Houston Texans
The Texans boasted the No. 1 defense in 2016, minus four-time All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt for 13 games.
Entering 2017, Watt should be back after taking the necessary time off the field to rehab from his injuries. While Watt was away, linebacker Whitney Mercilus and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney combined for 13.5 sacks. Add Watt to the mix and things should get gnarly. After all, Watt has led the league in sacks twice throughout his career.
Poor QBs if Watt/Clowney/Mercilus are all healthy for '17
Which @HoustonTexans star is toughest to face?
All-Pro LT @DuaneBrown76 answers. pic.twitter.com/8fOvjxcEHT— Dave Dameshek (@Dameshek) April 17, 2017
Houston as a unit last season held opposing teams to only 20.5 points per game. It is also returning after ceding a league-low 301.3 yards per tilt. In addition to adding Watt to the mix, the Texans welcome rookie linebacker Zach Cunningham, who is a perfect player in their scheme (more on that here).
If Texans can get their offense on the same page with a fresh new quarterback in place, the defense just needs to keep its end of the bargain. We don’t envision this crew falling short.