Texans Won’t Hire GM
The Texans’ offseason is underway and they won’t be hiring a new general manager to manage things. On Monday, head coach Bill O’Brien confirmed the team’s previously rumored plans to keep the current structure in place without the addition of a new GM (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). 
“I feel like where we are right now it stays the way it is,” O’Brien said of the team’s current front office. “We have a great group of people.”
The Texans have taken a committee approach to roster management since firing Brian Gaine back in June. Since then, executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby has run the football operations department with O’Brien having final say. Meanwhile, VP of Football Administration Chris Olsen handles contracts and salary cap matters with Matt Bazirgan running player personnel.
When Gaine was forced out, the Texans were denied the chance to hire top Patriots executive Nick Caserio to serve as their GM. After their plans were thwarted, the belief was that they would wait until after the 2020 draft, then hire Caserio away from New England. Apparently, that’s no longer the plan.
The Texans’ unorthodox setup has not prevented them from staying active. The Texans traded for running backs Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde, giving them the quality backfield that they sorely needed. They also swung a blockbuster deal for Laremy Tunsil and moved Jadeveon Clowney to the Seahawks for a third-rounder and two players. That third rounder later turned into former Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley.
Updated 2020 NFL Draft Order
The stage has been set for the conference championships. The Titans, Chiefs, 49ers, and Packers are moving on to the semifinals, while the Texans, Seahawks, Ravens, and Vikings will begin planning for the offseason ahead. Unfortunately for the Texans, their first round pick belongs to the Dolphins.
Here’s an updated look at the 2020 NFL Draft order from Nos. 1-28:
1. Bengals (2-14)
2. Redskins (3-13)
3. Lions (3-12-1)
4. Giants (4-12)
5 Dolphins (5-11)
6. Chargers (5-11)
7. Panthers (5-11)
8. Cardinals (5-10-1)
9. Jaguars (6-10)
10. Browns (6-10)
11. Jets (7-9)
12. Raiders (7-9)
13. Colts (7-9)
14. Buccaneers (7-9)
15. Broncos (7-9)
16. Falcons (7-9)
17. Cowboys (8-8)
18. Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)
19. Raiders (via Bears 8-8)
20. Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)
21. Eagles (9-7)
22. Bills (10-6)
23. Patriots (12-4)
24. Saints (13-3)
25. Vikings (10-6)
26. Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)
27. Seahawks (11-5)
28. Ravens (14-2)
Texans Expect Crennel Back
The Texans got embarrassed Sunday as they blew a 24-point lead in the playoffs to the Chiefs, but don’t expect any major coaching changes. It doesn’t look like Bill O’Brien is going anywhere, and his top assistant coach seems to be safe for now as well. O’Brien said after the game that he anticipates defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel being back next year, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Seemingly every year there is speculation that the 72-year-old legendary coach will retire or get pushed out, but he’s been able to stick.
Texans To Try To Extend Deshaun Watson This Offseason
As members of the 2017 draft class, star quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes are both eligible for extensions after the 2019 season comes to a close. We recently heard that the Chiefs and Mahomes are expected to agree to a new contract in the coming months — a contract that could exceed $200MM in total value — but we have heard less about Watson.
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link), the Texans will try to extend Watson this offseason, but Watson wants to wait until Mahomes has signed his new pact so that he can try to trump it. And because Kansas City does not want to reach an accord with Mahomes until a new CBA is in place, a new deal between Houston and Watson may not be consummated until the late spring or early summer months.
Of course, neither team has to negotiate new contracts with their signal-callers this year. Both players can be controlled through the 2021 season since both were first-round choices and are therefore subject to a fifth-year option. But it sounds like the Texans and Chiefs want to put pen to paper sooner rather than later, perhaps as a result of the ever-rising salary cap.
Watson, who was an MVP candidate for much of the year, finished the 2019 regular season with 3,852 passing yards, 26 TDs, 12 interceptions, and a 98.0 QB rating. He also rushed 82 times for 413 yards and seven scores, and he picked up a signature playoff win with the Texans’ comeback defeat of the Bills in last week’s wildcard matchup.
Watson’s Texans will visit Mahomes’ Chiefs in today’s divisional round bout, the winner of which will host the Titans in the AFC Championship Game.
Injury Notes: Fuller, Jackson, Addae, Akins
By now it’s no secret that the Texans offense is a different animal when wide receiver Will Fuller is on the field. Without their deep threat, Houston managed to squeak by the Bills in the Wild Card Round, but going up against the Chiefs on Sunday, the team is very happy to expect Fuller to return from his groin injury, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network. Fuller missed time during the regular season with a hamstring injury and only appeared in 11 of the teams games. In those 11 contests, Fuller amassed 49 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns.
Here are a couple other injury notes for Sunday’s games:
- The Packers have added cornerback Josh Jackson to the injury report with an illness, according to Ian Rapaport of the NFL Network. While it is not expected to prevent Jackson from taking the field, it very well could limit him from playing to the top of his talents.
- Texans safety Jahleel Addae and tight end Jordan Akins did not travel with the team to Kansas City and will not play Sunday against the Chiefs, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network. Neither Addae nor Akins are massive contributors for Houston, but both have been solid role players for the team. Addae compiled 41 tackles and two interceptions, while Akins started 9 games and caught 36 passes for 418 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Texans’ Johnathan Joseph To Play Vs. Chiefs
Johnathan Joseph is good to go for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, according to NFL.com’s James Palmer (on Twitter). The Texans beat the Bills without Joseph last week as he healed up from a hamstring injury, but they’re grateful to have him back as they face one of the league’s most dangerous offenses. 
