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Texans To Keep Aireontae Ersery At OT

By | at May 24, 2025 10:38 am

The Texans are planning to keep second-round pick Aireontae Ersery at offensive tackle to begin his NFL career, though he may not earn a starting job right away.

“Really liked his tape in college at tackle,” said Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans of his rookie offensive lineman (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). “He played left tackle, so we’ll start him out at tackle and see how he does there. My vision for him was always he can help us at tackle.”

The Texans believe that Ersery could be their next franchise left tackle after trading Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders this offseason. Cam Robinson is earning $12MM and will likely start this year, but his one-year deal indicates that the team doesn’t see him as a long-term option. Same goes for Trent Brown, who only has $550k of guaranteed money and will likely have to earn a roster spot as a swing tackle, not a starter.

Enter Ersery, who started 38 straight games at left tackle to end his career at Minnesota. His height and weight meet NFL standards for offensive tackles, but his 33.5-inch arms are shorter than the rest of his 6-foot-6, 331-pound frame suggest. Ersery’s performance at the Combine, including a 5.01-second 40-yard dash, showed that he has the athleticism to keep playing tackle in Houston.

“With Tae, we add a guy who brings that physicality, that mindset, that I really think helps offensive linemen be good at their job,” continued Ryans. “He’s done a great job at playing left tackle and still has room to grow and develop. I’m excited about adding him.”

Ideally, Ersery would spend his rookie season improving his technique and adjusting to NFL competition before taking over on the blind side in 2026. He could then pair with 2024 second-rounder Blake Fisher – who took over for Tytus Howard at right tackle last season after Houston’s Week 14 bye – in 2026 and beyond. Finding bookend tackles in the second round in consecutive years would be an excellent way to revamp C.J. Stroud‘s protection unit at an affordable price tag as he nears extension eligibility.

Could Ersery play guard? His offensive line coach at Minnesota, Brian Callahan (no relation to the Titans’ head coach) thinks so.

“I’m sure he could,” said Callahan (via Wilson) . “I think he’s a tackle, but I do think that he has the ability to play elsewhere. I feel like he could definitely play guard, for sure.”

Houston shored up their guard depth by trading for Ed Ingram and signing Laken Tomlinson this offseason. Howard started the final five games of the season at left guard, too, so Ersery would only flip inside in an emergency. He might be too tall to develop at guard in the long-term, though the Ravens converted Daniel Faalele, another behemoth former Minnesota OT, to right guard last summer.

The Texans will hope that their current guard depth is enough to get through the whole season without deploying Ersery on the interior, allowing him to focus on developing at left tackle with an eye on the future.

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The Most Lucrative ILB Contract In Each Franchise’s History

By | at May 21, 2025 10:09 pm

The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job.

The $20MM-per-year linebacker club consists of only two players (Warner, Roquan Smith), but only four surpass $15MM per year presently. Last year saw the Jaguars and Jets (Foye Oluokun, C.J. Mosley) trim their priciest ILBs’ salaries in exchange for guarantees, and the Colts did not make it too far with Shaquille Leonard‘s big-ticket extension. Although some contracts handed out this offseason created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.

Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees

Carolina Panthers

Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Azeez Al-Shaair checks in atop franchise history in AAV ($11.33MM) but fell short of McKinney’s in guarantees

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Rolando McClain‘s 2010 rookie contract, agreed to in the final year before the rookie-scale system debuted, checked in higher in terms of guarantees ($22.83MM)

Los Angeles Chargers

Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal

Los Angeles Rams

Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)

Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Blake Martinez‘s free agency deal included a higher AAV ($10.25MM) but a lower guaranteee

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Warner secured more guaranteed money on this extension than he did on his five-year 2021 deal ($40.5MM guaranteed)

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)

8 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/21/25

By | at May 21, 2025 8:56 pm

Wednesday’s minor transactions from across the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Russell heads to Arizona after three seasons in Tampa Bay. So far, with his time in the league, Russell has improved upon his contributions as a player each season. In three years with the Bucs, Russell made four starts and logged 49 tackles.

