O'Brien probably minimized the success of his talent more than any coach could have. He had DeAndre Hopkins, JJ Watt, Clowney, and some other great pieces and then got to add a legit franchise QB in Watson. In the context of wanting to swing for the fences, the Tunsil trade actually made some sense as Tunsil is a good LT. But why do that and then trade Hopkins?
Whoever takes over is going to have a long rebuild at this point. They didn't have 1st round pick this year and only 5 total picks so it's not like they are going to get a big lift from that draft class next year. Even worse, they don't have 1st or 2nd round picks next year. By the time 2022 rolls around and they have top picks, Watson's cap number soars to 40 million +.