The Houston Texans offensive line is one of the biggest question marks in the NFL. The team has the talent around quarterback C.J. Stroud to be a Super Bowl contender if, and it's a big if, the offensive line can give him the time and protection needed to take advantage of all of his weapons.
This offseason, the team traded away its best lineman, left tackle Laremy Tunsil, in a move that seemed counter-productive. Why would a bad line trade its best player? Maybe just because the team needed as close to a full reset as possible.
After one preseason game, it looks like two new additions to the team are set to push this line forward, though there are still plenty of question marks.
Aireontae Ersery and Jake Andrews look like key fixes for the Texans offensive line
Houston appears to have found two very different answers on the offensive line. At left tackle, rookie Aireontae Ersery has been playing with the first team in camp with Cam Robinson injured and earned the start against the Vikings on Saturday. He more than held his own in that role.
Houston's first unofficial depth chart listed Robinson as the starting left tackle and Ersery as the starter at right tackle, and that's likely still the plan once Robinson is back. However, Ersery more than held his own on Saturday, so if the team winds up needing to make a change at left tackle, whether due to Robinson not getting back on the field soon enough or by Robinson struggling once he returns, Ersery looks like he can handle that spot.
Then there's the center position. It felt like a revolving door for the team last year, and then Houston didn't address the issue during the draft, which made it seem like we'd get another competition between Jarrett Patterson and Juice Scruggs. But then, along came an under-the-radar free agency signing: Jake Andrews.
A fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2023 out of Troy, Andrews was released in April after missing all of last season with a torn meniscus. Houston claimed him in a move that didn't move any needles at the time, but he's been the team's best center in camp and it's notable he started in the preseason opener. He easily passed the eye test, looking like a viably NFL starter on Saturday, and at this point it really doesn't make sense to use anyone else at the position in Week 1.
Blake Fisher's struggles could still pose issues for Texans
Maybe Houston had an answer at left tackle, but the team's starting right tackle on Saturday struggled. Blake Fisher ended up being beat on multiple plays, allowing defenders to get pressure on quarterback Davis Mills.
The good news is that when the Texans are healthy, Fisher shouldn't have to be out on the field. Robinson and Ersery can be the starting tackles, and if Robinson isn't healthy or just doesn't work out, Ed Ingram, who started at right guard on Sunday with Tytus Howard out, could slide over and fill the spot to keep Fisher off the field.
It's obviously not great that last year's second-round pick looks unplayable at this point, but Houston at least discovered on Saturday that it has options.