Although the Houston Texans will feel disappointed after losing in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens, they had a fantastic season, all told, thoroughly exceeding expectations with rookie quarterback CJ Stroud at the helm.
A legitimate MVP candidate, Stroud had a historically great season under center as a rookie passer for the Texans, and there is so much optimism surrounding the organization with the generational talent in the building. If the Texans can supply him with a couple of more weapons and bolster their defense, specifically the pass rush, they have what it takes to go deep into the 2025 postseason - perhaps even all the way to the Super Bowl.
Here are five players the Texans should strongly consider signing in free agency this year. If they can manage to snag even two or three of these superstars, the Texans could stand tall with the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Ravens as true Super Bowl contenders in the competitive AFC.
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
While it's unlikely Mike Evans will be available this offseason, there is no guarantee the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be able to keep him. They can franchise him and should do whatever it takes to make sure their best receiver in franchise history stays put in the bay, but since Evans is an impending free agent like anyone else, he is fair game for the Houston Texans to pursue with all their might.
While Houston's first order of business will be keeping their own star tight end duo of Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown, they could absolutely use a superstar receiver to help CJ Stroud. Tank Dell and Nico Collins are both very good wideouts, but after them, their next best player is Robert Woods, who is on the wrong side of 30 and had a pretty poor year with a yards per target average well under 6.0.
Evans, on the other hand, is the most consistent wide receiver in the NFL and a matchup nightmare on the outside who can win at all levels. Nobody in the league is better at the catch point or at bullying double-teams. Evans is uncoverable and a quarterback's best friend, having elevated Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers to the Divisional Round of the postseason.
Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is the biggest star in Kansas City, but the Chiefs have an elite player on the other side of the ball in Chris Jones, who seems ready to spread his wings and leave the only team he's known since being a combine stud and an early second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Interior pressure makes the difference in the modern NFL, especially in the postseason when facing the elite quarterbacks and offenses. Even Tom Brady would have serious issues coping with elite interior pass rushes, which is what the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles utilized in order to upset the New England Patriots in Super Bowls.
Houston's biggest area of need is on the defensive line. They need more impact players. Looking at their recent past, the likes of Mario Williams, Jadeveon Clowney, and, of course, JJ Watt were difference-maker disruptors on the defensive line. The Texans will want to load up and add two of those kinds of players in free agency if they can, and this year's class is the time to do it.
With a special quarterback under center in Stroud, the Texans might as well go all-in to help support him in shootouts with the best possible options defensively. There is no better target on that side of the ball than Jones, who recorded more than 10 sacks for the third
Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
Adding an interior pass rusher will be the priority for the Houston Texans, but they could also benefit greatly from snagging the best edge defender in this year's free-agent class. Danielle Hunter surprisingly stayed in the Twin Cities at the 2023 NFL trade deadline, but now he is fair game for any team to sign, provided they are willing to invest heavily in him financially.
Hunter is worth the money. Edge rushers are becoming more valuable in the modern NFL as a crucial counterweight to passing attacks, with elite pass rushers like Myles Garrett and TJ Watt standing out as bona fide MVP candidates like quarterbacks. Add Hunter to the list of MVP-caliber edge defenders, especially if he can land on a contender like the Texans — and especially if the Texans sign him and a new, elite defensive tackle.
Last season, the explosive Hunter totaled a career-high 16.5 sacks, making the Pro Bowl for the fourth time in his impressive career. Hunter is one of the best athletes in the NFL at any position, providing uncanny speed, strength, and agility off the edge, making him unblockable for any offense. Given he had 14.5 sacks twice in his career, reaching 16.5 to set a new career high is no short achievement.
Imagine if the Texans can sign Hunter and Jones in the same free-agent period. That would be 30 combined sacks between them.
Christian Wilkins, DT, Miami Dolphins
If the Texans can't sign Chris Jones with all the interest in the Kansas City superstar, then Houston could take another impact defensive tackle away from an AFC Championship contender in Miami Dolphins standout Christian Wilkins.
The 28-year-old came into the NFL with an even higher draft pedigree than Jones as the 13th overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he's more than made good on the high expectations coming out of collegiate powerhouse Clemson. Wilkins truly blew up last season for the Dolphins amidst a big season for the NFL's most adorable mammals, recording a career-high nine sacks and 23 QB hits.
It feels like Wilkins is only scratching the surface of what he can become, and now is the time for a Super Bowl hopeful like Houston to invest in him. The Texans would ideally like to double-dip on the defensive line in view of all the talent at the position in free agency this year, as well as their own dire need for more help.
Pairing Wilkins with Hunter, Jones, or even a less expensive/hyped pass-rushing option off the edge or interior could be a solution for Houston to look into. No matter what, Wilkins alone would be a significant help to a Texans defense looking for a little more juice. Last season, they had two players with more than 20 QB hits — Jonathan Greenard and Will Anderson — but one more star, especially at defensive tackle, would be ideal.
Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
There are three top running backs who could be available in free agency this year. Tennesse Titans superstar Derrick Henry is the dreamiest option, Saquon Barkley is inconsistent but has high upside, and then there is between-the-tackles workhorse Josh Jacobs.
From the Houston Texans' perspective, Jacobs is the most ideal fit of the three. He is consistent, he churns out yardage, he can keep safeties honest to open up the passing game, and he should be more affordable and achievable of a free agent target than Henry.
The Texans' leading rusher last season was Devin Singletary, who barely scraped past 800 yards and put up an exactly average 4.2 yards per carry. His backup, Dameon Pierce, could only muster 2.9 yards per carry. Houston would ideally have Singletary as a backup to a true star running back and then replace Pierce with a dice roll in the draft.
Jacobs could give CJ Stroud and the Texans' passing game the exact support they need to challenge defenses downfield and move the chains. The former first-round pick out of Alabama has been in the league for five seasons but is still only 25 and going strong. He had just 805 yards for the Raiders and averaged well under four yards per carry, but that had more to do with the Raiders being completely abysmal in the passing game. Thus, Jacobs is the perfect buy-low candidate.
A year before 2023, Jacobs led the league with a whopping 1,653 rushing yards and was a first-team All-Pro player for the first time in his career. Jacobs showed that he isn't far off from the level of his alma mater's Henry, and if the Texans can somehow add both him and Evans around Stroud, it could be game over for everyone else in the AFC.