The Texans no longer have DeAndre Hopkins. They will have to find a way to replace the 97 catches, 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns he averaged the past six seasons.
It will help if Will Fuller can remain healthy.
Brandin Cooks, who arrived in a trade, and Randall Cobb, who signed in free agency, also will help.
The passing offense, though, no longer will go through one receiver. Instead, Fuller, Cooks, Cobb, Kenny Stills, Keke Coutee and others all will contribute and share the load.
“You know I look at it from the standpoint of first and foremost you talk about a guy in Hopkins who is just a special player,” Cooks told James Palmer of NFL Media. “So you look at it and there’s no question on why you want to continue to get the ball to him because he makes things happen. But now I think what we have is we have so many special guys in this room who can do it all. One of the biggest things I’ve always thought as a receiver is when you’re stacked on a team with multiple receivers, you have a better chance of winning consistently and going far, because you can never just key on one guy. I think that unselfishness in the room I feel for the guys already is going to do us justice in the long run for sure.”
Cooks, 26, had a streak of four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons ended last season when made 42 catches for 583 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games with the Rams.