Houston Texans' Defensive Unit Ranked Among NFL’s Best Entering 2025

The Houston Texans have a defense that can carry the franchise through a deep playoff run, and like any great defense, it all starts up front. 

Pro Football Focus recently ranked all 32 defensive lines across the league, placing the Texans’ impressive front No. 4 overall behind the Giants, Eagles, and Steelers. Headlined by edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson, Jr., the front four in Houston is an imposing force for opposing offenses.

However, the weakness of the group lies on the interior, and was the prevailing reason PFF didn’t rank the Texans higher. Tim Settle received the highest PFF grade inside, but that was just a 58.6, which ranked 58th in the league.

Sheldon Rankins was brought back to Houston this offseason to help provide more veteran consistency inside. His one-year stint with the Cincinnati Bengals saw him play in just seven games, recording a single sack, his only tackle for loss of the season. While it’s nice to have Rankins back in the fold after a solid performance in 2023, at 31, it’s unlikely he rebounds the interior defensive line by a significant margin.

Fellow veterans Folorunso Fatukasi and Mario Edwards, Jr., don’t inspire much either. It’s a good thing the Texans have a solid linebacker group led by Azeez Al-Shaair to uphold the presence in the middle of the defense.

Still, there aren’t many options to make an upgrade before training camp. Raekwon Davis fits the Alabama pipeline, but questions surrounding his health and questionable scheme fit in Houston make him an unlikely candidate.  Khalil Davis is back on the market after being traded from Houston to San Francisco, though his lack of production doesn’t inspire a return. Outside of those two, the options compound against scheme fit or provide nothing Houston doesn’t already have. If the Texans are at all active at the trade deadline mid-season, the interior defensive line could be a likely place to see an upgrade.

Despite lacking a big name in the middle of the defensive front, though, Houston did rank 11th in run defense last year, so it’s not as though Houston has significant concerns in the trenches. 

Nonetheless, if Houston is satisfied with the personnel they currently possess, there isn’t much room to worry. The entire defensive unit is still considerable, especially regarding the complementary style between the pass rush and defensive backfield.