Houston Texans News & Rumors

Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Johnson, Harmon

April 11th, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins are reportedly doing some homework on high-ranked tight end prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. Though, at No. 13 overall, Miami may be out of range of top tight end prospect Tyler Warren of Penn State, the team took a look at two options that could be around for their second-round pick.

According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, LSU’s Mason Taylor was onsite yesterday. Taylor is the son of Dolphins legend Jason Taylor. The younger Taylor is projected to be a fringe first-round prospect, but with tight ends, the ranges can certainly be wider. Taylor did a top-30 visit with the Browns on Monday and has also visited the Seahawks and Chargers.

Earlier this week, the Dolphins also hosted local tight prospect Elijah Arroyo out of Miami (FL), per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Arroyo had a breakout season for the Hurricanes this year and caught lots of attention at the Senior Bowl. After visiting Miami on Monday, Arroyo met with the Browns on Tuesday and Giants on Wednesday. Mike Cugno of CBS Sports adds that teammates Xavier Restrepo and Arroyo have both spent plenty of time around the Dolphins facility in the last couple of days.

Miami saw veteran Jonnu Smith rival Tyreek Hill in the receiving game for the Dolphins last year, but Smith’s contract expires after this season, so Taylor or Arroyo may be viewed as strong TE2 options or potential tight ends of the future.

Here are a few other draft visits we’ve seen reported in recent days:

All-American running back Kaleb Johnson has been making the rounds lately. After visiting the Steelers last weekend, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 adds that Johnson has visited the Titans, Broncos, Texans, and Bengals. Johnson is widely considered the third-best running back prospect in the class behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Based on interest from the Titans, Johnson could go anywhere from the early-second to early-third round.
Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon visited the Jets yesterday. He hasn’t often been mocked in range of the Jets‘ No. 7 overall pick so far, but he could certainly be a candidate to find New York early in the second round or perhaps in the late-first, should the Jets opt to trade back up. Garafolo notes that Harmon has also visited the Browns and Steelers this week.

Texans, Jalen Pitre Agree To Extension

April 11th, 2025 at 8:09am CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans made a major commitment in the secondary when they worked out a record-breaking extension for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The team now has another multi-year deal in place with a different member of the secondary from the 2022 draft class.

Jalen Pitre has agreed to a three-year extension worth $39MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The former second-rounder was set to play on the final season of his rookie deal, meaning he is now on the books through 2028. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds the contract includes $29.16MM in guarantees. This accord contains a $10MM signing bonus, $18MM in new compensation for 2025 and can top out at $42.6MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.

Pitre was drafted as a safety, and for the most part he occupied that role during his first two seasons in Houston. The 25-year-old handled full-time starting duties during that span, which included a five-interception rookie campaign. Pitre’s ball production took a step back in 2023, but he remained a mainstay in the secondary. Last offseason, the Texans committed to playing him at slot corner, a role he primarily handled in 2024.

While he was limited to 12 games last year, Pitre found success at his new position. The Baylor product earned a PFF grade of 73.9, easily the highest of his career. He handled a defensive snap share of 87%, and a heavy workload can obviously be expected moving forward. Houston has Stingley on the books long term, and 2024 second-rounder Kamari Lassiter represents another young player set to be a key member of the team’s secondary for years to come.

Since $39MM represents the base value of the contract, Pitre’s AAV of $13MM represents a new high mark for slot corners. That position has not seen much in the way of upward movement relative to boundary CBs, but the Texans have once again made a notable commitment to an in-house defender. Veteran edge rusher Danielle Hunter is also among the players who have received a lucrative extension this offseason as Houston looks to capitalize on the window of opportunity brought about by C.J. Stroud‘s rookie contract.

The Texans ranked sixth against the pass last season, and expectations will be high for their secondary again in 2025. With Stingley and now Pitre attached to long-term pacts, it will be interesting to see which position group is targeted next with respect to internal commitments.

