The AFC South is being slept on. The Houston Texans aren’t going to have the cakewalk that some think. With three potential playoff teams in the same division, you will have some major matchups and some strong opposition to conquer. There’s a lot of talent in this division and the Texans are going to have to deal with that talent.

One of the biggest names the Texans will have to game plan for is Josh Hines-Allen, the Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl defensive end. He’s been one of the better defensive players for the Florida-based club and in the league. He’s not to be taken lightly.

So when he praises a rival, you know it’s for real. Recently on the Herd with Colin Cowherd, the Jags’ defensive end gave massive praise to several offensive tackles, but the one who we’re most focused on is the Texans’ left tackle, Laremey Tunsil.

The Jags star compared Tunsil with two of the best players in the league, Trent Williams and Tristan Wirfs. Frankly, it’s not a comparison we’re upset about. Tunsil is among the best tackles in the league and while some people believed he regressed in 2023, we disagree. The offensive line was wrecked last season due to injury and poor play. It’s one of the few units in football that require complete cohesion.

If one player is bad, it can wreck the entire line. So of course Tunsil’s performance declined a bit in 2023, after all, a lot of guys struggled last year. Likely, Tunsil, who’s only 29 (will be 30 in August) will rebound and return to form in 2024.

Frankly, he needs to. The team can’t afford to try and replace Tunsil mid-season. You can replace a middle-of-the-road offensive linemen mid-season, and not miss a step. Yet, replacing an All-Pro caliber offensive tackle is next to impossible. If Tunsil doesn’t raise his game, the team will struggle. Sadly, there’s no fixing that.

Yet, it’s good to hear that Hines-Allen still believes that Tunsil is a top-tier talent, as the Texans will need him to be a major factor.