The 2022 season will be telling for the Houston Texans in terms of where they need to allocate draft resources in the 2023 offseason.
Defensive end Jonathan Greenard will be eligible for contract negotiations with the Texans after completing his third NFL season. The upcoming campaign will be Greenard’s best negotiating ploy from the outset as a double-digit sack season could compel general manager Nick Caserio to find a way to keep the former 2020 third-rounder from Florida.
If Greenard fails, the Texans have two first-round picks they could deploy to shore up edge defender.
If Greenard succeeds, it changes how the Texans appropriate their first-round selections, but defensive end may still be a need for Houston.
According to Michael Renner from Pro Football Focus, a name that would be worth the Texans’ consideration is Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison.
Harrison will have the Ohio State brand behind him as well as the built-up notoriety that comes with being one of the few seniors on this list. Harrison is an ultra-long 6-foot-6, 272-pound edge rusher whose combination of length and explosiveness presents a ton of problems for offensive tackles.
There is a catch with Harrison, but it isn’t an issue if the Texans give the Buckeye time to develop and acclimate to the pro game and an NFL strength and conditioning program.
The problem is that his size has caused him to be a touch stiff and not a great finisher as a result. It’s unlikely he puts up big sack totals, making him a long shot to unseat others on this [Ted Hendricks Award] list.
Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison don’t figure to be long for the job in Houston, and the Texans already have a veteran-laden roster. Harrison would be a younger addition who could complement Greenard in a scenario where the latter seizes the opportunity to be the club’s premier edge defender.