2025 NFL Draft Visits: Williams, Simmons, Texans

April 10th, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Ely Allen

The 2025 NFL Draft class is fairly deep at the defensive tackle position. One player contributing to that depth is Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams. Williams has gotten a ton of attention lately. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Williams visited the Texans today after recent visits with the Eagles, Bills, and Packers.

Part of this year’s championship-winning Buckeyes crew, Williams has been a full-time starter in Columbus for the last two seasons. He broke out with his performances in those two years, totaling 18 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks over that time.

Because Williams is not expected to be a top 10 pick, his interest is coming from all over the NFL, both from teams who could select him in the late-first or early-second round. Per Wilson, he has upcoming visits with the 49ers, Ravens, and Lions on his schedule.

Here are a few other reported visits from around the NFL:

A teammate of Williams’ on the other side of the ball, offensive tackle Josh Simmons is also a fringe first-round prospect. After starting all 13 games for the Aztecs of San Diego State as a true freshman, Simmons transferred to Ohio State where he immediately became a full-time starter at right tackle. In 2023, he switched over to the blindside, where he started every game until missing half his senior season with a torn patellar tendon. The injury hasn’t stopped teams from being interested, though. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Simmons visited with the Packers on Monday and the Ravens on Tuesday. Schefter adds that he met with the Colts today and will see the Chiefs tomorrow.
One team that could see Simmons in the future is the Texans, who have been doing plenty of research on offensive linemen after seeing some changes to their starting lineup for 2025. The team hosted North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel today, per Wilson. Zabel had experience playing for the Bison at all four tackle and guard spots but is widely seen as one of the top center prospects in the class, a position at which Houston would welcome an upgrade with open arms. The team also hosted fringe first-round prospect Aireontae Ersery out of Minnesota. Playing left tackle for the Golden Gophers, Ersery could be a potential tackle of the future to step in after Cam Robinson or Trent Brown.

2025 NFL Draft Visits: Schwesinger, Cowboys, Nolen, Ezeiruaku, Burden, Turner, Bond, Steelers, Emmanwori

April 6th, 2025 at 10:14pm CST by Ely Allen

This isn’t exactly a visit in the sense of top-30 visits, like most of the rest of bullets that follow this will be, but UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger held a private pro day earlier this week in Los Angeles and had 30 teams in attendance, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

While, obviously, not a comprehensive list, Schefter specifically mentions the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Chargers, and Broncos, and notes that the linebackers coaches from Dallas, New York, and New Orleans all met privately with Schwesinger.

Schwesinger is not currently the top-ranked linebacker prospect in most analysts’ eyes, but he often slides in as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the class behind Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell — third if you count Georgia defender Jalon Walker, who has the ability to play every linebacker spot at the next level. Some thought Schwesinger may sneak into the back end of the first round at the end of the month, but more likely is that he hears his name on Day 2. Per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, it would be surprising to see him fall past the first half of the second round.

Here are some more prospect-NFL team connections we’ve seen recent reports on:

