ESPN: Houston Texans Offseason Overview

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2074175&num=3

• Houston Texans

Best move: First-round pick Travis Johnson was a much-needed young addition to the defensive line. Coach Dom Capers asks a lot of his 3-4 defensive linemen. For whatever reason, things didn't work out last year. They ranked 23rd on defense and 13th against the run. To make the playoffs, a 3-4 defense needs to rank in the top 10 against the run, which is probably the reason the Texans tried to get younger and add a little more speed on defense. Capers quietly shook up a lot of things on defense. He brought in Phillip Buchanon at cornerback for veteran Aaron Glenn. He moved Kailee Wong from outside to inside linebacker and signed Morlon Greenwood from the Dolphins to also play on the inside. Gone are Jamie Sharper and Jay Foreman. Critics weren't sure Johnson was the right choice for the Texans, but the team fell in love with him. With Johnson, Gary Walker, Seth Payne and Robaire Smith, the Texans have invested heavily along their defensive line. Johnson can learn from the veterans in front of him and gradually gain more playing time as the season progresses.

Biggest surprise: Greenwood wasn't a star on the big-name Miami Dolphins defense, so it was a little surprising to see him as the key offseason acquisition to fix the interior of the Texans' defense. Greenwood doesn't have the bulk of most inside linebackers in the 3-4. Apparently, the Texans liked his range and speed. Still, he replaces a popular player in Sharper, who has been productive since joining the Texans in their inaugural season. If Greenwood is the right choice and Wong does well in the middle, the Texans should have more range at inside linebacker. For that to happen, Jason Babin and Antwan Peek need big seasons on the outside.

Bottom line: The expansion years are gone. The Texans are coming off a 7-9 season and it's time for them to step up as a contender. The plan is to run the ball more to take some pressure off Carr, who was the victim of 49 sacks last season. The Texans worked with him on releasing the ball quicker to prevent the sacks. He got his completion percentage up to 61.2, but he still takes a pounding. The Texans are a dangerous team. If their offseason renovation works on defense, they will easily improve on their No. 23 rating from last year. Carr has the talent around him at wide receiver and in the backfield to compete at a playoff level. The table is set for the Texans to contend. But if the defense isn't improved, it will hold back the development of this season. On paper, though, things look good.