J.J. Watt excited for a new era of Texans football

HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 01: Former Houston Texans player J.J. Watt speaks during a ceremony inducting him into the Texans Ring of Honor during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

The fact that the Houston Texans revamped their roster overnight to become a legit threat in the AFC is not lost among fans.

It’s not forgotten among former players, either.

Three-time Defensive Player of the Year and Texans’ Hall of Famer J.J. Watt recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show to discuss Houston’s offseason moves and potential future. The Texans were aggressive when it came to free agency, signing four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter while trading for running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

After posting seven combined wins in three seasons, the Texans finished atop the AFC South rankings at 11-8. They bested the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium in the wild-card round behind a record-setting performance from Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud.

Call it luck. Call a relaxed schedule. Call it ‘the right place at the right time’ aura if you so please. Regardless, Watt’s been impressed with the internal cohesion led by former teammate DeMeco Ryans as head coach.

“Think about where this franchise was two years ago, and then you think about where they are today and some of the conversations that are happening, some of the expectations that are being put upon this team,” Watt said. “I do think that you could say it’s a situation where the excitement level and expectation level has built so high so fast that it almost is starting to become unrealistic.”

Ryans and Stroud were unknowns entering last year. While the former Texans’ Pro Bowl linebacker had been a defensive coordinator for two seasons with the San Francisco, he was unknown in the grand scheme of constructing a 53-man roster.

Stroud, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, came with questions even after a stellar two-year stay as Ohio State’s quarterback. Scouts wondered if his lack of mobility and off-script knowledge would translate to the NFL.

While being the second quarterback selected, Stroud cemented himself as the league’s top emerging passer, becoming the fifth quarterback in league history to throw for 4,000 yards during the rookie season.

“When you have a head coach like DeMeco Ryans, when you have a quarterback like C.J. Stroud, and the mentality that those two have, and the way they handle themselves and the way they conduct their business, I think that they are uniquely positioned to handle this situation and continue to excel,” said Watt.

While the duo headlines as the next great coach-QB combo in the pros, there’s an exceptional supporting cast behind them. Nico Collins became the third receiver in franchise history to finish with 1,200 yards in a single season. Will Anderson Jr. broke Watt’s rookie sack record (7.0) en route to being named Defensive Rookie of the Year.

J.J. Watt shares that he is impressed about the moves the Texans have been making during the offseason ✍️ @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/rPc4176RT4

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 10, 2024

Watt, who finished as the franchise’s all-time leading sack lead, is excited to see what Hunter brings opposite Anderson in 2024. The Katy native is coming off a career season where he led the NFL in tackles for loss (23) and finished top-five in sacks.

“I’m a massive Danielle Hunter fan,” Watt said. “I think that he’s been very underrated for a long time, in my personal opinion. He’s just been very consistent. He plays extremely well in both the pass and the run, so to see him in addition to Will Anderson in DeMeco Ryans’ defense, I can’t wait to watch that happen.”

Along with Hunter, Diggs, and Mixon, Houston agreed to terms with defensive lineman Denico Autry, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, and cornerback Jeff Okudah. Each player has proven their value as a starter and should fill the void lost by Shedlon Rankins, Blake Cashman, and Steven Nelson, respectively.

The Texans also brought back tight end Dalton Schultz on a new three-year, $36 million extension after his promising first season in the AFC South. In 16 games, Schultz hauled in 59 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: J.J. Watt excited for a new era of Texans football