Joe Mixon and the Houston Texans had a successful season, winning the AFC South and making it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. But according to Mixon, the Texans could have a big move up their sleeve.
The Texans finished 10-7 for the 2024 season, and while they would’ve liked to make a deeper run, upsetting the Chargers in the Wild Card round and losing a competitive game to the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs is nothing to scoff at.
Mixon was a big reason for the team’s success this season. In his first year in Houston, Mixon ran for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 4.1 yards per carry in 14 games played. However, despite the success in the postseason, the team fell short of where many expected them to be at the start of the season.
Joe Mixon Hints at a Big Move Coming for the Texans
Mixon and the Texans are not satisfied with their current situation, and Mixon’s comments about this offseason make it clear the team will be thorough to improve the roster. Mixon said he “knows for a fact Nick Caserio has something cooking … fireworks will be here real soon.”
Asked Joe Mixon who is headed to Pro Bowl about the opportunity to recruit while he’s there.
He made sure to note he’s a *great* recruiter and said he “knows for a fact Nick Caserio has something cooking.” pic.twitter.com/pb7YTGER8h
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) January 20, 2025
Who this move may be referring to remains to be seen, but it would be easy to speculate that Mixon’s former teammate Tee Higgins could be the name the Texans could go after.
Mixon called himself “a great recruiter,” and with his former teammate set to hit free agency, it would be easy to see why that would be a player that Mixon would recruit to join him in Houston.
It’s worth noting that Caserio and the Texans have shown that they are willing to be aggressive in the last two seasons.
Two years ago on draft night, the Texans shocked the world by selecting C.J. Stroud at second overall and then proceeding to trade up for the No. 3 pick to take Will Anderson Jr., which has paid dividends for them. One offseason later, Houston made splashes by trading for both Mixon and Stefon Diggs and signing Danielle Hunter in free agency.
With Houston making several splashy moves in the past two offseasons, it will come as no surprise if the organization makes another move of this ilk. With Stroud on his rookie contract still, this is the time for Houston to go all-in, as they have the cap flexibility to pay star players around him to make him better.
Houston’s Offense Struggled Down the Stretch
After winning five of their first six games, including an impressive win over the Buffalo Bills, the Texans looked like a completely different team throughout the second half of the season.
Houston’s offense finished the season ranked No. 28 in PFN’s Offense+ metric, but they did boast the seventh-best Defense+ grade when factoring in regular season and postseason play.
They dropped six of their final 11 games, including embarrassing losses against the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets. Injuries played a role in their struggles, as they lost key contributors like Diggs, Tank Dell, and Jimmie Ward, but that does not excuse losses against teams that they should beat.
The Texans will have to win more games in the regular season in 2025, and making a big splash could go a long way toward helping the team do that. The defense carried the team through much of the second half of the season, and while the offense showed flashes, it didn’t reach the highs it did in 2023.
Whether it’s a weapon like Higgins or some help on the offensive line to give Stroud more time to throw, adding to the offense would go a long way toward helping Houston win more games in the regular season. If they can do that, maybe things look different come the postseason, playing Divisional Round games in front of their home fans.
