Do the Texans have a top 20 offensive line?
The Houston Texans may not have the same star power they had in recent seasons, but the most rudimentary units on the team may be better than fans expect. According to Steve Palazzolo from Pro Football Focus, the Texans offensive line is No. 20 in the NFL  not for a team that is projected to compete for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Palazzolo points out that two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil has the blindside locked down. Additionally, the Texans traded for New England Patriots tackle Marcus Cannon to compete for the right tackle job. In doing so, it will allow Tytus Howard, a former 2019 first-round pick, to kick inside at one of the guard spots, where he was playing throughout his rookie preseason and one regular season game in 2019. The interior offensive line is also where the Texans can expect some optimism. At left guard, Max Scharping is the incumbent, but hes also posted subpar grades in his two NFL seasons. Scharping has been better in pass protection than in the run game, a theme for Texans linemen over the past two years. Justin Britt has come out of retirement to play center. We last saw Britt in 2019, when his 62.0 overall grade ranked 25th among centers. His best season came in 2016 (81.6), and hes graded in the 60.0s in each season since then Theres good depth beyond the projected starters, including guard Lane Taylor, who graded in the high 60.0s in his three years as a starter from 2016-18. Geron Christian and Roderick Johnson are both viable backups at tackle, and guard Hjalte Froholdt is a fine developmental prospect who has played just 70 snaps in two NFL seasons. The Texans should field a mid-tier starting offensive line to go with one of the better second units in the league. If the Texans can have a cohesive blocking unit, it should allow them latitude to navigate who earns playing time among the skill positions. Furthermore, if rookie Davis Mills is starting behind an offensive line that becomes above average throughout the 2021 campaign, it will be a cleaner way for the third-round pick from Stanford to make his introduction into the NFL.