Texans Rumors

Saquon Barkley Addresses Texans Interest, Free Agent Offers

Saquon Barkley recently appeared on the New Heights podcast with now-retired Eagles center Jason Kelce and his brother Travis. He spoke about his free agent period, which ultimately led to a Philadelphia agreement including $26MM fully guaranteed.

Barkley confirmed, via Matt Ehaly of the New York Post, the Texans were the first team he was drawn to with the new league year approaching. That matches a report from the same time, and Barkley noted he and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud communicated about a potential partnership. After interest from the Eagles picked up, though, the two-time Pro Bowler’s attention began to shift.

“As it got closer, and you start hearing word and Philly, I probably never imagined myself playing for Philly six years ago, but I get to come back to Pennsylvania,” Barkley said. “My family is from Pennsylvania, my lady, our kids, grandmas all that is from Pennsylvania and we’re already close and we can even get to get closer and get a chance to compete. I got to admire [the Eagles] from afar, admire what he was able to build over there and get to be part of that culture. It was a no-brainer for me.”

Philadelphia had interest in retaining 2023 starter D’Andre Swift, but his market became more lucrative than expected. That led the Eagles to prioritize Barkley, and the sides were able to agree to a three-year, $37.75MM pact on the second day of the negotiating window. The NFL has launched a tampering investigation into the matter, but no developments on that front have emerged.

Barkley also noted that four teams (the Giants not being among them) made a formal offer. The Texans – a team which ultimately traded for Joe Mixon to take the place of Devin Singletary – were a “serious suitor,” as Ehaly notes. In the end, though, Barkley preferred to return to the state of his decorated college career amidst solid interest from a shortlist of suitors.

“I had a good bit of teams that really was like all about me coming there and with the price point being up there,” the Penn State alum added. “I wanted to get what I deserved that I thought was fair for me to take care of me and my family. That’s the goal you want to get to, that second contract. “When I had my offers in place, I was like, ‘Alright, what best fits me? Where can I go and have the best opportunity to win?’… When you put all the pieces together, it made sense to be in Philly.”

Texans To Re-Sign LB Neville Hewitt

Neville Hewitt is returning to Houston. The linebacker/special teams ace is re-signing with the Texans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’ll be a one-year deal for the veteran.

After bouncing around the AFC East to begin his career (including a three-year stint with the Jets where he started 32 games), Hewitt landed with the Texans in 2021. He started five of his 17 appearances during his first season in Houston, finishing with 60 tackles.

His defensive role was greatly reduced in 2022, but he turned into one of the team’s most reliable special teams player. It was the same story in 2023, as Hewitt’s 13 special teams tackles (of 14 total) paced the entire league. The 30-year-old finished this past season having appeared in a career-high 366 special teams tackles, although he was limited to a career-low three snaps on defense.

“Kind of a tone setter,” Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross said last season (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston). “I think three special teamers ran the fastest in that game. Our two gunners ran 20.7 and 20.8 mph I believe and then Neville Hewitt ran 20.1. That dude was humming and you ever seen Neville Hewitt? … You don’t want to get in front of him if he’s running 20 miles per hour, so he is a juggernaut when he gets going.”

Now on his fourth contract with the organization, Hewitt will likely be eyeing a similar ST-centric role in 2024.

AFC Contract Details: Titans, Jeudy, Browns, Brown, Bengals, Broncos, Bills, Jets, Texans

Here are contract details from some of the latest deals agreed to around the league.

  • Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans). Four years, $92MM. In addition to his $20MM signing bonus, Ridley will see his first two base salaries ($4.5MM, $22,5MM) fully guaranteed. If on Tennessee’s roster by Day 5 of the 2025 league year, Ridley will receive a $3.02MM guarantee for his 2026 base salary ($20.24MM), per OverTheCap. If Ridley remains on Tennessee’s roster by Day 5 of the 2026 league year, he will earn a $1MM bonus. This still stands to give the Titans some 2026 flexibility.
  • Jerry Jeudy, WR (Browns). Three years, $52.5MM. The recently traded wideout’s base value, as expected, checks in lower than the initial numbers. The ex-Denver target will see guarantees into his the deal’s third year, with SI.com’s Albert Breer noting $6MM will be guaranteed for 2026. Jeudy received $41MM guaranteed at signing.
  • Curtis Samuel, WR (Bills). Three years, $24MM. The Bills are guaranteeing $5MM of Samuel’s $6.91MM 2025 base salary at signing. The entire ’25 base is guaranteed for injury, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Samuel will be due a $1MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2026 league year; his $6.51MM 2026 salary is nonguaranteed.
  • John Simpson, G (Jets). Two years, $12MM. This number is down a bit from the initial $18MM figure, which is the deal’s max value. Simpson will see $6MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. The Jets used three void years to spread out the cap hits; the fifth-year guard is on New York’s books at $3.2MM in 2024.
  • Folorunso Fatukasi, DT (Texans). One year, $5.2MM. The recent Jacksonville cut will receive $4.6MM guaranteed at signing on his Houston pact, Wilson tweets. The Texans tacked two void years onto the veteran nose tackle’s deal.
  • Trent Brown, T (Bengals). One year, $4.75MM. The veteran tackle will receive $2MM guaranteed, with OverTheCap indicating $1MM will be available in per-game roster bonuses with another $250K in play via a workout bonus. A bonus-laden structure is not new for Brown, who had weight clauses in his most recent two Patriots contracts.
  • Solomon Thomas, DL (Jets). One year, $3MM. The Jets are guaranteeing the former No. 3 overall pick $2.5MM, Cimini adds.
  • Mike Edwards, S (Bills). One year, $2.8MM. The former Tampa Bay and Kansas City safety can earn up to $4MM on his Buffalo deal, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. He is on the Bills’ cap at $2.8MM.
  • Cody Barton, LB (Broncos). One year, $2.46MM. The Broncos will land the veteran linebacker for more than $1MM cheaper than the Commanders did in 2023. Denver is guaranteeing $2.33MM of the deal, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.
  • Desmond King, CB (Texans). One year, $1.8MM. Veteran slot cornerback/return man’s contract can max out at $2.2MM, Wilson tweets.

NFL Approves Cal McNair As Texans’ Principal Owner

A key figure with the Texans over the past several years, Cal McNair will transition from CEO to an official ownership title. The NFL approved McNair as the team’s principal owner Tuesday.

Cal’s mother, Janice McNair, had been in place as principal owner since her husband Bob McNair’s 2018 death. Janice is now 87. Bob McNair founded the expansion franchise, which debuted in 2002. Cal McNair, 62, has been in place as the team’s top decision-maker since his father’s death, being the team’s representative at owners meetings. But he will have an official ownership title moving forward.

It’s an exciting time to be a Houston Texan and I’m honored to lead this franchise,” Cal McNair said. “This move ensures the long-term stability of our franchise and we will continue to operate the way we have been over the last couple years, pursuing a championship for the city of Houston while doing great things in the community and for our fans.

The period since Bob McNair’s death has been an eventful one for the NFL’s newest franchise. The Texans are 31-51-1 since Bob McNair’s passing. After a power struggle led to Bill O’Brien eventually moving into a head coach/GM dual role in 2019 — with Brian Gaine fired barely a year after landing the job — the Texans made a host of interesting moves. The events coming out of the O’Brien period have been the most impactful, however.

Deshaun Watson requested a trade months after being given an extension, citing issues with Cal McNair’s hiring of Nick Caserio as GM. This soon became a subplot, as it came to light the Pro Bowl quarterback had been accused of sexual misconduct and/or sexual assault by dozens of massage therapists. Thirty women sued the Texans as well. The Texans had given Watson a Houstonian hotel and spa membership and helped arrange nondisclosure agreements for its then-quarterback; the lawsuit accused the team of enabling him. The team settled the suits, which emerged months after the Watson trade brought back three first-round picks from the Browns.

That Caserio-overseen process helped lead to the C.J. Stroud selection, which has revitalized the Texans after they had fired HCs (O’Brien, David Culley, Lovie Smith) in three straight years. The Texans will go into 2024 with significantly higher expectations compared to previous years, and while this has not been an especially stable period for the organization, its Caserio-Stroud-DeMeco Ryans foundation does appear pointed in the right direction.

Texans Sign CB Myles Bryant

After watching three of their top five cornerbacks depart in free agency, the Texans continue to retool the room around Derek Stingley and Desmond King. They’ve brought in a number of players to replace the production lost through the free agency of Steven Nelson, Shaquill Griffin, and Tavierre Thomas, and the latest to join the crew is former Patriots cornerback Myles Bryant. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tells us that he’ll head to Houston on a one-year deal.

The Patriots leaned heavily on Bryant last season, using him on 128 more defensive snaps than the next closest cornerback. The team entered 2023 with Jack Jones, Jonathan Jones, and rookie first-round pick Christian Gonzalez leading the position room. They also figured that Marcus Jones could step in if any of those three were forced to miss any time and that Bryant would be relied on after all that.

Jack Jones only appeared in four games, getting placed on injured reserve and ultimately being waived from the team. Gonzalez went down with a season-ending injury, also only playing in four contests. Marcus Jones only appeared in two games before being placed on IR for the remainder of the season. Just like that, Jonathan Jones and Bryant were the top two corners on the team.

