The Houston Texans received a major boost to their Super Bowl hopes in 2024 after trading with the Buffalo Bills for wide receiver Stefon Diggs on Wednesday. In fact, before the trade for Diggs their odds to win the Super Bowl were at +2500. Now, they've skyrocketed to +1500, per John Ewing at BetMGM.
No one would have quite predicted such a move just two seasons ago. Back in 2022, Diggs signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension with Buffalo just before the season started, as the team was preparing to become strong Super Bowl contenders. Meanwhile, the Texans were coming off two four-win seasons and their third head coach in as many years.
The Bills finished 13-3 that season, coming up short once again by losing in the divisional round to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Texans finished even worse, going 3-13 and were considered one of the most talent-depleted and worst teams in the entire league. However, it did earn them the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
But it wasn't just the No. 2 pick that was significant; the Texans' 2023 draft made them an entirely new team, one that put enough pieces together to potentially make the 2024 team a Super Bowl contender.
The Texans' 2023 draft class exponentially improved the team
The No. 2 pick would turn out to be a franchise-changer, at least it seems so after just one season. The Texans selected Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud with their first-round pick at two. Stroud, who had been slammed with criticism due to the lack of successful quarterbacks out of Ohio State, quickly quieted doubters.
It was five games, more than a month in, before Stroud threw his first career interception in the NFL. In fact, he set an NFL record, starting his career by having 177 pass attempts before throwing a pick. The eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year, of course, also helped lead the Texans back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
But he wasn't the only one who helped Houston make it back to the postseason. Another major contributor was the Texans' second first-round pick that came right after Stroud with the No. 3 overall pick in Alabama linebacker Will Anderson.
Getting Anderson came at the cost of a 2024 first-round pick to move up, but seeing as how Anderson produced, it made many forget about that rather quickly. He finished the 2023 season with seven sacks, 22 quarterback hits, 32 pressures, and 10 tackles for a loss, which earned him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Second-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and staff can build the defense around him like they have built the offense around Stroud.
There's also second-round offensive lineman pick Juice Scruggs, third-round wide receiver pick Tank Dell, and fifth-round linebacker Henry To'oTo'o, who made great contributions to the Texans last season.
The 2023 draft class was just the beginning for this team but also extremely influential in adding the necessary pieces for them to be even better next season. This class made the Texans one of the most attractive teams in the league to free agents and trade targets, as Diggs is evidence of.
Let's not forget about the Texans' free agency moves
This has perhaps been the loudest offseason in Texans history. As big as trading for Stefon Diggs was, many may have already forgotten what the team did at the beginning of free agency.
They continued to add to the offense, trading with the Bengals for running back Joe Mixon, only losing a 2024 seventh-round draft pick in the process. But they also added free agent Danielle Hunter on a two-year, $49 million deal, joining Anderson to bolster the defense's pass rush abilities.
The Texans now boast some of the top players in the NFL
The Texans have assembled a formidable roster, boasting some of the top players in the NFL at their respective positions. Stroud ranked eighth in passing yards and placed in the top 15 in various other passing categories last season. Mixon's ranked eighth in yards and 11th in touchdowns over 17 games highlights his potential impact.
Then have the addition of Diggs, who last season ranked seventh in receptions, sixth in targets, 13th in yards, and 10th in touchdowns, adds another dynamic weapon. He'll now be paired next to wide receiver Nico Collins, who placed eighth in yards and ninth in touchdowns last season, thus further strengthening the receiving corps, along with Tank Dell.
On the defensive side, the acquisition of Hunter, who was fifth in the league last year with 16.5 sacks, bolsters their pass rush, replacing Greenard and his 11th-ranked 12.5 sacks. As mentioned, he'll be a nice complement to Anderson on the defensive front.
Overall, despite improvements in the AFC South with teams like the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts, the Texans' blend of emerging young talent and added experienced stars positions them as serious Super Bowl contenders in 2024.
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