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The Houston Texans should be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. After a stunning breakout season in 2023 and another step forward in 2024 behind rising star quarterback CJ Stroud, the Texans have fully arrived on the NFL stage. Of course, with higher expectations comes a smaller margin for error. Houston’s front office knows that. This offseason, the Texans made aggressive moves to shore up weaknesses and position themselves for a legitimate Super Bowl push. Yet, even with all that ambition, one fatal flaw remains. It’s a weakness that must be addressed during training camp if Houston wants to avoid coming up short in January.
The spotlight in Houston will be firmly on how the offense comes together. Last season, Stroud faced pressure on 38.6 percent of his dropbacks. That was third highest in the NFL, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That relentless pressure resulted in 52 sacks, which was the second-most in the league. It threw off the rhythm of what was otherwise a high-powered attack.
In response, the Texans completely retooled their offensive line. Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, along with starting guards Shaq Mason and Kenyon Green. Stepping in are free-agent additions Cam Robinson and Trent Brown at tackle, Laken Tomlinson at left guard, and Ed Ingram at right guard. That’s four fresh faces tasked with protecting Houston’s franchise quarterback.
Changes didn’t stop there, too. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik was dismissed and replaced by Nick Caley. The latter brings a new scheme and voice to the huddle. Building continuity will be the top priority in training camp. However, while the offense draws most of the headlines, the Texans’ most pressing issue may lie on the other side of the ball.
Here we’ll try to look at the Houston Texans player who is under the most pressure as they enter the 2025 NFL season.
The Texans’ defense made massive strides under head coach DeMeco Ryans. That said, depth at cornerback remains an exposed nerve. That weakness became more glaring when veteran Ronald Darby abruptly retired in June. That left the Texans thinner than expected behind Derek Stingley Jr and sophomore Kamari Lassiter.
Douglas, a 30-year-old veteran, may not be coming off his best season. However, his resume still offers exactly what Houston needs. That’s proven versatility, ball-hawking instincts, and the ability to line up both outside and in the slot. Yes, his 2024 campaign with the Buffalo Bills was forgettable. He allowed a 72.9 percent completion rate, the worst of his career. That said, he’s just one season removed from his highest-graded year, splitting time between Green Bay and Buffalo.
It’s clear that Douglas still has something in the tank. From 2021 to 2023, he tallied at least four interceptions each year. He might get beat on occasion, but he also makes game-changing plays. That’s exactly what Houston needs as it eyes a deep postseason run.
With Darby gone,...
