Every offseason brings about new needs for an NFL team.
The Texans have seen a handful of players sign with other teams in free agency, but they've also re-signed contributors like tight end Ryan Griffin, punter Shane Lechler and kicker Nick Novak. Plus, defensive end J.J. Watt and cornerback Kevin Johnson are expected to return from injuries that derailed their 2016 campaigns.
At the Combine in Indianapolis, Deepi Sidhu of HoustonTexans.com spoke with various members of the national media, and got their perspective on the biggest area of need. It came with the caveat of "other than the quarterback position", but that didn't deter a few scribes.
Sidhu spoke with Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Alex Flanagan of NBC Sports, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Jason La Canfora of B-more Opinionated, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Albert Breer of MMQB and Adam Caplan from ESPN.
BRUGLER: "I'd lean offensive line. Whoever's that quarterback, they need someone that's going to help protect them. Obviously that helps open up the run game, helps open up the pass game. Adding an extra offensive lineman – not only you need someone on the right side, but Duane Brown isn't going to play forever and you need a future left tackle as well. I think offensive line would make a lot of sense."
FLANAGAN: "I'm still going to say quarterback because I think everything revolves around that. It seemed like you guys had a lot of great pieces in place and I think just getting that position figured out."
RAPOPORT: "Tackle. Offensive tackle. For the future, for now and for the future."
LA CANFORA"I'm sticking with quarterback. It's quarterback. It's quarterback. It's quarterback. They get that sorted out, there's enough pieces in place there. I mean, look. You're getting a little long in the tooth at a couple spots on the offensive line, what have you, but if they had decent quarterback play last year, who knows."
MCCLAIN: "Right offensive tackle by a long shot."
BREER: "They need help on the offensive line. That's a tough spot to need a lot of help on because the draft class isn't very good at those – at any of those positions. Tackles aren't great. There isn't a great center. There are a couple guards that are pretty good but there's not a lot of depth there."
CAPLAN: "I would say offensive line. I think offensive line to be is a little bit of a concern – in addition to quarterback. The offensive line, quarterback going into the offseason, to me, would be the greatest concerns other than some depth at certain positions, but they're going to be good. How good depends a lot starting with quarterback."
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
DL, Mario Addison, #97
QB, Kyle Allen, #3
RB, Darius Anderson, #30
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
WR, Chad Beebe
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #56
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #8
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
WR, Jalen Camp, #17
OL, A.J. Cann, #60
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #96
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
OL, Myron Cunningham, #72
DL, Damion Daniels, #93
WR, Davion Davis, #14
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
WR, Drew Estrada, #81
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
DB, Jacobi Francis, #38
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Kenyon Green, #59
DL, Rasheem Green, #92
TE, Seth Green, #87
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Troy Hairston, #34
LB, Jake Hansen, #49
LB, Christian Harris, #48
DL, Demone Harris, #94
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
DL, Kurt Hinish, #69
QB, Kevin Hogan, #16
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55
FB, Andy Janovich, #41
DL, Jordan Jenkins, #50
WR, Johnny Johnson III, #89
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
RB, Marlon Mack, #2
DB, Tristin McCollum, #39
OL, Justin McCray, #64
WR, John Metchie III, #88
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, Fabian Moreau, #22
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
DL, Adedayo Odeleye, #75
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Jalen Pitre, #42
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #40
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #44
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
OL, Max Scharping, #74
TE, Mason Schreck, #47
DB, Kendall Sheffield, #27
DB, Tremon Smith, #1
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
OL, Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms, #73
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
WR, Connor Wedington, #82
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20