Joseph suffered the injury in Week 17 against the Titans, leaving them without one of their most important players in the secondary for the wild card round. Before that, Joseph started in eleven of his 14 regular season games, notching 51 total tackles plus an interception in their Week 16 win vs. the Bucs.
In 2018, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 10 ranked cornerback in the NFL. The advanced metrics haven’t been quite as kind to the 35-year-old this year, but he remains an integral part of the defense and a key piece of the puzzle as the Texans look to keep a lid on the Chiefs’ aerial attack.
This postseason may also mark Joseph’s last. Joseph is slated to hit free agency in March, just before his 36th birthday in April.
Will Fuller Expected To Play In R2
- One of the NFL’s most important No. 2 wideouts, Will Fuller is trending in the right direction for the Texans‘ divisional-round rematch in Kansas City. The Texans expect their deep threat to return against the Chiefs, Rapoport tweets. Fuller was limited Wednesday. Deshaun Watson‘s QBR figure is 16 points higher when Fuller is on the field compared to when he’s not. The injury-prone wideout missed six games this season, the latest because of the groin injury he sustained in December.
Texans, D.J. Reader Not Close On Extension
Texans defensive tackle D.J. Reader is far from a household name, but he looks poised to become a very rich man in the near future. The Clemson product, who was selected by the Texans in the fifth round of the 2016 draft, is finishing up the last year of his rookie contract and is eligible for unrestricted free agency in March.
In his platform year, Reader has continued to thrive as a run-stopper, and his ability to absorb blocks and open lanes for Houston’s linebackers is a key component of the team’s defense. He has also shown growth as a pass rusher, and even though he hasn’t posted a sack since Week 5, head coach Bill O’Brien recently acknowledged that Reader gives the defense some “juice” in the passing game.
As such, it makes sense that Houston would want to retain Reader’s services for the foreseeable future, but as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes, the two sides are “nowhere close” on a new deal. Such a contract may look similar to the five-year, $54MM ($27.5MM guaranteed) pact the Ravens gave to Brandon Williams in 2017, which looked like an overpay at the time but which now may be more in line with the current market. Like Williams, Reader is a natural 3-4 nose tackle who can play defensive end and whose primary job is to stop the run and eat blocks while making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable when he can.
If the two sides cannot come to an agreement before free agency opens, Wilson suggests that the franchise tag could be in play for Reader, who was named as a Pro Bowl alternate this year. The 2020 tag for DTs is projected to be roughly $15.5MM.
For what it’s worth, Reader would like to stay with the Texans. “Oh, you know I love it here,” Reader said. “I love the fans. I love the organization. They gave me my first real job. I love the city. People love me here. Hopefully, that opportunity comes around.”
Texans Notes: Fuller, Watt, Anger
The Texans will be without a major offensive weapon when they open the playoffs against the Bills this afternoon. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that wideout Will Fuller will not play today as he continues to recover from his groin injury.
Fuller suffered the injury during Houston’s Week 16 victory over the Buccaneers. There was some optimism that the 25-year-old would be ready to return for the playoffs, but the groin injury will sideline him for at least another week. The former first-rounder finished the 2019 regular season with a career-high 49 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns.
With Fuller out of the lineup, Wilson suggests that receiver Keke Coutee will be active for today’s game.
Let’s check out some more notes out of Houston…
- While the Fuller absence will certainly hurt, the Texans can at least look forward to J.J. Watt‘s return to the lineup. The veteran played in the Texans’ first eight games before suffering a torn pectoral muscle. While the risk of re-injury does exist, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the team isn’t planning on using the pass rusher situationally (Twitter link). Rather, the team is expected to “unleash him” instead of hold him back.
- The Texans extended punter Bryan Anger last week, and Wilson has the details on the new deal (Twitter link). The three-year, $7.5MM contract includes $2MM guaranteed and a $1.25MM signing bonus. Anger will have a cap number of $2.312MM in 2020 and $2.812MM in 2021 and 2022. His base salary peaks at $2.5MM.
- Anger wasn’t the only Texans player to ink an extension last week. In case you missed it, Whitney Mercilus signed a four-year deal with Houston.
Texans Activate J.J. Watt
J.J. Watt is back. Officially. 
On Tuesday, the Texans formally activated their star defender, per a club announcement. Watt will return to the field for Wild Card weekend to face the Bills on Saturday.
Watt was double-teamed 30% of the time on his edge rusher snaps this year, more than any other qualifying player in the NFL. He still managed to tally four sacks and 24 tackles in eight games, up until he tore his pectoral muscle. Typically, pec surgery rules players out for three or four months, but Watt beat out the doctor’s prognosis by a wide margin.
Re-injury risk does exist here, but Watt encountering such a scenario would not jeopardize his status for Week 1 of next season. The Texans have been without their future Hall of Fame pass rusher, and their pass rush has suffered. Watt’s 21 QB hits led the league at the time of his injury, and 5.5 of Whitney Mercilus‘ 7.5 sacks came during the seven games in which Watt played from start to finish.
This will obviously increase the Texans’ chances of winning their first playoff game in three years. Houston had Watt for its 2018 wild-card game against Indianapolis but lost. Watt did not play in the Texans’ two 2016 playoff games. He’s the only player in NFL history to record two 20-plus-sack seasons, so this transaction will alter the Bills’ game plan.
To make room for Watt, the Texans placed safety Tashaun Gipson on injured reserve. The veteran had 51 tackles and three interceptions in 14 games this season. Gipson suffered a transverse process fracture in his back, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle notes. The former Browns and Jaguars starter signed a three-year, $22.5MM deal with the Texans this offseason.