More veteran defensive line help is heading to Houston. The Texans are reuniting with Foley Fatukasi, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Fatukasi spent last season with the team, coming over after a Jaguars release. Fatukasi will join one of the most experienced defensive tackle groups in recent NFL history. The Texans now roster Fatukasi, Sheldon Rankins, Denico Autry, Mario Edwards and Tim Settle at the position.
Rankins is going into his 10th season, while Edwards is heading into Year 11. Autry has both beat, being set for his 12th NFL campaign. Fatukasi and Settle, by comparison, are youngsters; each will be in an eighth slate come 2025. This is an interesting veterans-only setup the Texans are attempting, and Fatukasi will be back after lingering in free agency for nearly two months.
The Texans used Fatukasi as a full-time starter last season. The former Jets sixth-rounder logged 11 starts, missing six games due to injury. Fatukasi, 30, missed six of the Texans’ final seven games. The shoulder injury Fatukasi sustained delayed his free agency process, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds. Giving Fatukasi a 46% snap rate on defense, the AFC South champions saw the low-cost DT produce a sack and four tackles for loss. He added a key TFL during the Texans’ wild-card win as well. The imposing interior presence has never been known as a pressure artist, with run-stuffing more the DT’s calling card.
The above-referenced quartet of previously acquired D-tackles have Houston covered for inside pressure to complement Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., while the team will hope Fatukasi can potentially help his D-line mates see better matchups. Pro Football Focus has not been remotely as high as teams on Fatukasi — at least, not since his early Jets years. The advanced metrics website ranked the UConn alum as the third-worst interior D-line regular last season. This marked a steep drop from his second and final Jaguars campaign, when PFF slotted him 60th at the position.
Jacksonville shed Fatukasi’s three-year, $30MM deal from its payroll in 2024. Houston added him on a one-year, $5.13MM accord. DeMeco Ryans‘ D-line will include veteran contracts surrounding Anderson, with Derek Barnett and Darrell Taylor in place at defensive end as well. The Texans also circled back to DT Kurt Hinish rather than tender him as an RFA. While the Texans will need a long-term D-tackle plan soon, they are going stopgap-heavy in 2025.
Big move
He helped improve their run defense from the previous year
He’s a very solid and under appreciated player.