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Texans offensive line

Kalil flier OK, but more work to be done

The Houston Texans signed Matt Kalil yesterday. It's a big name at the tackle position, but not a successful one. Kalil struggled for Carolina in 2017 and then missed all of last year with a knee injury of some sort. But the Texans have little choice but to throw things at the wall and hope something sticks.

Houston's trade up for Deshaun Watson, and the Brock Osweiler misstep (which cost them a second-round pick to get out of), have cost Houston a lot of early picks in recent years. Obviously they'd make that trade up to select Watson again every time, but such maneuvers have factored into them having a lesser offensive line. They made it into the playoffs last year, and Watson managed to stay healthy. But that tackle duo of Julie'n Davenport and Kendall Lamm didn't get it done.

Watson was sacked 62 times last year, most in the league. He was hit on more than 22 percent of the team's pass plays -- also worst in the league. It's remarkable he didn't miss any time.

OFFENSIVE LINE STATS, 2018
Team Sacks Att PassQB HitsHits/PP
Houston 6250656812622.2%
San Francisco 4853258012521.6%
Miami 5245550710721.1%
Arizona 5249554710919.9%
Seattle 514274789419.7%
Jacksonville 5353658911118.8%
Buffalo 4149954010118.7%
Dallas 5652758310718.4%
Washington 445095539817.7%
Kansas City 2658360910617.4%
Atlanta 4261765910816.4%
Tampa Bay 4162566610916.4%
Philadelphia 4059963910216.0%
LA Chargers 345125468615.8%
NY Giants 475836309715.4%
Green Bay 5364069310214.7%
Minnesota 406066469514.7%
Oakland 525566088914.6%
Denver 345886229114.6%
Tennessee 474374846914.3%
Detroit 415746158413.7%
NY Jets 375245617413.2%
Carolina 325635957813.1%
Cincinnati 375425797112.3%
LA Rams 335686017312.1%
Chicago 335125456411.7%
Indianapolis 186446627711.6%
Cleveland 385746127111.6%
New England 215745956811.4%
Baltimore 325565886611.2%
Pittsburgh 246897137210.1%
New Orleans 20519539529.6%

Houston's already moved on from Lamm, who signed a backup-type deal with Cleveland. They've got Davenport, former Bill Seantrel Henderson, and now Kalil at tackle, and they likely will -- should -- be looking to add a tackle in the upcoming NFL Draft.

They need to get better, if they want Watson to make it through another season healthy.

--Andy Richardson

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