In his first stint as an NFL head coach, Texans HC DeMeco Ryans had two similar seasons. Both in 2023 and 2024, they qualified for the playoffs with a 10-7 regular season record. And they also lost the divisional game twice in a row. As the head coach, he first sorted the most important position, the quarterback CJ Stroud. The second overall pick of the 2023 draft rose quickly in the league. As expected, the Texans have him as their focus.
KPRC-TV reporter Aaron Wilson confirmed this by tweeting on March 16 that the AFC West HC wants to straighten out the offensive tackle position in the draft or the free agency. He even claimed, “They’ll be drafting offensive linemen, probably at least two new ones.” It’s in line with what DeMeco Ryans himself had said.
The #Texans are expected to address the OL at “any stage” of the draft & possibly still through FA with a swing tackle being on their wishlist via @AaronWilson_NFL
“They’ll be drafting offensive linemen, probably at least two new ones” a league source told Aaron Wilson pic.twitter.com/yJ5Xbh5Cmc
— Jacob (@TexansJacob) March 16, 2025
A week before free agency, the head coach had mentioned this need, “Getting better protection for QB C.J. Stroud is definitely a main point of emphasis for us. We know when C.J. is protected, he has a clean pocket, he’s a pretty good quarterback.” The point, though, is, what are their options now? Who are the best OLs available now?
Former Vikings OT Cam Robinson is a solid offensive tackle. The 29-year-old has played 8 seasons already in the league. But there are some performance-related issues. He allowed the most pressures, 64, in 11 games last year. So, they need to be careful.
There is another option for DeMeco Ryans. OT Jedrick Wills played 4 seasons for the Browns. For most of his career, PFF has graded him among the top offensive linemen in the NFL. But the Texans need to help the player overcome the mental barriers of the MCL injury and the Browns benching him. In the last 2 seasons, he has only played 13 games.
Another pro, the Rams‘ Joe Noteboom also suffered an ankle injury in 2024. So, unless the Texans have their minds made up to dip into the draft, they have these options in free agency. Another priority for them is their running back depth.
DeMeco Ryans eye Texans’ replacement in the coming draft
In 2024, the franchise signed a 3-year $27 million deal with their RB Joe Mixon. But the 28-year-old has shown some attitude. And the fierce will to succeed has forced the team to look for options. They are going with their tested strategy. Draft a new player!
Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante predicted that DeMeco Ryans will go for Virginia Tech halfback Bhayshul Tuten in the 3rd round. He added, “Bhayshul Tuten is a productive collegiate running back with blazing speed and a low center of gravity. Though unproven on passing downs, he’s one of the best pure runners in this 2025 NFL Draft class.”
The 5 feet 9 inches 206 pounds player has shown raw athleticism, showing fast speeds on the gridiron. But he is not without drawbacks. He has shown challenges between the tackles, often cutting out east to west instead of cutting between them. There’s another problem. 9 fumbles in 363 carries! So, the ball security is below average as per the NFL standard.
But if the Texans make up their mind to breach the final roadblock, they can definitely go for him and coach him to greatness. DeMeco Ryans would like to reach the next stage in his third attempt.
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