Houston Texans: Top free agency, NFL draft needs for 2017

Houston Texans breakdown: Free agency, draft shopping list

As they wade through free agency and prepare to evaluate draft prospects at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine (March 1-6), the Houston Texans must decide which players to keep as they seek to improve upon their 7-9 record from last season.

The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com evaluated the Texans' roster and created a shopping list to use in free agency and to reference during the Combine.

The Texans thought they solved their quarterback dilemma with the signing of Brock Osweiler one year ago in the offseason. Now, they aren't so sure. Head coach Bill O'Brien has to figure out if Osweiler simply experienced growing pains in the first year of a new system or whether he is not the answer.

The defense remained strong even with defense end J.J. Watt missing most of the season. Trying to re-sign cornerback A.J. Bouye is also a priority.

THE BREAKDOWN

2016 finish: 1st in AFC South (9-7)

STATISTICS

TOTAL OFFENSE: 314.7 (29th)

RUSHING: 116.2 (8th)

PASSING: 198.5 (29th)

TOTAL DEFENSE: 301.3 (1st)

RUSHING: 99.7 (12th)

PASSING: 201.6 (2nd)

NEEDS, SHOPPING LIST

*=Veteran with option not expected to be exercised.

TOP THREE NEEDS

QUARTERBACK

Brock Osweiler isn't the answer at this pivotal position. Neither is Tom Savage or Brandon Weeden. The Texans need an upgrade.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Kirk Cousins, Washington (29 in August, $19.95M)

*Tony Romo, Dallas (37 in April, $18M)

Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay (28 in December, $776K)

Brian Hoyer, Chicago (32 in October, $2M)

*Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo (28 in August, $18M)

*Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco (30 in November, $19M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/12 Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina, 6-3, 220, 4.74, 1 (underclassman)

2/20 DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame, 6-4, 230, 4.76, 1 (underclassman)

3/29 Deshaun Watson, Clemson, 6-2, 215, 4.64, 1-2 (underclassman)

4/70 Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech, 6-2, 229, 4.84, 2-3 (underclassman)

5/99 Brad Kaaya, Miami (FL), 6-4, 210, 4.84, 3 (underclassman)

OFFENSIVE LINE

The Texans lack a reliable right tackle. They need better guards, too. The center and left tackle positions are the most stable.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

OT:

Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati (36 in December, $9M)

*Russell Okung, Denver (29 in October, $10.6M)

Rick Wagner, Baltimore (28 in October, $576K)

Luke Joeckel, Jacksonville (G; 26 in November, $5.3M))

Matt Kalil, Minnesota (injury; 28 in July, $4.94M)

G/C:

Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati (G; 27 in March, $1.89M)

T.J. Lang, Green Bay (G/injury; 30 in September, $5.2M)

Ronald Leary, Dallas (G; 28 in April, $2.55M)

JC Tretter, Green Bay (C; 26, $644K)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

OT:

1/14 Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin, 6-5, 314, 5.29, 1 (underclassman)

2/25 Cam Robinson, Alabama, 6-6, 310, 5.28, 1 (underclassman)

3/38 Garett Bolles, Utah, 6-5, 296, 4.97, 1-2 (underclassman)

OG:

1/33 Dan Feeney, Indiana, 6-4, 304, 5.09, 1-2

2/35 Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky, 6-4, 305, 5.12, 1-2

1/64 Ethan Pocic, LSU, 6-6, 307, 5.18, 2

2/80 Pat Elflein, Ohio State, 6-2, 300, 5.22, 2-3

WIDE RECEIVER

Besides DeAndre Hopkins, there is no proven commodity. The Texans need help here or improvement from Will Fuller, who is prone to drops.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

DeSean Jackson, Washington (31 in December, $6M)

Alshon Jeffery, Chicago (27, $14.6M)

Pierre Garcon, Washington (31 in August, $8.5M)

Terrelle Pryor, Cleveland (28 in June, $1.67M)

Anquan Boldin, Detroit (37 in October, $2.75M)

Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota (26 in March, $1.8M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/8 Mike Williams, Clemson, 6-3, 225, 1 (underclassman)

2/16 Corey Davis, Western Michigan, 6-3, 213, 1

3/19 John Ross, Washington, 5-11, 190, 1 (underclassman)

4/37 Curtis Samuel, Ohio State, 5-11, 200, 1-2 (underclassman)

5/42 Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma, 5-11, 175, 2

UFA KEEPERS

CB A.J. Bouye (26 in August, $1.67M)

LB John Simon (27 in October, $1.67M)

S Quintin Demps (32 in June, $1.5M)

P Shane Lechler (41 in August, $1.8M)

ROSTER REVIEW

MAJOR COACHING CHANGES

--DC Romeo Crennel becomes assistant head coach.

--LB coach Mike Vrabel becomes DC.

--OC George Godsey won't return.

DEPTH CHART

Starters and backups are listed according to their status at the end of the season, but players who were starters before being injured are included.

* Indicates player who ended 2016 season on reserve.

& Indicates player released since the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Brock Osweiler. Backups -- Tom Savage, Brandon Weeden.

RUNNING BACKS: Starters -- FB Jay Prosch, RB Lamar Miller. Backups -- Jonathan Grimes (UFA), Akeem Hunt, Alfred Blue.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- TE C.J. Fiedorowicz. Backups -- Ryan Griffin (UFA), Stephen Anderson.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller. Backups -- Keith Mumphery, Wendall Williams, *Jaelen Strong, *Braxton Miller.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Duane Brown, LG Xavier Su'a-Filo, C Greg Mancz, RG Jeff Allen, RT Chris Clark. Backups -- T Kendall Lamm, LG Oday Aboushi (UFA), C Tony Bergstrom, RG Josh Walker, *T Derek Newton, *C Nick Martin.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- DE Joel Heath, NT Vince Wilfork, DE D.J Reader. Backups -- DE Christian Covington, DE Ufomba Kamalu, DE Antonio Smith (UFA), *DE J.J. Watt, *DE Devon Still (UFA).

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- ILB Brian Cushing, ILB Benardrick McKinney, OLB Whitney Mercilus, OLB John Simon (UFA). Backups -- ILB Akeem Dent (UFA), ILB Max Bullough, OLB Brennan Scarlett, *LB Tony Washington Jr., *LB Gerald Rivers.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- CB Jonathan Joseph, CB A.J. Bouye (UFA), CB Kareem Jackson, SS Quintin Demps (UFA), FS Andre Hal. Backups -- CB Robert Nelson, *CB Kevin Johnson, CB Denzel Rice, S Corey Moore, S Eddie Pleasant, S Don Jones (UFA), *S Lonnie Ballentine, *S K.J. Dillon, *S Kurtis Drummond.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Nick Novak (UFA), P Shane Lechler (UFA), LS Jon Weeks, KR Tyler Ervin, *K Ka'imi Fairbairn.