Houston Texans: 5 offseason needs

The Texans have a core group of players ready to make a Super Bowl run. Can they make the right additions to put their roster of the top?

Despite one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL, the Texans still found themselves winning a playoff game. It can speak to how talented the top part of the roster is. Now the question is what can Bill O’Brien and his staff do to take this team to the next level, and does it involve upgrading at quarterback? Here are the Texans five biggest needs this offseason.

5. Linebacker

This is currently not the most pressing need, but it will still likely need to be addressed this offseason. Benardrick McKinney has essentially taken over as the top off-ball linebacker on the team. He brings a lot to the table and is a great tackler. With Brian Cushing on the books, and slotted in next to him, it could look good on paper. However, Cushing is now at age 31, he has a track record of injury, and last season showed regression in his play. The Texans would save $5 million by moving on from him, and it is on the table.

However, even if they kept him, he will cost $9 million in 2018 and would save them $8 million if cut after the 2017 season. He likely has one season left if not for a restructuring. Akeem Dent is a free agent, and Max Bullough is a special teamer at best. Therefore it may be time to start looking at some replacement options at linebacker, especially for depth purposes.

Sean Spence, Michael Wilhoite, and A.J. Klein are names that come to mind as younger players who could fill in as depth but do have starter potential. However, their best bet is to address the position in the draft. It may not be a first round pick, but they are likely to add someone to the core at some point in the middle rounds.