Bryant, a former undrafted player out of Washington, availed himself quite well in his first extended action as a starter, grading out as the 54th-best cornerback in the league, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), not a bad showing for someone who was expected to serve the season as CB5 on the depth chart. He had also started six of the final nine games of New England’s 2022 season but really only served time in certain packages. The team had no choice but to deploy him full-time in 2023, and Bryant responded with his strongest season to date. In the last two years, he has two interceptions, 13 passes defensed, 147 total tackles, and seven tackles for loss.

In Houston, Bryant will have an opportunity to compete for a starting role once again. The Texans return Stingley as a starter on the outside and King, who shared a big role in the slot with Thomas. The team brought in Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson to compete for the outside corner job opposite Stingley, and while Bryant can play on the outside, he spent most of his time in the slot last year, so he’ll likely fill the role of the departed Thomas, sharing the nickelback job with King while adding depth on the outside.

Bryant arrives as the fourth new cornerback to the roster in a new-look group in Houston. He’ll take his newly acquired starting experience from New England and try to work it into another starting job with the Texans. He also brings in experience as a punt returner, but with a healthy Tank Dell, Houston likely won’t need him there.

Texans LT Laremy Tunsil Undergoes Successful Knee Surgery

Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil recently underwent successful surgery on his left knee, as Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com reports. Per Wilson, the surgery was an arthroscopic procedure to address the injury that sidelined Tunsil for three games during the 2023 season.

Critically, both Wilson and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com note that Tunsil will make a full and fast recovery, so the club can continue to count on him to serve as one of the league’s best LTs. Despite the nagging knee ailment, which Tunsil managed last year by having it drained and by sitting out of practice once or twice per week, the former first-round pick of the Dolphins earned the fourth Pro Bowl nod of his career in 2023.

Tunsil’s work on the blindside was instrumental in quarterback C.J. Stroud‘s Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, and, by extension, Houston’s surprising run to the divisional round of the playoffs. His Pro Bowl acclaim was buttressed by the advanced metrics, as Pro Football Focus considered him the 20th-best OT out of 81 qualifiers in 2023 and the fourth-best pass blocker. His work against the Browns’ Myles Garrett in the Texans’ wildcard round victory over Cleveland was especially telling, as Tunsil yielded no sacks or hits when lined up against Garrett, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors last year (h/t Wilson).

The successful surgery is not only good news from an on-field standpoint, but from a financial one as well. Tunsil landed a massive three-year extension last March that includes a $25MM average annual value, the highest figure in league history for an offensive tackle. Tunsil, who is entering his age-30 season, is under club control through 2026, though his base salaries from 2024-26 ($18MM, $20.95MM, and $20.95MM) are not unreasonable for a player of his caliber.

On the defensive side of the ball, DeMeco Ryans‘ team has made a number of offseason additions, including a big-money contract for former Vikings standout Danielle Hunter. In terms of pass-rushing presence, Hunter will take the place of Jonathan Greenard, who parlayed his breakout contract-year campaign into a four-year, $76MM deal with (coincidentally) Minnesota. Although Houston was reportedly interested in retaining Greenard, we had heard that the club was concerned about his eventual price tag, and Greenard believes the Texans never extended an official contract offer (via Wilson, who passes along Greenard’s full statement on the matter).

CB Xavien Howard Interested In Texans Deal

Xavien Howard remains unsigned after making it clear he would not remain with the Dolphins on a new contract. The former All-Pro corner is thus on track to join a new team, and he has publicly identified a potential landing spot.

[RELATED: Texans To Add CB C.J. Henderson]

During an appearance on The OGs Podcast, Howard made a number of notable comments. One of them was that he would be interested in a deal with his hometown Texans. The 30-year-old (who was released by the Dolphins at the start of the league year) could provide Houston with a starting corner to partner with Derek Stingley Jr. and add a veteran presence to the team’s secondary.

“I would love to do that; back at home, the crib,” Howard said, via Sports Illustrated’s Coty M. Davis“I have Houston Rockets and the Texans tatted on me… It’s a realistic option for me. They have a hell of a quarterback. I love a defensive coach.”

Indeed, Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans‘ respective showings from 2023 has made Houston an attractive franchise for free agents. Edge rusher Danielle Hunter is among the players who signed there in the early portion of the league year in a move which also represented a homecoming. Howard following suit would give the Texans a four-time Pro Bowler who has posted at least 12 pass deflections in each of the past four seasons (to go with 17 interceptions in that span).

The Texans (or any other interested team) would no doubt have concerns about a long-term investment given Howard’s age and, potentially, his asking price. The Baylor product will likely not come close to the $18MM AAV of his previous pact, something which could especially hold true if he elects to take less than market value to play on a contending team. Howard indicated a willingness to do so.

“I’d rather take a pay cut to go to a team that’s going to go further in the playoffs,” he said (h/t Davis’ colleague Omar Kelly). “I’ve got my money and stuff like that. I’m to the point, how much money do you really need?… I’ve already [been] paid, but now [a Super Bowl is] what I’m looking forward to.”