The Cowboys have certainly been very busy in the runup to the 2025 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team held their invite-only “Dallas Day,” hosting draft prospects without the visits counting towards their top-30 visits. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton met with the team at “Dallas Day.” The well-balanced rusher continues to skyrocket up draft boards, is likely to join Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and has several other visits lined up.
Jeanty was also in attendance on Friday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. We had relayed that Jeanty would be taking a top-30 visit with the Cowboys, but it’s unclear whether this is what was meant in that original report. Also in attendance for “Dallas Day” were Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, TCU wide receivers Savion Williams and Jack Bech, Texas quarterback and offensive lineman Quinn Ewers and Cameron Williams, and Miami tight end and running back Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez.
Also in attendance at “Dallas Day” was Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Nolen will follow up his Dallas visit with a visit with the Panthers on Monday and a visit with the Bengals some other time this week.
Joining Nolen in Carolina on Monday will be Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, per Joe Person of The Athletic. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has been a hot topic with multiple scouts of late, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He’s currently viewed as an early-Day 2 prospect, and his stock continues to rise.
Speaking of another “Dallas Day” athlete, Wilson of KPRC 2 provided an updated list of teams that Turner, from Texas A&M, is set to visit with. We already noted his recent visit in New Orleans, but Wilson tells us that Turner has also visited the Texans and plans to visit the Ravens, Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals.
According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos hosted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden for a top-30 visit last week. The talented wideout fell off in 2024 after an incredible sophomore campaign with the Tigers, but his high ceiling makes him a borderline first-round prospect. Denver would love to bring in another talented weapon for young quarterback Bo Nix.
We already reported recent visits for Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, but we now have a couple sources adding some new locations for the Longhorn. Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Bond had dinner with the Bills before a private workout Friday and a top-30 visit as well as visits with the Browns and Packers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Bond has visits scheduled with the Chiefs and Titans, as well.
Brooke Pryor of ESPN tells us that the Steelers hosted a full house on Thursday. Prospects on hand last week included Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew.
Lastly, Pryor adds that Pittsburgh was one of the recent teams to host South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. The pre-draft standout had reportedly lined up visits with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Miami already. The Steelers’ interest in the Gamecock is no surprise as he’s trending towards being a Day 1 selection at this point.

Cowboys Meet With Quinshon Judkins; Bengals, Browns, Giants, Texans Visits On RB’s Schedule

April 4th, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not viewed as one of the better draft classes in recent NFL history, the 2025 crop does bring considerable running back depth. After a 2024 draft saw only one back chosen in Rounds 1 and 2 (Jonathon Brooks), this year should feature several going before Day 2’s second half starts.

Ashton Jeanty is a mortal lock to be a first-rounder, perhaps a top-10 pick, while North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton is on the first-round radar as well. Should those two be off the board after the first round, the second opens the door to three Big Ten options — Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State’s 1,000-1,000 pair (Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson). Judkins’ pre-draft itinerary is forming fast.

The Cowboys have met with the three-year college RB, who posed for a photo with Jerry Jones (via SB Nation’s Brandon Loree) after his meeting this week. News of Judkins’ Broncos visit already surfaced, but the former Ole Miss recruit is also set to meet with the Bengals, Browns, Giants and Texans, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets.

A three-time 1,000-yard rusher in college, Judkins scored an eye-popping 50 touchdowns despite declaring for the draft after his junior season. The 2024 transfer helped Ohio State to a national title, leading the team in rushing despite Henderson having played in Columbus for three seasons already. Although Henderson is viewed as a superior pass catcher, the one-year Buckeyes teammates may not be separated by too many picks. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board lists Henderson 34th and Judkins 38th.

The Bengals turned to Chase Brown as their primary back last season, as Zack Moss went down midway through his Cincinnati debut. Moss remains on Cincy’s roster, despite being mentioned as a potential cut. As Nick Chubb has seen injuries sidetrack his career, the Browns did not re-sign the decorated RB, who remains in free agency. Holdovers Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong remain, as Cleveland appears to be eyeing an addition in the draft. Though, the Browns obviously have higher priorities entering the late-April event.

Saquon Barkley‘s transcendent Eagles debut came after the Giants did not make an offer in 2024, but the team did see some early promise from fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy. Devin Singletary also remains on Big Blue’s roster, though the rookie usurped him on the team’s depth chart. The Texans made Barkley a lucrative offer, then pivoting to Joe Mixon. Although Mixon boosted Houston’s ground attack after Singletary’s exit, he is 174 carries away from 2,000 for his career. A younger option makes sense, as Dameon Pierce did not follow his promising rookie season with much of note.

The Cowboys lost Rico Dowdle but added Javonte Williams. Scheduling a Jeanty visit, Dallas should be expected — after passing on last year’s RB class — to make an addition during this year’s event. Williams has not looked quite the same since his 2022 ACL and LCL tears, and Dowdle had delivered a 1,000-yard season after Tony Pollard‘s exit.

