The Houston Texans are in the same spot they were in 2025, sitting at 3-5 with a chance to make a run.
They face a critical game against the Cleveland Browns next, who sit 1 ½ games ahead of them in the playoff race.
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As a reminder, I do a mailbag every Wednesday. To ask a question, use the form below, email jonathan.alexander@houstonchronicle.com or send me a message on X.
Some of your questions may be lightly edited for brevity and/or clarity.
Let’s get to them:
Q:
When (David Montgomery) gets back, do you think we see him carrying the bulk of the snaps or do you think the Texans have finally figured out what we’ve been saying all year, Woody (Marks) is RB1? –
JMA: I know fans like to think that they’ve bullied the coaches into doing certain things, but let’s not get cocky. While they hear the noise, they aren’t perusing through X and taking notes.
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This coaching staff sees things just like fans see them. They’re just a little more patient as opposed to overreacting to things.
The Texans will likely continue to lean on Woody Marks as they have in David Montgomery’s absence, even when the latter returns. Coach DeMeco Ryans and offensive coordinator Nick Caley see what Marks brings. They see the improvement he’s made in not only the running game, but in pass protection. He’s a three-down back who has explosiveness.
That doesn’t mean Montgomery won’t get carries. I could see something like a 60-40 split in Marks’ favor or a 50-50 split and Caley decides to go with the hot hand.
The Texans know what Marks give them. They might be stubborn, but not blind.
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“I just live in the realities,” Ryans said when I asked him about the distribution of carries when Montgomery returns. “When we get (David Montgomery) back, we’ll figure that out once we get him back.”
Q:
Would you trade (Xavier) Hutchinson for a good price? Recoup some assets from the Boutte trade?
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JMA: The Texans had no interest in trading Hutchinson, nor would I have done that. Hutchinson does a lot for the Texans as a receiver, blocker and special-teams player. He’s their ultimate utility man and a good No. 4 wide receiver.
C.J. Stroud is also comfortable with him.
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I wouldn’t be shocked if after he tests the market this offseason, he returns next year, though I do think it’s more likely he could find another team. The Texans had interest in re-signing him this past offseason.
Also, the Texans can easily recoup the 2028 seventh-round pick they traded away for Kayshon Boutte, so that’s of little importance to them.
Q:
Looking ahead to the draft, what do you anticipate to be the Texans’ biggest position of need?
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JMA:
Offensive tackle and running back. Trent Brown will be a free agent next offseason. Braden Smith will have one year left on his contract and has not started yet. And Aireontae Ersery has struggled some.
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The Texans also must figure out a way to improve their running game. It’s the one thing holding them back this season. Woody Marks has potential, but the Texans need a difference-maker as they are currently among the bottom teams in the league in rushing.
Tank Dell has authored an inspiring comeback story after missing nearly two years following a catastrophic knee injury. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press)
Q: Do you think Tank Dell has a legitimate shot at winning comeback player of the year? Given his gruesome injury I think he should, but he’s going up against Patrick Mahomes.
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JMA: I do, especially if Dell can finish the season. Considering the type of injury Dell had (a dislocated knee, torn ACL, MCL and LCL), what he’s been able to do since returning has been nothing short of amazing.
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I get it. Patrick Mahomes is popular and his name holds weight. He also returned earlier than many thought. But players return from ACLs often and play well.
However, what Dell did is unheard of, and I think enough people will see that. It’ll be close, though.
Q: In your opinion, will the Texans turn the corner and find themselves at 6-5 at month’s end? Does that put them in the playoff hunt?
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JMA: It’s certainly possible. The Browns, Colts, Ravens are all winnable games for the Texans. They have more talent than all of those teams. I’ll probably pick the Texans to win each of those games. And yes, it would put the Texans in the playoff hunt.
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The Texans’ offense is performing well right now, and if their defense can continue to gain confidence, I do think the team can get on a roll. They just have to finish games.
Q: How many of the RPOs are true run/pass options and how many are preordained?
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JMA:
It’s difficult for me to answer that question accurately without having someone tell me that. And it’s not something the Texans are willing to reveal.
But if you look at their tendencies, they’ve often thrown it on RPOs. While Stroud is unafraid to take off when necessary, he has more success as a thrower. And the RPOs, which the Texans started using this year, have become akin to a play-action pass. Teams still have to respect the threat of a run.
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s contributions during his brief time with the Texans include a touchdown catch against the Giants. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)
Q: What’s your assessment of how Marvin Harrison Jr. is fitting in? – Joe Quinlan
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JMA: It’s always going to take time for new receivers to get adjusted to a new team. There’s an acclimation period. For example, Kayshon Boutte just had his first breakout game after eight weeks.
It’ll require Harrison getting more opportunities, which I expect will happen at some point. Harrison has done well with the opportunities he’s had. He already has a touchdown in three games.
The Texans are in a bit of a difficult situation because they have five good receivers and someone is not going to get the ball as much as the others. You can see the Texans being purposeful in getting Dell and now Boutte the ball.
Hutchinson is someone Stroud is comfortable with. And Nico Collins is the star.
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“Marvin’s made some big plays for us, the touchdown two weeks ago, big play, our drive down, this two-minute drive before the half,” Ryans said when I asked him Monday about Harrison. “Marvin makes a great toe-tap catch on the sideline to really get us in explosive, to get us in attack mode in the two minutes. Marvin showed up, did some good things for us, won a couple first-down routes as well. He’s done a good job.”
Harrison’s time will come.
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Q: Why won’t the Texans bring (Joe) Mixon in for a workout? He’s the ultimate X-factor for bad offensive lines. –
JMA:
The Texans did their own evaluation of him earlier this spring, in which their doctors determined his foot wasn’t healthy enough for them to take a chance on having him return.
The Texans also saw that he didn’t pass his physical with the Seahawks. That reaffirmed their own findings some seven months earlier.
Yes, Mixon was great for the Texans in his brief stint there.
But the fact that they won’t take a chance on him, and they won’t, would indicate that they don’t believe he can be the same player at this point.
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Q: What’s wrong with Derek Stingley Jr.? Poor coverage and tackling? Lack of effort when the game is decided? – P. Smith
JMA: He hasn’t tackled well. He’s lost some one-on-one matchups to some good receivers. But I would disagree that it’s a lack of effort. Sometimes it happens. My biggest surprise is the lack of interceptions. He’s dropped a few. But I think he’ll get better.
Q: Someone said Nico Collins did not get an extension. Did he not get an extension just before last season? So, this is just year two of a three-yr extension? – Bob S.
JMA: Collins was extended in the 2024 offseason. He got a pay raise this past offseason, but it did not come with extra years. Still, his contract expires after the 2027 season, so the Texans have him for another year. Ideally, the Texans would like to get an extension done this offseason, but that likely won’t happen until after Stroud’s extension happens.
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This article originally published at Texans mailbag: Will Woody Marks start over David Montgomery? Why won’t team work out Joe Mixon?.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
