3 Free Agents the Texans Need to Target This Offseason

The Houston Texans made the move to grant head coach Bill O'Brien general manager duties this season. O'Brien has come under heavy scrutiny in his time as head coach, failing to get the Texans past the divisional round, despite frequently boasting a talented roster.

At the very least, O'Brien will be tasked with building his own roster, and he now has the power to target the players he believes would work best in his system. If O'Brien wants to get his team closer to that elusive divisional round playoff victory, it starts with making the right moves in his first free agency period as GM.

3. CB Kendall Fuller

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The entire country saw Fuller become a Super Bowl hero for the Kansas City Chiefs, with a game-clinching interception against the San Francisco 49ers. The Texans defense, particularly its secondary, was smoked all season long, and it was a weakness that showed up in Houston's biggest loss of the season. Only the Miami Dolphins cornerbacks had a worse Pro Football Focus grade than the Texans' in 2019. Fuller would give Houston a dependable young cornerback and could be a key component of the defense for years to come.

2. DE Yannick Ngakoue

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Houston needs help on the edge, and Ngakoue will be the cream of the 2020 free agent pass rusher crop. The Texans did not have a single player finish with double-digit sacks in 2019. It's a steep fall from grace for the unit that once terrorized opponents with the combination of Jadeveon Clowney and JJ Watt in his prime. Watt will be 31 at the start of next season, and Whitney Mercilus, will be 30. O'Brien can inject his team's pass rush with some youth, energy and talent if he is able to win the bidding war for Ngakoue's services. The 24-year-old is a former Pro Bowler with 37.5 career sacks to his name already.

1. LB Blake Martinez

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O'Brien is in need of a linebacker who can drop back into coverage effectively, something the Texans lacked in 2019. Martinez has been a dependable cover linebacker in Green Bay over the past four seasons. Martinez has the ability to lead a front seven, while taking away passing options to tight ends and slot receivers. He's due for a substantial pay raise when he hits free agency, and O'Brien should be eager to open his wallet.