Fansided

5 moves Texans must make this offseason

By Rucker Haringey

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 15: Quarterback Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans runs the ball against the New York Jets during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium on December 15, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 15: Quarterback Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans runs the ball against the New York Jets during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium on December 15, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans avoids a tackle attempt by Calais Campbell #93 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 30: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans avoids a tackle attempt by Calais Campbell #93 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

2. Acquire protection for Deshaun Watson

The Texans benefit from Watson’s amazing ability to elude pass rushers. Unfortunately, their terrible offensive line play requires their franchise quarterback to use that skill entirely too often.

With all due respect to the holes in the Texans secondary, the majority of their draft capital should be spent on protecting their most valuable player. That means at least two offensive lineman needed to be added to the depth chart before preseason begins in 2019.

In an ideal world, the team will be able to add one tackle and one guard capable of playing right away. Presumably, the team will be required to spend a high pick on a tackle with those sorts of credentials. The team might still harbor hope that Martinas Rankin can grow into a starting left tackle. That means acquiring a replacement for Kendall Lamm should be the top priority.

Choosing which guard spot to upgrade is a bit more difficult. The team signed both Senio Kelemete and Zach Fulton in free agency. Neither is what anyone would consider to be a top-notch offensive lineman. The Texans should take the best interior lineman available in the middle rounds.

Protecting Watson needs to be this organization’s top priority moving forward. 2017 showed just how far this team will fall without him on the field. They were fortunate he survived the entire 2018 campaign in one piece.

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