The Texans make a big move to get the former Bills star receiver via trade. Houston lands the veteran two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler to add to their trio of young receivers. Buffalo takes a big cap hit with that trade and loses the 30-year-old, likely drafting his replacement in the first round.
With massive roster turnover due to their salary cap, the Bills are trending in the wrong direction while helping another AFC opponent. It makes sense, as the Texans surround their franchise quarterback with as much talent as possible to win within the next two seasons.
This increases the likelihood of them going on a potential Super Bowl run before their rookie quarterback contract expires.
Texans likely the favorite to repeat as AFC South Champs
With Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud, the Houston Texans exceeded expectations last season, winning ten games and the AFC South. The Stefon Diggs trade pushes them to potentially surpass last year’s success of winning a Wildcard game and making it to the Divisional round.
The rest of the AFC South will try to take down last year’s champs, especially the runner-ups, who won nine games last year. The year before, Jacksonville was the division winner with the same amount of wins and will rechallenge Houston.
Surprisingly, the Colts were third in the division and tied the Jaguars record with nine wins. This was despite losing Anthony Richardson to a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4 of his rookie year.
First-year head coach Shane Steichen and veteran backup Gardner Minshew, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, did enough to stay competitive. Besides big re-signings like Michael Pittman, Indianapolis must lean on its homegrown talent to push for a playoff berth in 2023.
The Titans made some curious additions for a team projected not to win many games, especially stealing Calvin Ridley from the Jaguars as a free agent. This will give former rookie Will Levis another weapon to see if he’s their franchise signal caller moving forward under new management.
Are The Houston Texans a Potential Top Three AFC Contender?
The addition of Diggs to their young group of Tank Dell, who was an exceptional rookie and breakout star Nico Collins, gives them a formidable receiving core. While his role won’t be as significant as Buffalo’s, Diggs will still be heavily involved under his new offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, who Houston retained this offseason.
The Texans also signed Danielle Hunter and traded for Joe Mixon, showcasing they are all in the next few seasons. The Titans made other moves this offseason, such as signing Tony Pollard while trading for L’Jarius Sneed.
Jacksonville also made some impactful additions, including Arik Armstead, who the San Francisco 49ers released during free agency. Former Bills receiver Gabe Davis signed with the Jaguars to replace Ridley in free agency.
Other AFC Contenders
Among the other top AFC contenders, the Texans would be behind the Super Champion Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, who they lost to in the playoffs.
AFC Teams like the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers will look to repeat last year’s success at the very least. Other teams like the New York Jets, who especially look all in, and the Cincinnati Bengals are looking to rebound from injury-riddled seasons.
With the number of changes to the roster, even with Josh Allen, I imagine they will take a step back in 2023. Buffalo’s place in the AFC is uncertain, but their Super Bowl window may have closed sooner than expected.
I would have Houston ahead of those teams on paper, but the NFL isn’t an ascending curve. The team’s success can be unpredictable from year to year, so the Texans will need to make more moves to solidify themselves as a genuine contender and not a pretender.
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