The past two years have been difficult for the Houston Texans.
They won four games in both 2020 and 2021 and currently sit at 1-12-1 for the 2022 campaign. The winless season has prompted many players to question their relation to the organization and lead many more to choose to move on.
In addition to the gaping void at quarterback, the Texans also waved goodbye to cornerstones such as defensive end J.J. Watt and inside linebacker Zach Cunningham. Additionally, general manager Nick Caserio’s own players such as Brandin Cooks, Kamu Grugier-Hill and even Mark Ingram have either been traded or publicly fought with the franchise.
Watt was regarded by many as the best player in the team’s brief history. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year thought it best to pursue a ring in his final years rather than toil in a potential rebuild.
Cunningham, signed by the inexperienced front office Cerberus of Jack Easterby and Bill O’Brien, was so disinterested during coach David Culley’s tenure the team thought it best to cut him. The former 2017 second-round pick from Vanderbilt is now a meaningful contributor for the Tennessee Titans.
Houston signed Cooks to a contract extension in the 2022 offseason, and Grugier-Hill was re-signed to start at weakside linebacker.
Lovie Smith preached both Cooks and Grugier-Hill were culture-setters for the organization. Just a few months later, Grugier-Hill ultimately requested and was granted his release while Cooks remains with the team, albeit disgruntled given his escape pod to jettison from the organization wasn’t fired.
The Texans are seemingly in a place where they not only need talent, but they need talent that is willing to buy-in to what they’re doing and where they’re trying to go.
Chairman and CEO Cal McNair along with Caserio got a public viewing of immense commitment from a possible No. 1 overall prospect when quarterback Bryce Young chose to play in the Sugar Bowl along with Alabama teammate Will Anderson.
"I can't tell you how much I respect them as competitors"
Nick Saban on Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. planning to play in the Sugar Bowl pic.twitter.com/ETfAdnfWw7
— Ryan Hennessy (@RyanWVTM13) December 16, 2022
This decision was extremely controversial with Alabama being eliminated from the college football playoff and Young guaranteed the generational wealth that comes with being a top-5 NFL draft pick if he’s just able to stay healthy for the next four months. The former Heisman-winner seemingly has little to gain from playing the Sugar Bowl against Kansas State.
The NFL’s scouting consensus on Young diverges not over his caliber of play but rather over his height and his frame. No number of touchdowns or any throws put on film against the Wildcats next week will make Young any taller or contribute to a heavier weigh-in during the upcoming NFL combine. For a prospect with “concerns” over durability in the league, it was unexpected decision to open himself up for another game of free hits from fellow college students.
Rather than chop it up about the NFL or the upcoming draft, Young spoke to things bigger than himself and bigger than football while at the podium on Dec. 19.
Regardless of how you feel about Bryce Young, the player, Houston could really use more energy like this after some of the scenarios they faced the past 2 years.
Bryce Young, the man, will pretty easily clear the franchise player benchmarks #WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/ojbHcWd0RO
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) December 20, 2022
With Davis Mills unable to build off his surprising rookie campaign and no team more thoroughly incompetent than Houston this past year, expect the team to be hyper-focused on the quarterback prospects available in the class and upgrading at football’s most important decision.
As the Texans’ organization desperately searches for their next face of the franchise, Young’s appearances like this and his expert navigation of the public eye as the first NIL-era Heismann winner will certainly carry gravity.
Caserio will have a tough decision to make between Young, his teammate Anderson, and George defensive tackle Jalen Carter. A team once muddied with controversy will also need a slam-dunk on the field if anyone is to care about their behavior off the field.
Expect plenty of Houston representatives in New Orleans for the game.
