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Houston Texans News & Rumors

Texans To Re-Sign TE Pharaoh Brown

March 15th, 2022 at 3:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans continue to bring back some of their in-house players. The team is re-signing tight end Pharaoh Brown on a one-year deal worth up to $4MM (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).

Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson adds that $3MM of the total is fully guaranteed, while playing time incentives give the deal its potential value of $4MM (Twitter link). If Brown can reach the maximum, he would double his earnings from last season.

The 27-year-old joined the Raiders as a UDFA in 2017. He then spent one season with his hometown Cleveland Browns, though he recorded just two catches. He has spent the last two years in Houston, where his production has seen a notable increase.

In 28 games with the Texans (including 21 starts), Brown has posted 37 receptions for 334 yards and two touchdowns. By keeping him in the fold, the Texans are obviously pleased with the steps forward he has taken during his time with them.

Houston should still have enough cap room to make more moves, either by way of retaining more of their promising players from last season, or outside additions such as that of M.J. Stewart made earlier today.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/22

March 15th, 2022 at 2:11pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep tabs on today’s minor moves here:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Texans To Sign S M.J. Stewart

March 15th, 2022 at 1:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans may have found their Justin Reid replacement. The team has signed safety M.J. Stewart to a one-year, $3MM deal (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network).

[RELATED: Texans To Re-Sign Maliek Collins]

Stewart, 26, was a second round pick of the Buccaneers in 2018. He only played two seasons in Tampa Bay, however, and was waived in August 2020. Injuries played a role in the decision to move on from the former Tar Heel, who had originally been drafted as a corner.

The Browns claimed Stewart off waivers, where he played in 29 games, including three starts. He totalled 69 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed in Cleveland, while also seeing significant special teams duties. More notably, however, was the improvement he showed in pass coverage compared to his time in Tampa. Stewart had a career year in that regard in 2021; he allowed a completion percentage of 63%, and a passer rating of 84.7.

In large part due to his newfound effectiveness defending the pass, Stewart received an impressive PFF grade of 83.8. That outweighs Reid’s evaluation by a considerable margin, which gives this deal the potential to be one of the more valuable under-the-radar deals of the offseason. At a minimum, the Texans will have some experienced depth on the back end.

Texans To Re-Sign Maliek Collins

March 15th, 2022 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

The Texans are keeping Maliek Collins. On Tuesday, the defensive tackle agreed to return on a two-year deal worth $17MM (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).  The pact also includes $8.5MM guaranteed, giving Collins security heading into his seventh pro season.

[RELATED: Falcons Eyeing Texans’ Watson?]

Collins, a three-technique tackle, emerged as a key contributor in Lovie Smith‘s defense last year. The two sides were said to have mutual interest and, as expected, they’ve hashed out a deal in advance of the official start to free agency.

The Texans snagged Collins on a one-year, $5MM deal last year. This time around, they were willing to go significantly higher. At one point in time, Collins seemed like a lost cause. However, he’s clearly bounced back from his iffy Raiders run.

Last year, Collins notched a career-high 29 tackles with nine tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, and 2.5 sacks.

Deshaun Watson To Meet With Browns

March 15th, 2022 at 9:12am CST by Adam La Rose

After visiting two NFC South rivals vying to trade for him, Deshaun Watson has a third team meeting lined up. Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reports that the quarterback will sit down with the Browns today. 

[RELATED: Watson To Meet With Panthers, Saints]

Wilson adds that while New Orleans and Carolina have been at the forefront of pitching the three-time Pro Bowler to come to their respective clubs, Cleveland is amongst the others that are still interested. As he writes, the Browns “are not entirely sold on moving forward with Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback and have fielded exploratory trade calls”.

The only two teams known to have made trade offers for the 26-year-old are the aforementioned Saints and Panthers, but it was reported last week that Cleveland has been keeping a close eye on his legal situation. After trading the pick Houston used to draft Watson in 2017, the Browns were said to have “done their homework” on him, leaving open the possibility of a trade.

Mayfield is under contract for one more season, the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. It carries a value of $18.8MM and is fully guaranteed. While Cleveland has stated their intentions of keeping the former No. 1 pick recently, they are clearly willing to at least entertain the thought of adding an upgrade at the QB spot. Mayfield struggled throughout the 2021 campaign, playing through injury while the Browns fell well short of expectations. Nothing tangible would come from this meeting without Watson being willing to waive his no-trade clause, to say nothing of the trade compensation which the Texans would ask for to make a swap possible.

The Seahawks have also been named as a potential suitor for Watson now that the franchise needs a Russell Wilson replacement. For now, though, the list of teams willing to go as far as meeting in person with the embattled star has increased to three.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/22

March 14th, 2022 at 9:14pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a busy day around the NFL. We’ve compiled today’s minor moves below:

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Texans To Sign OL A.J. Cann

March 14th, 2022 at 8:30pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans continue adding to their offensive line. The team has signed A.J. Cann, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). It’s a two-year, $8.5MM deal ($10.5MM max, $4.5MM guaranteed) for Cann, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Texans To Re-Sign C Justin Britt]

Cann was a third-round pick by the Jaguars in 2015, and he spent the next seven seasons in Jacksonville. The lineman started 94 of his 95 games during his stint with the Jaguars, and he inked a three-year, $15MM extension with the organization in 2019.

