Despite offseason moves, national analysts call the Texans' offseason “underwhelming”

The Houston Texans made headlines this offseason with the addition of four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb. Still, national analysts remain skeptical about the team’s overall progress as the 2025 NFL season approaches.

Chubb, 29, signed a one-year deal worth up to $5 million after passing his physical earlier this month. The former Cleveland Browns standout joins a backfield already featuring Joe Mixon, giving Houston a formidable one-two punch behind quarterback C.J. Stroud. 

Stroud, last season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, briefly missed offseason workouts with soreness in his throwing shoulder but returned to full participation during mandatory minicamp. Both Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans downplayed any concerns, with Stroud insisting, “I’m fine, man. I’m really OK,” and Ryans emphasizing the team was simply being cautious.

Despite the high-profile signing and Stroud’s clean bill of health, FOX Sports NFL writer Ben Arthur described the Texans’ offseason in one word: “underwhelming.” 

Arthur and other analysts pointed to Houston’s failure to significantly upgrade an offensive line that allowed Stroud to be the second-most sacked quarterback in 2024. The team traded perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and brought in veterans Cam Robinson, Trent Brown, Laken Tomlinson, and Ed Ingram—moves that have drawn criticism for not sufficiently addressing the unit’s struggles. 

“Their moves to address the group, including trading away perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, feel disappointing,” Arthur wrote. ESPN’s Ben Solak went further, ranking Houston’s offseason among the league’s bottom five and questioning the reliability of the new additions to the offensive fron: 

The Texans did make other notable moves, including trading for receiver Christian Kirk and re-signing key defensive players Derek Stingley Jr. and Danielle Hunter. However, the consensus among analysts is that Houston’s offseason lacked the “splash” necessary to elevate the team beyond its recent playoff ceiling.

Houston opens training camp later this summer, aiming for a third consecutive AFC South title and hoping its revamped roster can protect Stroud and maximize the impact of its new backfield tandem.