ESPN Analyst Had Bold Take on Texans' Chances to Win AFC

The Houston Texans have had nothing short of a busy offseason.

Offensively, the Texans have gone under a vast overhaul around C.J. Stroud, whether you look at his new offensive coordinator in Nick Caley, a fresh batch of veteran and young receivers alongside Nico Collins, and perhaps the biggest storyline of this offseason, a wide range of changes upfront on the offensive line. A few interesting moves were also made on the defensive side with the addition of names like C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Sheldon Rankins.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson celebrates on the field after Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Compared to a few months ago, this group has seen many steps in the right direction. Yet, through the motions of this wild Texans' offseason, will it be enough to take that next step as a top-end contender in the AFC?

In the eyes of ESPN analyst Ben Solak, it could definitely be in play.

Solak broke down a bit of what he sees from the Texans heading into the 2025 season, buying Houston over other strong AFC talents like the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers.

"The Texans have made consecutive AFC divisional rounds, but we don't talk about them like we talk about the Ravens or Bills," Solak wrote. "I think that's wrong. The Texans' defense can get burned in its aggressive style (see: all games against Lamar Jackson), but over the past two seasons, it has shown up in key postseason moments and against top opponents more often than not. The Texans' offense disappointed last season, but the potential for an immediate bounce-back is there under a new coaching staff. ESPN BET has the Texans with the sixth-best odds to win the AFC. They're behind the Bengals and Chargers, which just doesn't reflect the reality of those three teams over the past few seasons. I'm buying Houston."

The Texans, while not in the same conversations with teams like the Buffalo Bills or Baltimore Ravens, have the pieces in play to elevate there as soon as next season. With young stars lining up at quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, and corner, the foundation is there to progress into one of the more consistent and dominant talents in the AFC.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) celebrates wide receiver Nico Collins (12) touchdown against tLos Angeles. — Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) celebrates wide receiver Nico Collins (12) touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second quarter in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Though a solid base to build on, this Houston team's ceiling for the coming season likely relies on how well and quickly the surrounding pieces of this roster can gel, whether it be in the offensive trenches, Stroud's new weapons, or the various veterans added on the defensive end.

If the Texans' playcalling can straighten out and the offensive line falls back into place, Stroud has the tools ready to return to similar levels we saw during his rookie campaign–– potentially making this offense one of the most potent and dangerous for the 2025 season ahead.

Read More Houston Texans Coverage