The Houston Texans 2023 season is over, which means it’s time for reflection on what went right and wrong during the year.
While the season ended with a bitter defeat on the road to the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round, there was much to celebrate this year.
DeMeco Ryans’ first season at the helm of the team was a success. The Texans won the AFC South, won a playoff game and produced both an Offensive Rookie of the Year and a Defensive Rookie of the year in C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. Multiple players broke out in 2023 as well, including wideouts Nico Collins and Tank Dell, defensive end Jonathan Greenard and running back Devin Singletary.
Ryans spoke with reporters during his post-2023 press conference and broke down the future of the team. Here are the top five takeaways.
Ryans' favorite game
Ryans pinpointed one game as his highlight of the season – the Texans’ Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Houston scored the go-ahead touchdown with six seconds left in the game on a 15-yard touchdown from Stroud to Dell to seal the 39-37 victory.
“To see us be able to come back and see the plays that we were able to make in that game to win that game – that’s one that really sticks out to me,” Ryans said.
Biggest area of improvement for 2024
No team is perfect, and Ryans understood there are flaws the team needs to work on for 2024. The biggest, though, was the running game. The Texans ranked 22nd in rushing yards and 23rd in rushing touchdowns and Houston’s inability to establish the ground in their loss to the Ravens.
“I think the running game will be significant for us to improve upon. I think as you see as you go throughout this game, especially in the postseason, teams that win games – you’ve got to be able to run the football and sustain it,” Ryans said. “And we weren’t able to accomplish that versus the Ravens, and it showed up. So, we [definitely] have areas to improve – many different areas – but the run game is one of those areas, for sure.”
Top impending free agent Ryans wants back
The Texans have 36 impending free agents head of the 2024 offseason and will undoubtably be unable to keep all of them. So while Ryans acknowledged that he’d love to retain as many players as possible, he pinpointed defensive end Jonathan Greenard as the player he’d most want to keep for next season. Greenard led the team with 12.5 sacks this year.
“I think it was his most productive year, his best year of his career,” Ryans said. “He did some really great things to allow us to be in the position to win some games. Everything I believe in, it starts up front with the rush and also with the offensive line and protecting. So, we’ll continue to build with our fronts.”
Assistants interviewing elsewhere is 'the nature of success'
Ryans’ top-two offensive assistants have or will interview with multiple teams this offseason. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is in contention for a four different head coaching roles, while quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson is interviewing for two offensive coordinator positions.
While it would be tough to lose one or both, Ryan understood that’s the price of having a good offensive season.
“When you have success, other people want to see what’s going on and probably want to take some guys to help them out as well,” Ryans said. “It’s a tough part of it, but it’s part of the business. That’s what happens, and we’ll have to have contingency plans available if guys happen to leave.”
What Ryans will say to free agents this offseason
Ryans will take a breather now from football but will need to ramp up his free agent recruitment once the 2024 season officially begins later this spring. Now that the Texans proved they can contend in the AFC, Ryans might have a better pitch for prospective acquisitions. His main message, though, was opportunity.
“Guys want opportunities to showcase their talent when you’re a free agent, and I think now with people seeing how we play, seeing our young core of players – especially seeing C.J. [Stroud] – I think a lot of people will probably want to play here in Houston,” Ryans said. “And that comes from the success that these guys have had, how they’ve shown up on the field. You get that recognition and you get that credibility from your peers around the league, and that’s what matters most. Guys watch tape, they see how we play, they see how we operate, and I think that will be inviting to a lot of free agents to come here.”
