While it may be too early to start molding his bust in Canton's hallways, it's just the right time to get excited about the potential of this Texans defense in 2017. With Clowney, Watt and Whitney Merclius anchoring the front seven, Houston can improve on last season's league-leading defensive output and make a charge against New England atop the AFC -- of course, all of this hinges as always on the competence of the offense and whomever's under center, but that's for another article.