As teams focus on the offseason, player acquisition, and position battles, rosters are taking shape for the 2023 season. Decision-makers and general managers are always looking to improve their clubs, and one of the ways to do that is by building from within.
Most teams have someone on the roster that they could lock up long-term and benefit their team. Bleacher Report named every team's most important contract extension ahead of the 2023 season, and the choice for the Houston Texans should be no surprise.
Houston Texans: CB Steven Nelson
The Houston Texans are in full-on rebuild mode, and if we're being honest, there just aren't many extension-eligible players who have shown they should be a part of the franchise's future.
Cornerback Steven Nelson is one notable exception. He signed a two-year free agent deal last offseason and proved to be one of the few bright spots on Houston's 30th-ranked defense.
The 30-year-old started 15 games in 2022 and played 94 percent of the defensive snaps in those games. He finished with 52 tackles, a sack, seven passes defended and an interception while allowing an opposing passer rating of only 80.5 in coverage.
It remains to be seen how Nelson operates under new head coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke. However, extending Nelson now would ensure that Houston keeps a quality veteran leader on its defense for the foreseeable future.
The Texans recently made a similar move with defensive tackle Maliek Collins, and Nelson should be next on their extension list.
With new additions from this year's draft, it could be easy to overlook some of the existing talent on the roster. And Nelson is one that should be locked up long-term before the season gets underway.
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