Got a question about the Texans?
Life in general?
Drew Dougherty's your guy.
He's been with the Texans since 2009 and is chock full of meaningful, as well as generally useless, information. Fire away by clicking HERE.
Ryan Turner: Dear Drew, What are the Texans needing the most to improve on offense?
DD: They have to do a better job protecting the quarterback, running the ball consistently, and getting explosive plays.
C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, and he was hit a lot more. In large part to the pressure he faced, his passer rating, passing yards and touchdown totals fell, while interceptions went up.
If he's got a bit more time than he did last year, expect his numbers—and the offense's as a whole—to improve.
Clarence Caroline, IV: Dear Drew, Now that the draft is over and we have depth at wide receiver, what are we going to do about our offensive line?
DD: The Texans spent their second pick, a 48th overall, on Minnesota left tackle Aireontae Ersery. They also added several veterans via free agency. Executive Vice President/General Manager Nick Caserio has emphasized a few times in the last month or so that the team will remain active in trying to improve in all phases. So it's very likely we'll see some more movement—transaction-wise—from the Texans from now throughout training camp.
Thomas Stinson: Dear Drew, Why draft a quarterback?
DD: After Stroud, the Texans have Davis Mills and Kedon Slovis on the 90-man roster. Case Keenum signed with the Bears in free agency. Houston added Florida's Graham Mertz in the sixth round on Saturday.
Mertz began his college career at Wisconsin and transferred to Gainesville in 2023. That fall, he threw 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and completed 72.9 percent of his passes for the Gators.
"Good demeanor, good presence, has good leadership, good size," Caserio said. "Throws a pretty good ball. The type of player that we felt had some traits and characteristics at that position that we wanted to work with. We had him here in the building and he was as advertised. We'll see how it goes when he gets here."
Edward Garza: Dear Drew, How many of the new draftees have any ties to H-town and how? Any tattoos of H-town or Texans tattoos?
DD: None of the nine are from Houston or Texas, and I'm not sure about their tattoo situations.
Ashton Tudyk: Dear Drew, With the acquisition of Woody Marks, what's going to happen at running back?
DD: He'll add to the competition at the spot, and brings some playmaking ability.
Joe Mixon is coming off a Pro Bowl campaign in which he cracked the 1,000-yard mark in just 14 games, and also ran for 11 touchdowns. Dameon Pierce, meanwhile, carried 40 times for 293 yards and a pair of scores, and Dare Ogunbowale had 49 touches when you combine his carries and catches. J.J. Taylor, meanwhile, saw action in five games and rushed for 44 yards on 10 attempts.
Marks will compete with those four and some others, and he brings a resume that saw him rush for 5.7 yards per carry last season at USC. In the four years prior to that at Mississippi State, he averaged 5.0 yards per, and caught more than 52 passes per season in his five years of college ball.