After making a run to the divisional round of the postseason last year, the Texans fit the bill of a potential contender in the AFC. Their efforts to add a new starter at the CB spot would certainly become notable with a Howard signing, and with roughly $20MM in cap space an agreement could be feasible. It will be interesting to see the extent to which Howard’s interest in a deal is mutual.

Texans To Sign CB C.J. Henderson

The Texans will give C.J. Henderson a chance to bounce back. The former top-10 Jaguars pick, who played most of the past three seasons with the Panthers, is signing with the Texans, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.

Henderson visited Texans brass Thursday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Florida alum has seen his stock dip considerably since coming off the 2020 draft board ninth overall, but he will land another opportunity. Henderson’s Houston deal is worth up to $3.25MM, Fowler adds.

Going from Jacksonville to Carolina early in the 2021 season — for a third-round pick and tight end Dan Arnold — Henderson could not reestablish his value with the NFC South team. The Panthers gave the 6-foot-1 cover man extensive run (22 starts) but did not see him provide an answer. Carolina initially acquired Henderson due to the first of Jaycee Horn‘s NFL injuries, later trading for Stephon Gilmore that year. Henderson again ended up being a Horn replacement, when the 2021 top-10 pick went down with a significant hamstring injury last season, but was not especially effective.

Pro Football Focus’ ratings at this position can fluctuate, partially illustrating cornerback volatility, but the advanced metrics site ranked the the ex-Gator outside the top 100 in each of the past three seasons. Henderson, 25, also allowed a passer rating north of 103 as the closest defender in each of the past three seasons. This resume points to the Texans taking a flier on a player who was once viewed as a high-end prospect.

Henderson is the second former top-10 CB investment the Texans have added this offseason, with Jeff Okudah — chosen third overall in 2020 — signing with the team last week. Houston also features the 2022 No. 3 overall pick — Derek Stingley Jr. — at corner, giving DeMeco Ryans a crew of once-elite prospects. Okudah and Henderson’s trajectories do not match Stingley’s at this point, and Houston will probably do more work at this position. The team was interested in re-signing Steven Nelson, but no deal has been reached more than a week into free agency.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/24

Wednesday’s minor transactions:

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Sims was not tendered by the Texans as a restricted free agent, but Houston found a way to bring him back on a new deal regardless. Sims is now five years removed from his rookie year in Washington, in which he caught for 310 yards and four touchdowns.

Texans To Re-Sign DE Derek Barnett

Finding more playing time after becoming a Texans waiver claim last year, Derek Barnett will stick around. Houston is keeping the veteran defensive end, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.

The parties agreed to keep this partnership going on a one-year deal. After not seeing much playing time with the Eagles to start last season, Barnett logged four starts in Houston. He finished his Texans portion of the season with 3.5 sacks, counting a playoff drop of Joe Flacco in the team’s wild-card win.

Houston has swapped out Jonathan Greenard for Danielle Hunter opposite Will Anderson Jr.; Barnett will be back in the fold to operate as a rotational rusher. The 2017 first-round pick had spent his entire career in Philadelphia, but after the Eagles made him available, they waived him when nothing materialized by last year’s deadline. In Houston, Barnett received the playing time he sought after being buried on Philly’s depth chart.

Despite going into his eighth season, Barnett will not turn 28 until this summer. The Texans will also bet on better form in 2024, as Barnett entered last season coming off an ACL tear. Barnett started the final four Texans regular-season games last season, recording 2.5 sacks in their Titans series in that span. Playing 66% of the Texans’ defensive snaps in their wild-card win, Barnett dropped Flacco once and registered two QB hits in what became a blowout.

The Tennessee alum also notched 11 QB hits despite playing in only six Houston games; while never a high-volume sack artist, Barnett has proven disruptive often. Save for his one-game 2022 season, Barnett has reached 11 QB hits in every year of his NFL career. Notching at least 16 QB hits on three occasions, Barnett topped out with 22 in 2019.

Only tallying two sacks in 15 starts in 2021, Barnett still managed a two-year, $14MM Eagles deal in 2022. Best known for his fourth-quarter fumble recovery that set up the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII win, Barnett has 24 career sacks. Lost in the shuffle in Philly due to the presences of Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and Josh Sweat (and then Haason Reddick), Barnett has three five-plus-sack seasons on his resume. He will attempt to add a fourth in Houston.

The Texans have been busy rearranging parts along their D-line this offseason. Anderson remains in place as the group’s anchor, but Hunter will bring a far more extensive track record compared to Greenard. The team has also swapped out Maliek Collins and Sheldon Rankins for Denico Autry, Mario Edwards and Tim Settle inside, with Folorunso Fatukasi set to play a run-stopping role.