HOUSTON — When the Houston Texans open their 2021 campaign against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 12, they will do so with a completely different roster than the one that went 4-12 last season. Headline by quarterback Tyrod Taylor — who will likely start under center inside NRG Stadium — the ’21 Texans will feature 30 new players.
Houston’s 53-man roster came together during the NFL’s cutdown day late Tuesday afternoon when first-year general manager Nick Caserio released or waived 24 players.
Reducing a training camp roster to 53 of the team’s best players is always a daunting task for any general manager. But the decisions are made easier depending on the objective of the team ahead of the new season. And for the Texans, the objective in 2021 screams one word — rebuild.
“I’ll probably put my foot in my mouth for saying this, but it’s not as much outcome-oriented as process-oriented, and that’s what we’re trying to do and build,” Caserio said during his media availability on Wednesday. “What we’re trying to do is create a foundational culture where we have players who are tough-minded, who are selfless, who are going to work hard every day, and they’re going to compete their ass off. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
With the exception of Jaleel Johnson and Shyheim Carter’s releases — two defensive standouts from training camp and preseason play — the Texans’ defense did not see any significant changes. After all, this is a defense that totaled 10 takeaways in three preseason games, eclipsing their total number of nine in 2020.
The most noteworthy change on the defensive side of the ball was the trade that sent Shaq Lawson to the New York Jets. He was a prominent offseason acquisition who possessed the talent to boost Houston’s front four, but the emergence of Ross Blacklock, Roy Lopez and Jacob Martin played a factor in his jettison from Houston.
According to first-year head coach David Culley, Lawson happened to be in a position group with a lot of depth, and other guys were playing their best at that time. The Texans received a 2022 sixth-round pick in exchange for Lawson.
“We’ve made some plays, and we’ve turned the ball over,” Caserio said. “I think [that] side of the ball has played with a lot of effort. What you want to do is see a continuation of whatever you’re doing well. Hopefully, that translates and carries over into the regular season.”
The defensive players who survived cutdown day were straightforward with little to no surprises, but Houston’s most renowned decisions took place on the offensive side of the ball.
The Texans have spent the latter part of the last three seasons ranked amidst the top teams in passing yards, but that will not be the case in 2021. Houston is entering the ’21 campaign with five wide receivers on the roster — four due to the injured Anthony Miller.
They released two wide receivers and waived an additional pair at the deadline, which included the departure of Keke Coutee. There is an enormous concern given their diminished receiving core. But the Texans’ offense will hinge upon their run game next season — hints at the five running backs who made the 53-man roster.
When the Texans need an additional pass-catcher on certain drives, they will be able to use the flexibility of their three tight ends to fill the slot, according to Culley.
In three preseason games, the trio of Jordan Akins, Pharaoh Brown and Brevin Jordan recorded a combined 31 yards on three catches. Coutee notched 58 yards while leading the team in receptions with eight.
“I would say, certain positions we probably have a little bit more depth on the roster versus off,” Caserio said. “We’re going to look at everything. We’re not going to rule anything out. Will we have five receivers tomorrow? Maybe, maybe not. Will we have five receivers for the Jacksonville game? Probably, probably not. Could be more, could be less.”
The Texans’ lack of receivers and heavy focus on their run game could be an attempt to suppress their faltered quarterback situation. They gracelessly named Deshaun Watson to their 2021 roster, but the reigning NFL passing leader will likely miss the entire season due to his ongoing trade request.
Taylor and Davis Mills will be Houston’s presume active quarterbacks in 17 out of the next 18 weeks. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to discover that the Texans’ quarterback production next season will be a near 180 from that of Watson since 2017.
The Texans are handling Watson’s snafu situation on a day-to-day basis with no indication that the three-time pro-bowler will play this year.
The Texans’ 53-man roster will possibly experience several extensive alterations throughout the season — some as early as their Week 1 match against their AFC South counterparts.
Culley said he views the 13 players signed to the practice squad as an extension of their 53, while Caserio stated if there’s an opportunity for Houston to improve at any position, then they will go ahead and do it.
Although the roster overhaul will have the Texans looking drastically different from the year before, the results will likely remain the same. And in some cases, the results could be even worse.
“I think David and the staff have done a great job up to this point,” Caserio said. “We’re making progress. I’d say we’ve got a long way to go, we have a lot of work in front of us, and nothing’s going to happen overnight. We’re going to take it one day at a time, try to work as hard as we can, as best we can on a day-to-day basis, and we’ll see where we end up as we move forward.”