The 30-year-old was limited to only four games in 2021 after suffering an MCL injury. He appeared in 78 percent of his team’s offensive snaps in those four contests.

While we’re uncertain who will be under center for the Texans next season, that hasn’t stopped the team from adding to their offensive line. We heard moments ago that the team inked center Justin Britt to a new contract.

Texans To Re-Sign C Justin Britt

March 14th, 2022 at 8:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Justin Britt completed a successful comeback season in 2021, and the Texans plan to bring him back. Houston is re-signing its starting center, Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets.

This will be Britt’s fourth contract. While it does not measure up to the deal the Seahawks gave him in the late 2010s, it is a raise from his previous Texans pact. Houston is bringing Britt back on a two-year, $9MM accord, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Aaron Wilson notes (on Twitter). Britt, 30, played for one year and $3.2MM in 2021.

[RELATED: Texans To Release Marcus Cannon]

The former Seahawks multi-position starter was not with a team in 2020, after having suffered an ACL tear in October 2019. But he worked as the Texans’ primary center last season. Britt will have a chance to reprise that role in 2022. The Texans may have some new parts up front, but they will try to run back the Britt-Davis Mills center-QB tandem.

A second-round pick back in 2014, Britt started 11 games for the Texans. He sustained a hyperextended knee during the season but returned to close out the year for his second NFL team. The longtime Seahawk said earlier this year he wanted to return to the Texans. While Britt has experience at guard and right tackle, he has settled in at center, having played there since 2016.

Texans Release OL Marcus Cannon

March 14th, 2022 at 4:58pm CST by Ben Levine

Marcus Cannon‘s stint with the Texans has come to an end. The Texans are releasing the veteran offensive lineman, reports Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter).

On Thursday, it will be the one-year anniversary of Cannon joining Houston. The Texans acquired the lineman from the Patriots (along with a fifth- and sixth-round pick) for a fourth- and sixth-round pick.

Cannon started the first four games for the Texans, getting in 88 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. However, he landed on IR in early October with a disc issue, and he didn’t end up seeing the field again during the 2021 campaign.

The 2011 fifth-round pick had previously spent his entire career in New England, earning three Super Bowl rings and a second-team All-Pro nod. The lineman started 69 of his 115 games with the Patriots, including 15 starts in 2020. The 33-year-old also got into 19 playoff games, starting 11.

Deshaun Watson To Meet With Panthers, Saints

March 14th, 2022 at 4:34pm CST by Zachary Links

4:34pm: It may be an NFC South duel for Watson. The three-time Pro Bowler, as of Monday afternoon, is not willing to waive his no-trade clause for anyone but Carolina or New Orleans, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle said during an appearance on WFNZ (Twitter link). The Saints may have a slight lead in this race, with CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora noting Watson is “lukewarm at best” about the Panthers (Twitter link). While it has been reported Watson would waive his no-trade clause for the Panthers, this may not be his preferred outcome.

Watson has rejected the Seahawks, McClain adds (Twitter link). The Colts, as should be expected, are not in this mix. Though, they may or may not have tried. The Texans denied their AFC South rivals permission to speak with Watson, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Seahawks, reported as an interested party over the weekend, are not planning to meet with Watson, per ESPN’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter).

More teams are interested, but it certainly appears these two rivals are in the lead. Watson will meet with each team Monday night in Houston, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Watson is also planning to meet with other teams Tuesday, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. This saga could include a trade soon, despite Watson’s civil suits not yet being resolved.

10:17am: Deshaun Watson is expected to meet with the Panthers and Saints in the next couple of days (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). On top of that, Watson will also chat with other interested clubs between now and Wednesday. 

The Texans have granted Watson permission to meet with other clubs, which may help to advance the trade talks. Watson holds a no-trade clause, so the Texans have to get his sign-off before completing any deal.

On that note, Watson has not turned down a potential trade to the Panthers (Twitter link via David Newton of ESPN.com). It was long reported that Watson only OK’d a trade to the Dolphins, but Newton hears that’s not the case — at least, when it comes to Carolina. With that in mind, it’s possible that Watson could go along with a trade to the Saints or one of the other interested teams.

The details are not yet known, but the Saints and Panthers have made offers for Watson recently. Meanwhile, the Texans’ asking price has not budged. Houston GM Nick Caserio still says that he wants three first-round picks plus more assets in exchange for the embattled QB. The Panthers, who own the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 draft, could make a compelling offer for the Texans. The Saints, who sit at No. 18, would have to offer more in their package to top their bid.

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