Trading for Stefon Diggs may have been the Houston Texans’ flashy offseason move, but they’ve also beefed up their defensive line with some powerhouse additions through free agency.
First up, we have Danielle Hunter, fresh from Minnesota where he made a name for himself with four Pro Bowl appearances and a staggering 87.5 sacks over eight seasons. Hunter inked a two-year deal worth a cool $49 million. Joining him is the criminally underrated Denico Autry, who’s coming off a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2023. Autry signed a three-year contract for $21.5 million, which might just be the steal of the offseason.
Hunter and Autry are no slouches, but even they might find themselves in the shadow of Will Anderson Jr. The No. 3 overall pick from the 2023 draft, Anderson recently snagged the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. His combination of raw athleticism and football smarts is off the charts. It’s not just his physical prowess that impresses; his football IQ is turning heads too. You can catch Hunter and Autry gushing about Anderson’s mastery of the playbook and how he’s schooling them on Houston’s defensive schemes.
Rounding out the starting lineup is Foley Fatukasi, and the Texans have some savvy veterans waiting in the wings like Mario Edwards and Derek Barnett. Sure, losing Jonathan Greenard to the Vikings on a hefty four-year, $76 million deal stings, but with this revamped defensive line, Houston is poised to dominate the AFC trenches.
In sum, while Stefon Diggs grabs the headlines, it’s this fortified defensive line that could be the real game-changer for the Texans this season.