D.K. Metcalf Made Previous Trade Requests; WR Was Uninterested In Patriots Fit

April 2nd, 2025 at 10:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

D.K. Metcalf recently caught passes from Aaron Rodgers, who has been a Steelers free agent target for weeks. Although Metcalf scored his coveted extension, being part of Pittsburgh’s Rodgers recruitment did not appear to be his goal upon hitting the trade market in earnest this offseason.

The Steelers came up as a Metcalf suitor before last year’s deadline, but the Seahawks shot down talks. Metcalf, however, made it known he wanted a trade prior to requesting one this year, ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson reports. Pittsburgh also did not emerge as the Pro Bowl wideout’s preferred destination.

With the Steelers lacking quarterback clarity, it makes sense they were not the seventh-year veteran’s priority landing spot. Though, Metcalf also made it known, per Henderson, he did not want to be traded to the Patriots. Despite New England now having a long-term QB hopeful in Drake Maye, Metcalf was not interested in a deal that sent him there. He follows Brandon Aiyuk in passing on such a deal.

The Patriots showed interest this year, which is unsurprising given their enduring effort to upgrade at wide receiver, but they did not ultimately make an offer. That may well be the case because Metcalf made it known he did not want to end up in Foxborough. The Pats were prepared to pursue him in a trade, Henderson adds. This fit not coming to fruition follows a summer Aiyuk effort that involved the Pats being linked to a $32MM-per-year offer — the highest known extension price during those trade sweepstakes — only to not land on the WR’s list. The Steelers instead emerged as Aiyuk’s top 49ers competition, with the Commanders being a destination as well.

Washington did not come up for Metcalf, but Henderson indicates Houston and Los Angeles did. The Texans and Chargers instead emerged as the wideout’s preferred destinations, confirming a previous report that the receiver had eyed those AFC squads. Though, the Seahawks needed to both find a Metcalf landing spot that appeased the receiver, one willing to meet the team’s price point and one willing to sign off on an upper-crust extension. The Steelers ended up checking those boxes, giving Metcalf a $32.99MM-per-year deal — one coming with $60MM at signing — to end their lengthy WR pursuit.

Given Metcalf’s success in Seattle, it is interesting he requested a move. The team had seen Geno Smith morph from roster afterthought to Comeback Player of the Year. Metcalf’s numbers vacillated during Smith’s time as Seattle’s starter. After a 1,300-yard season in Russell Wilson‘s final healthy Seahawks slate, Metcalf posted two sub-1,000-yard years (2021, 2024).

Last season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerged as Seattle’s top weapon — to the point Mike Macdonald prioritized an OC who would help reignite Metcalf. Now, he and Smith are out of the picture. Macdonald’s OC search highlighted an interest in retaining Metcalf, but Henderson adds the team weighed the WR’s unhappiness with what it would take to extend him for a second time.

The Texans already have Nico Collins on a big-ticket extension; his $24MM-per-year price — which matches Metcalf’s previous AAV — now looks like a steal. The Chargers jettisoned their two high-priced WR contracts (Keenan Allen, Mike Williams) weeks into Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure. While the Bolts previously came up as a team to watch for Metcalf, Harbaugh’s outfit has kept costs low at the position. Recommitting to the run game, the Chargers did ultimately reunite with Williams this offseason. Not contributing much after the Steelers added him in a trade, the former top-10 pick is back in L.A. on a one-year deal worth only $3MM.

The Pats have temporarily addressed their receiver situation by signing Stefon Diggs, a perennial Pro Bowler the Texans showed interest in retaining. While Diggs has an extensive production history, he is also a depressed asset due to coming off an ACL tear at 31. New England’s long-term WR search will likely continue, and the Aiyuk and Metcalf storylines show the difficulties the team has had recruiting here post-Tom Brady.

