The year 2020 has brought much change in the football world and beyond, but the Houston Texans front office may have taken the cake for the most questionable of off-seasons. Houston traded star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals and acquired Brandin Cooks from the Los Angeles Rams. While the Hopkins deal netted them some draft capital, it led to a significant downgrade at the receiver position. In turn, it left young quarterback Deshaun Watson searching for new targets. The defensive side of the ball stood pat, led by the perennial superstar and do-gooder, J.J. Watt. This article will outline the three players that constitute the faces of a revamped Houston Texans roster.
Faces of the 2020 Houston Texans
On-Field Terror and Off-Field Saint: J.J. Watt
When you think of the Texans, you think of J.J. Watt, and as such, he is the first “Face” of the 2020 Houston Texans. On and off the field, Watt has been elite every year. He’s a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2017. It could certainly be argued that there has never been a player with such a potent combination of on-field talent and off-field philanthropy, and it has endeared him to the Houston fanbase. Watt is a worthy leader for this franchise.
The Future: Deshaun Watson
Beyond Watt, Deshaun Watson is clearly the second face of the 2020 Houston Texans. Going into his fourth year, Watson has shown signs of absolute brilliance but has been unable to get his Texans over the hump in the postseason, never advancing past the Divisional Round. Much of that cannot be blamed on Watson, though. He has been surrounded by an abysmal offensive line and questionable coaching throughout his career. Nevertheless, Watson has shown signs of being a top-five quarterback and is a worthy face of the Texans franchise.
A Void to Fill at Receiver: Who Steps up?
The third face of the 2020 Houston Texans is not as readily apparent as the first two. With Hopkins shipped to Arizona, who steps up? Is it Brandin Cooks? Probably not. While Cooks has been consistently above average throughout his six-year career, he has never had the makings of a true number one receiver. He comes into Houston having never been “the guy” and it remains to be seen whether he can rise to the occasion.
The true third face of the franchise is Will Fuller. Fuller was overshadowed by DeAndre Hopkins throughout his entire career, but when healthy, and when targeted, Fuller has put together some massive games. In Week 5 of this past year, he had a whopping 14 catches for 217 yards. It is clear that Fuller is full of potential, and 2020 will be his year to take his rightful place as the face of the franchise.
