There’s the old saying that everything is bigger in Texas. This was the case with some bold and big moves the Texans underwent this offseason.
Speaking about outlook for the team in 2016, owner Bob McNair appears to be happy with his Texans’ offseason activity, via Aaron Wilson of chron.com:
“Everything came together for us in this offseason, and we were able to get the players we wanted as free agents and, basically, we got the players we wanted in the draft. They did a great job.”
One of the largest offseason acquisitions was obviously the Texans going all in to sign quarterback Brock Osweiler to a four-year deal worth $72 million. The team also upgraded at running back by adding Lamar Miller and releasing veteran Arian Foster.
Through the draft, the Texans selected wide receivers Will Fuller and Braxton Miller, as well as center Nick Martin. Fuller and Miller should nicely complement DeAndre Hopkins, giving the team’s 6-foot-7 new quarterback some explosive weapons.
Houston’s defense is always one of the best. It ranked third-best in the league last year, and the return of pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney will only solidify its standing.
General manager Rick Smith also boasted about the team’s status, per Wilson.
“As it relates to player acquisition, I think we’ve had a productive offseason. These young guys they’ve got some good veterans to follow. If they keep their heads down and their mouths shut and just watch and emulate what they see, they’ll be okay.”
Under less-than-desirable quarterback conditions last year, the Texans made it to the Wild Card round of the playoffs after winning nine games. They’ll need to keep pace with that and then some this upcoming season, facing some legitimate competition within the AFC South this fall.