Stefon Diggs Says He’s Ahead Of Schedule

April 2nd, 2025 at 5:37pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots finally landed their coveted WR1, but the signing came with a major caveat. That’s because Stefon Diggs is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in late October. Fortunately for both the team and the player, it sounds like the wideout is ahead of schedule in his recovery.

During his introductory press conference last week, Diggs told reporters that he’s ahead of his timeline and is “trying to stay there.” The receiver also hinted that he’s hoping to be on the field when practices kick off this summer.

“When the whistle blows, we’ll see” Diggs said of his availability (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “But right now, I’m ahead of schedule. I’m trying to stay ahead of schedule. I pretty much take it day by day. I try not to put the carriage before the horse, but here we are. Here’s the horse right here. I’ll let you know, though. We’ll keep playing it by ear and I’m going to stay ahead of schedule for now and I’ll let you all know.”

Diggs also admitted that he intends to “reel it back a little bit” so he doesn’t suffer any setbacks. It’s still encouraging to hear that the wide receiver intends to be ready for practices, much less the regular season.

While the Patriots can basically take it year-to-year with Diggs’ contract, the team will surely be cautious with their investment if they intend to make any noise in 2025. Considering the timing of the receiver’s injury, even a Week 1 return could be an ambitious target, although recent reports indicated that Diggs is aiming to play in the season opener.

While the wideout’s market was a bit quiet prior to his signing in New England, that didn’t mean there was a lack of suitors. Following reports that the Broncos sniffed around on Diggs, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that the veteran also spoke with the Texans about re-signing. While the organization “wanted Diggs back,” the two sides ultimately had “different financial parameters.”

AFC Contract Details: Becton, Bolts, Texans, Jenkins, Browns, Bills, Patriots, Dolphins

March 29th, 2025 at 12:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest details from contracts agreed to around the AFC:

Mekhi Becton, OL (Chargers). Two years, $20MM. Despite raising his value with the Eagles, Becton only fetched $6.94MM guaranteed at signing, Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer tweets. The deal includes $3.06MM of per-game roster bonuses in 2025 and $2.55MM in ’26, with these protecting the Bolts after Becton missed 33 games from 2021-22. Becton is due a $2.5MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2026 league year, per OverTheCap.
Christian Elliss, LB (Patriots). Two years, $13.51MM. The Pats are guaranteeing Elliss $7.75MM at signing, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets. This Raiders offer sheet includes guarantees into Year 2, with Volin adding $2.25MM of Elliss’ $7.38MM 2026 base salary is guaranteed at signing. Although Las Vegas designed this deal to give New England pause about matching, the team did so and has since released Ja’Whaun Bentley.
Cam Robinson, T (Texans). One year, $12MM. The Texans are guaranteeing Robinson $10.75MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Up to $1.25MM is available via per-game roster bonuses. Houston also included four void years, which would create a $7MM 2026 dead money bill if Robinson is not re-signed before the 2026 league year.
Garrett Bradbury, C (Patriots). Two years, $9.5MM. Bradbury will see $3.8MM guaranteed at signing; $2.4MM of that comes via a signing bonus, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss tweets. Bradbury’s $3.7MM 2026 base salary is nonguaranteed, giving the Pats an out if the fit proves poor this year.
Mario Edwards, DL (Texans). Two years, $9.5MM. The team is guaranteeing the nomadic D-lineman, $4.5MM, Wilson tweets. Edwards’ $4MM 2026 base salary is nonguaranteed.
Reid Ferguson, LS (Bills). Four years, $6.5MM. Ferguson’s latest Bills contract sits second (to the Chiefs’ James Winchester) at the NFL’s lowest-paid position. The deal includes $2.37MM guaranteed at signing, which Wilson notes is comprised of a 2025 salary guarantee and a $1.1MM signing bonus.
Zach Wilson, QB (Dolphins). One year, $6MM. The ex-Jets starter still secured a fully guaranteed deal as he attempts to reset after spending the 2024 season as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The Dolphins guaranteed Wilson $6MM, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Wilson only counts $2.2MM on Miami’s 2025 cap, per Jackson, as the team added four void years to keep that number low.
Sheldon Rankins, DT (Texans). One year, $5.25MM. Coming after Rankins underwhelmed on a two-year, $24.5MM Bengals accord, the former first-round pick will see $4.5MM guaranteed, per Wilson. Playing-time incentives worth a total of $1.75MM are also included in Rankins’ second Texans contract.
Teven Jenkins, G (Browns). One year, $3.1MM. The guard market dried up for Jenkins, whose free agency reminds of Dalton Risner‘s recent forays. The three-year Bears starter, who held a high asking price early on the market, settled for a deal including just $2.67MM guaranteed, Wilson adds. Cleveland included up to $340K in per-game roster bonuses.
Ifeatu Melifonwu, S (Dolphins). One year, $3MM. The Dolphins are guaranteeing the ex-Lions defender $2.45MM, Wilson tweets. Another $1MM in incentives is present.
Marcus Epps, S (Patriots). One year, $2.03MM. One of two 2024 Raiders starting defenders heading to New England (along with Robert Spillane), Epps received only $500K guaranteed, Reiss tweets. That includes $350K of Epps’ $1.17MM base salary, which does not make the former Super Bowl LVII starter a roster lock.

