A third-round Cardinals draftee last year, Myjai Sanders quickly fell out of favor with the team’s new regime. The Cincinnati alum hit waivers Tuesday, but he did not move through to free agency.
The Texans submitted a successful claim on Sanders, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This will give the productive college sack artist another opportunity and keep him tied to his rookie contract, which runs through 2025. Sanders is attached to a $622K base salary, with a $1.17MM base due in 2024. The Texans are not on the hook for any guaranteed money.
Arizona cut Sanders after designating him to return from IR. The 25-year-old defender did not end up counting against Arizona’s IR activations, having not been activated. The Cardinals having drafted Sanders to work in Vance Joseph‘s defense — during Steve Keim‘s final year as GM — made his roster spot less solidified now that the team has a new regime in place. He will head to a 3-3 Texans team with a new head coach in place.
Keim’s final draft began with the Marquise Brown trade, but two third-round picks went to edge rushers. The Cards chose Cameron Thomas 87th overall and nabbed Sanders at No. 100. Sanders started four games as a rookie, while Thomas worked exclusively as a second-stringer. Helping Cincinnati become the first Group of Five team to qualify for the College Football Playoff, Sanders totaled three sacks as a rookie, playing 30% of the Cardinals’ defensive snaps.
The Cards have made some changes since, moving Zaven Collins to the edge. Thomas remains, while Dennis Gardeck is now playing regularly on defense as well. Victor Dimukeje, a 2021 sixth-rounder, has emerged as a part-timer. The Cards also used a second-round pick on BJ Ojulari this year. This situation prompted the Cardinals to cut bait on Sanders, draft investment notwithstanding, rather than use an IR activation on him.
After a 27th-place ranking last season, the Texans’ defense sits ninth in points allowed through six games. DeMeco Ryans‘ unit now features No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson anchoring the edge, with contract-year rusher Jonathan Greenard remaining a starter upon the team converting to a 4-3 scheme. In his age-36 season, Jerry Hughes also retains a prominent role. Dylan Horton, a fourth-round rookie, joins Hughes as a rotational rusher. Deeper than last season, Houston’s edge corps still only features one player — Greenard — with more than two sacks.
Sanders marks the second pass rusher the Texans have added this month. Ryans picked up one of his former 49ers charges, Kerry Hyder, signing him to the practice squad. While Sanders has proven far less than the veteran D-end, his age and draft status will provide a path straight to another active roster.
The Texans released Cory Littleton to make room for Sanders, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. As a vested veteran, Littleton will not need to pass through waivers. The eighth-year linebacker will stay in Houston on the practice squad. The Texans signed Littleton to a one-year deal this offseason, adding Denzel Perryman as well. Littleton, 29, has been a starter for most of his career but has only logged 17 defensive snaps this season.