Can the Texans convince J.J. Watt and coaching candidates Houston isn’t a rebuild?

The Houston Texans aren’t in a great place at 2-6. Can they convince J.J. Watt and future coaching candidates the franchise isn’t in rebuilding mode?

This past Wednesday, under the cloud cover of heavy United States election coverage, Texans defensive end J.J. Watt gave an interesting interview to the Houston media.

Among a somewhat frustrated and lengthy media session, one quote should have stuck out to Houston fans: “I’m not looking to rebuild.”

“I am here,” Watt told reporters on Nov. 4. “Obviously I am trying to do whatever I can to help us win games. I don’t think it’s any secret that I don’t have 10 years left in this league. I personally believe that I do have a few more great ones left in me.

“But, you also can’t — I’m not looking to rebuild. I’m looking to go after a championship and that’s what I want to do. Whatever is in the best interest of the Houston Texans, that’s in the best interest of myself. But, like I said, I’m interested in winning a championship in this league. That’s every player’s goal.”

In one statement, the greatest player in franchise history quickly summarized what both he and the Houston Texans know about his career: everyone is closer to watching Watt’s last snap than his first snap. This comment came amongst an absolute frenzy of headlines surrounding the Texans with various ways to move forward from a 1-6 season start. Players like Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller, and Zach Cunnningham were heavily circulated to be available for trade.

The local media has already established that Houston is a disaster this season. Even with Sunday’s win over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston still carries a deafening 2-6 record. A game that, notably, saw Watt notch his 100th career sack in what has been a Hall of Fame worthy career. However, they were barely able to squeak by a rookie sixth-round pick and a Jacksonville roster that was considered to be one of the worst rosters in the NFL entering the year. Problems remain in Houston of an expensive salary situation, lack of draft capital, and a defense that is among the league’s worst (although the other team in Texas may have their own opinions.)

Multiple outlets on Saturday reported Watt was a “certainty” to be traded during the coming offseason.

Historically, looking at playoff odds from 1990-2013, teams with a 2-6 record have never made the NFL playoffs. Looking at that data and Houston’s seeming inability to beat anyone other than Jacksonville, the story has most likely been written on the 2020 Houston Texans.

With the playoffs out of reach, the focus needs to shift in Houston. There may not be a Super Bowl coming for the Texans but there is certainly a goal that can take precedent for the team. It’s time for Deshaun Watson, Laremy Tunsil, Cunningham, and other leaders in the clubhouse to convince Watt and whoever will be coming to interview in January that the club is not a rebuild.

The Texans’ next four games look favorable compared to the early schedule. They face the Cleveland Browns (potentially without Baker Mayfield due to COVID-19), the ‘hell-froze-over’ disaster New England Patriots, Matt Patricia’s Detroit Lions, and the anemic Indianapolis Colts. There is no such thing as a guaranteed win with Houston’s Swiss cheese secondary, but these are certainly winnable games with how well Watson is playing in his fourth year.

A winning streak, hypothetically 3-1, would place Houston at 5-7 and firmly out of the “worst-team in the league other than New York” conversation they are currently a part of. They could even be in playoff contention, for those of us who are privy to delusional optimism.

Regardless, the roster proving it does not require a dramatic overhaul beyond the secondary could go a long way towards’ the desirability of both the head coaching vacancy and the general manager position.

Romeo Crennel’s advanced age, no offense to the president-elect, makes him unlikely to retain the coaching position in a league that seems to value youth and offensive prowess above all else. The team will absolutely hire a general manager after the O’Brien dual coach-manager experiment exploded.

There is by no means going to be a vacuum of coaching vacancies. The top suitors will have plenty of options in both organizational history, salaries, and rosters they’ll be able to mold.

Is a 6-10, AFC South team with Deshaun Watson more appealing than a Matt Ryan-led Atlanta Falcons vacancy or the opportunity to coach Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields? Could a Texans’ strong finish pull an Eric Bienemy from Kansas City or Joe Brady from Carolina to bring their team towards the NFL’s modern offensive evolution? These are the questions facing the team moving forward.

It’s worth noting that Watt is under contract until 2022. Houston’s star defensive end could not simply up and walk away should he decide the Texans are a poor fit for him to finish his playing career. However, it’s hard to see the team saying no should Watt respectfully request a trade after doing so much for both the organization and the city during his 10-year tenure.

By the time the team may consider moving Watt to a “non-rebuild” team in March, the team will most likely have made a hiring at both coach and general manager. The quality of these two candidates Houston will acquire may be strongly dictated by how they are able to perform through the softer second-half of their schedule.

Watt is a competitor and there’s no reason to doubt his genuine desire to win a Super Bowl before he hangs up the cleats. The onus is now on Houston to prove they can still give him that opportunity. A new, top head-coaching candidate combined with a strong finish to 2020 may be the only avenue towards making that argument.

News coverage will focus on potential trades to acquire draft capital and possible free agency moves within the confines of the (certainly adjusted) 2021 salary cap. That is the way for teams that have (virtually) eliminated themselves from playoff contention by the season’s midway point. However, don’t forget that this season’s conclusion will certainly have massive repercussions on what kind of ‘rebuild’ the Texans will be in 2021. The difference between 4-12 and 7-9 may serve as drastically different signals to Watt and other players on what the team’s ceiling could be with a new head coach.

Fans, relish Watson’s undeniable progression this season. Enjoy the resurgence of Cooks and the elevation of Fuller toward an alpha-level receiver. Don’t close your eyes when Phillip Gaines and Vernon Hargreaves allow yet another reception to an average receiver. Maybe these games don’t matter, but their outcome certainly might.