The Houston Texans traded DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals on March 16. This opening transaction on the first day of legal tampering in the 2020 free agency period has become the focal point of all analysis of the Houston Texans offense.
However, the Texans have made changes and had areas produce growth that aren’t getting as much fanfare. Here are four reasons why the Texans offense in 2020 could be more explosive.
1. The offensive line is returning five starters
For the first time in the Deshaun Watson era, the Houston Texans have all five starters returning along the offensive line.
The Texans already have a premier blindside protector in left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who earned his first Pro Bowl with Houston last year. Beside Tunsil is 2019 second-rounder Max Scharping, who will play left guard. In the middle is reliable Nick Martin, and to his right is guard Zach Fulton. The other bookend is right tackle Tytus Howard, who made the Pro Football Writers of America’s all-rookie team.
The unit will have another season together, and their cohesion will be even tighter than it was last year. Just from having infused talent into the offensive line, Watson’s sack numbers dropped from 62 to 44 and the Texans had running Carlos Hyde go over the 1,000-yard mark rushing. Just think of what the offensive line will be able to do with a whole offseason together.
2. Better running back
Carlos Hyde had a career season with the Texans, rushing 245 times for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns. However, the Texans upgraded their running back position as part of the Hopkins trade with the Cardinals when they picked up David Johnson.
The former Northern Iowa product is a year younger than Hyde, and he has the ability to excel in the passing game. Johnson’s career season was in 2016 when he made All-Pro and tallied 2,118 scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns. However, Bill O’Brien’s offense emphasizes the run. Johnson will get his chances behind the Texans’ offensive line. Hyde posted 3.9 and 3.3 yards per carry in his two seasons before arriving in Houston, where he compiled a 4.4 yards per carry. Johnson has had 3.6 and 3.7 yards per carry numbers in his last two years in Arizona. He could be in for a revitalization with Houston.
3. Faster receiving corps
Houston’s quartet of Kenny Stills, Will Fuller, Brandin Cooks, and Randall Cobb evokes speed and shiftiness. The first three wideouts are all deep threats, and Cobb has built a career on being a valuable slot receiver.
Even if Fuller is unable to play a full 16-game slate, a feat he has never accomplished in his career, the Texans will still have Cooks and Stills to rely on. One of Watson’s best strengths is his ability to throw the deep ball, and Cooks, aside from a down season with the Los Angeles Rams last year, excels at deep routes.
Houston’s passing game will feature plenty of speed, and a quarterback to make such throws.
4. Watson is a year older
Good quarterbacks continue to improve with each passing year. What usually sacks a quarterback’s career is Father Time, not their ability to comprehend the game. With each passing year, Watson is entering a phase of his career where he has acquired enough game experience, and his body is still at peak athletic prowess, to where he will be able to take his game to another level.
For the first time in his career, Watson is going to have all five starters return on the offensive line. Even though the loss of his chemistry with Hopkins is an obstacle the Texans have to overcome, the reward is a fast, explosive receiving corps. Watson also has a bell-cow of a running back who can take over games.
Add all of that up with Watson’s ability to process the game, and the Texans offense is primed to be explosive in 2020.