Texans To Add LB E.J. Speed; Cowboys, 49ers Expressed Interest

March 29th, 2025 at 11:53am CST by Sam Robinson

E.J. Speed will follow Azeez Al-Shaair in making an intra-AFC South free agency move. After six Colts seasons, Speed is moving south.

The Texans are bringing in the veteran linebacker on a one-year deal worth $5MM, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets. Although Speed is coming off his most productive season, the former Indianapolis starter remained in free agency for nearly three weeks. He ended up costing the Texans far less than bringing in Al-Shaair from the Titans did. Speed’s deal includes $3.25MM guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Negotiations began yesterday, per Wilson, who adds that the 49ers and Cowboys were also vying for Speed’s services (video link).

Dallas’ DeMarvion Overshown plans to suit up in 2025, but after suffering a brutal knee injury in December, it is unclear exactly when he will return to the field and if he will ever be able to realize his considerable potential. We recently named the Niners as a potential Speed suitor after the club was unable to re-sign Dre Greenlaw this offseason, but according to Wilson, Speed wanted to play for Houston HC DeMeco Ryans. He also saw the Texans as a more playoff-worthy outfit.

Previously re-signing with the Colts on a two-year, $8MM contract, Speed became important insurance for a Colts team that saw injuries sidetrack Shaquille Leonard. As the latter ended up an in-season 2023 release, Speed’s play factored into that decision. The Colts turned to Speed as an every-down player following the Leonard release, and that trend continued last season.

After a 102-tackle 2023 slate that included a career-high 12 TFLs, Speed posted a career-best 142 tackles last year. Helping to replace Bobby Okereke, Speed added seven TFLs and intercepted a pass last season. The Colts had already extended Zaire Franklin on a deal averaging more than $10MM per year, and the team’s much-rumored philosophical shift did include two big-ticket DB additions (Camryn Bynum, Charvarius Ward). The Colts will opt not to pay a second linebacker, letting Speed walk.

Pro Football Focus viewed Speed as a better linebacker in 2023, ranking him 48th among off-ball regulars in 2023. Last season, PFF slotted Speed 67th out of 84 qualified options. Despite making 26 starts on his $4MM-per-year contract, Speed did not walk into a strong market this offseason. His age (30 in June) undoubtedly contributed, but the Texans will see if the special-teamer-turned-starter can contribute in an Al-Shaair-fronted LB cadre.

