s talent and while evaluating how they play with different teammates. It’s a process that will unwind slowly leading up to training camp.
Joint practices help Texans, too
Joint practices have been the pivot to actual game action over the last several years. Teams feel as if the contact and the areas they want to grow are more controlled in these settings.
In Ryans’ first season, the Texans held joint practices with the Dolphins. This year it’ll be before the fourth and final preseason game against the Rams.
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Teams play a skeleton roster typically in the final preseason game, more so if they have an extra game like with the Bears and Texans this year. The timing of the joint practices ensures that Houston maximizes their lengthy 2024 camp and it’s needed.
This is the most anticipated season in Texans history. Houston will get the pads on earlier and longer in the preseason. After a long and hopefully healthy preseason, the Texans will get quality reps for their starters in the final week of preparation for the 2024 regular season with their scripted joint practices against a talented Rams roster.
Wisely, instead of gearing down towards the end of preseason, Houston will look to maximize every rep, day and week as to be prepared for the Colts in Week 1.
Why defensive chemistry will impact Texans
If the Texans don’t find the ultimate success this year, it’ll be due to the defensive side of the ball. Not that it’s lacking talent, but against a difficult AFC schedule of elite quarterbacks, if they don’t gel early, then it will be too late by the time they play as a unit.
The extra week of practices and the decision to take joint practices into the final week indicate that Ryans and Caserio understand the landscape of their roster and what’s needed before the season starts.
Teams have almost uniformly moved away from building starter’s chemistry in preseason games. Any team that takes the risk of zigging while everyone else zags could see huge dividends…or people who make those decisions could look like the fool of the league if they were to get a star player injured in a meaningless game.
How do you balance the two between needed chemistry and injury risk? Houston is hoping the extra week of practicing with pads and late preseason competitive practices against an opposing team may be the answer.
It’ll be interesting to see how they attack preparation for the unit and how they look Week 1 following the offseason training.
