New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is brought down by Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter. David Butler II-Imagn Images

What Texans Need to Become True Super Bowl Contenders

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 29, 2026 11:26 AM ET

The Houston Texans are still feeling the sting after their divisional round loss to the New England Patriots, who will be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl next month.

The Texans are still looking for their first Super Bowl appearance and AFC Championship berth for that matter as they have gone without one in their first 25 seasons of existence.

ESPN contributor Bill Barnwell believes he has the fix for the Texans that will help them become Super Bowl champions.

"Houston added quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. to its roster after Ryans' arrival, which helped quite a bit. But Ryans has also built the league's best defense," Barnwell wrote.

"As much as that's constructed around stars such Anderson and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke have made players at all levels better -- including draftees Kamari Lassiter and Jalen Pitre, notable free agents Danielle Hunter and Azeez Al-Shaair, and lesser-known players such as Tommy Togiai. If the Texans could just fix the offensive infrastructure around Stroud, they would be Super Bowl contenders."

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Texans Inching Closer to Super Bowl

The Texans know they have an incredible defense with several young players scattered across the unit. That will give them the opportunity to invest more in the offense during the offseason, both in free agency and the draft.

The offense struggled mightily in the loss against the Patriots, especially quarterback C.J. Stroud, but the team still believes he is the answer at quarterback. As long as he is there, Houston will have to improve the team around him.

The clock is ticking for the Texans because so many of these people are due for new contracts, including Stroud. Stingley's new deal goes into effect this offseason, where he will carry a cap hit of over $27 million. Next year, those deals for Anderson and Stroud could add up and Hunter is possibly on his final contract year with the Texans.

Championship windows are incredibly small in the league, which is why teams have to capitalize when it is open for them. The Texans have done a decent job building that window for themselves, but they need to actually walk through it, which is something they have not been able to do up until now.

The Texans have to put together the right offensive pieces in free agency and the draft in order to hoist the Lombardi Trophy next season in Los Angeles.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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