Houston, which lost role player Devin White to Las Vegas on Friday, has Al-Shaair under contract through 2026. The defending AFC South champs have Christian Harris and Henry To’oTo’o rostered as well. Harris missed most of last season due to injury, and To’oTo’o led the team’s LBs with 936 defensive snaps. Speed played 1,011 — third-most among off-ball LBs in 2024. If nothing else, the Texans have high-end insurance against another LB injury and figure to give Speed a long look as an Al-Shaair three-down complement.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

AFC South Rumors: Autry, Titans, Jags, Colts

March 26th, 2025 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Denico Autry‘s first Texans season did not go according to plan, with the AFC South nomad incurring a six-game PED suspension. Several months later, Autry looks to have taken a bit of a pay cut. Having signed a two-year, $20MM deal in 2024, Autry is now tied to a one-year contract worth $7.5MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. This is down from $9MM in 2025 base value. Autry will see his base salary reduced from $8.5MM to $3.5MM, and while $3MM of that has gone into a signing bonus for restructure purposes, the rest shifts to incentives. Overall, Autry’s 2025 cap hit will drop from $10.3MM to $6.6MM. Autry, who will turn 35 this summer, totaled three sacks in a mostly rotational role last season. He is one of four 30-somethings on the Texans’ D-line, joining Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Rankins and Mario Edwards.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

The Titans would appear to have some work to do at wide receiver. Although they added auxiliary pass catcher Van Jefferson as a roster hopeful, the team is bringing in Terrace Marshall for a Wednesday visit, Wilson tweets. Marshall played three seasons with the Panthers and one with the Raiders, moving from Carolina trade candidate to a player eventually cut. The former second-round pick has not lived up to expectations but, after auditioning for the Steelers, has drawn the Titans’ attention. As for Jefferson, Wilson adds his contract is worth just $1.79MM and carries $1.17MM guaranteed.
Mike McCoy will change AFC South addresses in 2025. The former Chargers HC will shift from a Jacksonville assistant to a Tennessee staffer. The Titans hired McCoy as a senior offensive assistant, veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky noted earlier this month. McCoy, 52, spent the past three seasons as the Jaguars’ QBs coach under Doug Pederson. McCoy was in place as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator when Brian Callahan broke into the NFL; the two overlapped in Denver from 2009-12.
Tank Dell went through a key step during his latest rehab process, undergoing surgery to repair a December ACL tear, per Wilson. The Texans receiver was set to undergo multiple surgeries after suffering immense damage while scoring a touchdown against the Chiefs in Week 16. He had already undergone a previous operation to address his latest significant injury. Dell tore an ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus on the play, requiring ambulance transportation from Arrowhead Stadium. The 2023 third-round pick, who sustained a broken leg as a rookie, faces an uphill battle to play at any point in 2025. Dell is under contract through the 2026 season.
Circling back to some Titans contract matters, the team has one of the most decorated special-teamers in the fold for nearly the veteran minimum. Johnny Hekker, a four-time first-team All-Pro punter, signed a one-year deal worth just $1.42MM ($1.19MM guaranteed), Wilson tweets. A 13-year veteran, Hekker played out a three-year, $7.62MM Panthers pact. Tennessee’s Sebastian Joseph-Day contract checks in at $6.5MM in base value, per Wilson, who adds the Titans’ Brandon Allen accord is worth $1.42MM. This is slightly down from Allen’s 2024 49ers pay ($2MM).
The Jaguars‘ Chuma Edoga contract is worth $7MM over two years, Wilson adds. The veteran swingman will see $3.2MM guaranteed at signing. Nothing is guaranteed beyond Year 1 for the former Jets, Falcons and Cowboys blocker, who will take his place behind Walker Little and Anton Harrison on Jacksonville’s depth chart. Additionally, the Jags’ two-year, $5MM Hunter Long deal will come with $3MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson adds. That includes a $1MM guarantee in 2026.
Wrapping up this contract roundup, Ashton Dulin secured similar Colts terms from his 2023 deal. After playing out a two-year contract worth $7.2MM, the backup wideout recommitted to Indianapolis on a two-year, $6.5MM deal, Wilson tweets. Dulin, who bounced back from a 2023 ACL tear last year, will see $2.94MM guaranteed at signing.

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