The Houston Texans have a lot of work to do with their roster. General manager Nick Caserio is basically rebuilding things from the ground up as Houston has won 11 games in the last three seasons combined.
The Texans were nearly last in both offense and defense last season as there isn’t much to get excited about on the roster. However, they are hoping that will start to change this offseason given the assets that they have compiled.
Houston has five picks in the top 74 in the 2023 NFL Draft, giving them multiple chances to land immediate contributors. Their long-term franchise quarterback will hopefully emerge from this draft as well as they are widely predicted to select one of the top signal callers with the No. 2 overall pick.
But, before the franchise turns all of its focus to the draft, they can start improving the roster in free agency. The Texans currently have the third most cap space in the NFL with more than $38 million to spend.
A chunk of that money should be used on upgrading the weapons offensively. Regardless of who is under center in Week 1 of the 2023 season, the Texans need to surround him with more talent. That is what makes wide receiver DJ Chark such a good fit for the team in free agency.
Brandin Cooks is seeking a trade and the team doesn’t know what they will get from John Metchie III following his diagnosis of Leukemia last year. If they want to replace the dynamic that Cooks brings to the table as a deep ball threat, Chark is a perfect replacement.
Last season, the former second-round pick averaged 16.7 yards per reception with the Detroit Lions. Injuries have plagued Chark in his career, but when he is on the field, he has proven that he can be an impact player.
His route tree is rather advanced as Chark can succeed in running intermediate and deep routes. Last season, he finished 10th among wide receivers with at least 50 targets in DVOA, so he would provide a team with a bigger boost than many people think.
If he remains healthy, the Texans would be getting quite a bargain in free agency. They may have to pay him a little extra as Chark will have plenty of suitors given how shallow the wide receiver free agent group is. But, that won’t be an issue for Houston as they have the cap space to make an aggressive offer.
