While the prognostications for the Houston Texans, via way-too-early power rankings and 2024 mock drafts, are for largely the same results we've seen the last three seasons, where they've been among the three worst teams in football each season, there is undoubtedly a different vibe here on the ground in Houston.

There's a head coach people are excited about, there's a new rookie quarterback, and the roster appears to have its most credible depth since maybe even BEFORE Deshaun Watson was here. People forget how top heavy those Watson Era rosters were, and how much he covered for the mistakes the team made everywhere else, until he could no longer do it in 2020.

I think John Crumpler, who covers the Texans for USA TODAY, put ti best in this tweet after the signing of Jacob Martin this past weekend:

It is a relief the Houston Texans are back to a place where the question around a guy like Jacob Martin is "Will he make the team?" instead of "Will he be Houston's best pass rusher?"

Nick Caserio's roster has come a long way from the dark ages of 2021.

— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) May 19, 2023

The roster has been reinforced with a slew of promising rookies and a deep class of solid, albeit short timer (one and two year deals) free agents. So where have the biggest upgrades taken place? Here are five areas or positions that I expect the team to take a big jump:

5. Safety opposite Jalen Pitre
UPGRADE: Jonathan Owens to Jimmie Ward
Hey, give Owens credit. When he was signed as an undrafted free agent several years ago, there's probably nobody that thought he would survive three different coaching regimes to become a weekly starter for 17 games in an NFL season. That said, he was a well below average starter. Ward is a veteran who has sniffed the NFL's Top 100 player list and should be a great mentor for the ascending Pitre.

4. Right guard
UPGRADE: A.J. Cann to Shaq Mason
The Texans offensive line unit should be one of, if not the best, units on the team, especially if Kenyon Green improves at left guard in his second season. The center position is still a question mark, but the upgrade from A.J. Cann to Mason, who came over in a trade before the draft (and subsequently signed a huge three year contract extension), would be massive, and a huge help for a rookie quarterback.

3. Backup running back
UPGRADE: Rex Burkhead to Devin Singletary
Honestly, almost any running back off the street would be a big step up from Burkhead, who was put in the unenviable position of mysteriously taking carries away from the team's most popular player, and being about five years past his prime while doing so. Singletary was a starter in Buffalo last season, and should be a nice addition to what will be a run heavy offense.

2. Starting tight end
UPGRADE: A slew of journeymen to Dalton Schultz
Good bye O.J. Howard, Jordan Akins, and whoever else. Hello to Schultz, who Caserio was able to pick up on a one-year deal. Schultz has been among the five most productive tight ends in football over the last three seasons, and is a sleeper to be the Texans' leading receiver in 2023.

1. Pass rush
UPGRADE: Adding Will Anderson, Dylan Horton, Jacob Martin, and Sheldon Rankins on the interior
This is the only position where I will lean heavily on rookies being a guaranteed upgrade, but I think that highly of Will Anderson and Dylan Horton over what this team trotted out there last season. Sorry, Rasheen Green and Mario Addison. Two other things factor into my assessment of this group. First, I am hoping for a healthy Jonathan Greenard. Second, I expect the front seven as a whole to maximize its potential with DeMeco Ryans calling the shots.

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