Tasi arrives in Vegas via the league’s International Player Pathway program. The Australian native is a former rugby player of Samoan descent. The Raiders’ website lists him as a defensive lineman, but Tashan Reed of The Athletic noted that he was being utilized on offense today, as well.

1 comment Arizona Cardinals Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Las Vegas Raiders Transactions

Texans To Re-Sign CB Myles Bryant

By | at May 21, 2025 2:39 pm

Nick Caserio will stick with one of the players he helped identify back in his Patriots days. Myles Bryant, a former Pats UDFA, is re-signing with the Texans, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports.

Added on a one-year, $1.75MM deal in 2024, Bryant played in 11 Texans games last season. While the former New England contributor’s Houston workload paled in comparison to his usage in Foxborough, the Washington alum has held a key role at points during his five-year NFL run.

Obtained during Caserio’s final Patriots offseason (2020), Bryant played 75% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps in Bill Belichick‘s final slate (which produced a No. 7-ranked defense). Prior to that, he logged 55% (2021) and 61% (’22) usage rates under Belichick. The Pats turned to Bryant initially after a Jonathan Jones season-ending injury in 2021. New England, however, shifted Jones — its longtime slot corner — to more of an outside role to accommodate Bryant once the veteran returned to full strength. The Pats used both Jones and Bryant regularly over the next two seasons.

Signing with the Texans in late March last year, Bryant did not enjoy a comparable role under DeMeco Ryans. The Texans used the 5-foot-9 defender on just 10% of their defensive snaps last season. He also logged a career-high 121 special teams snaps. Bryant, 27, came to Houston after a 77-tackle season that featured seven TFLs. He will attempt to carve out a bigger role in 2025.

The Texans have a primary slot corner already, having shifted safety Jalen Pitre to that post last year. Pitre recently signed a three-year, $39MM extension that briefly (before Kyler Gordon‘s Bears payday) made him the NFL’s highest-paid pure slot CB. Bryant stands to compete for a job behind Pitre, who saw a pectoral injury end his 2024 season early.

This has proven to be a busy offseason for the Texans at corner. They also used a third-round pick on Jaylin Smith, a cornerback out of USC; that move came after Houston chose boundary starter/Derek Stingley Jr. sidekick Kamari Lassiter in last year’s second round. Prior to paying Pitre, Houston authorized a market-resetting three-year, $90MM extension for Stingley. Highlighting a commitment to the position, the Texans also took a flier on Ronald Darby this offseason.

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Minor NFL Transactions: 5/20/25

By | at May 20, 2025 8:38 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

  • Signed: DB Keydrain Calligan

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Moose Muhammad III was a notable UDFA signing by the Panthers considering his connection to the organization. The wide receiver’s father is Muhsin Muhammad, who is in the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the younger Muhammad suffered an undisclosed injury that cost him his roster spot, although he’ll likely pass through waivers and land on the team’s IR.

1 comment Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Houston Texans Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Transactions

Patriots Rejected Two Trade Offers For Second-Round Pick

By | at May 20, 2025 1:59 pm

The Patriots have been linked to showing interest in the player the Dolphins chose in Round 2, guard Jonah Savaiinaea, but after the Arizona product went off the board, multiple teams eyed the Patriots’ No. 38 choice.

An episode of Forged in Foxborough details a Bears offer for No. 38; the NFC North team proposed No. 39 and a seventh-round pick to move up a spot. It is believed (via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss) Chicago wanted TreVeyon Henderson, whom New England ended up taking. A previous report indeed indicated Chicago was eyeing Henderson.

This appears a lower-stakes example of last year, when the Pats rejected two quality trade offers (from the Giants and Vikings) aimed at Drake Maye. The Pats ended up staying at No. 3 and taking Maye for themselves.

The Bears were not the only team to propose a deal for No. 38, however, as the Forged in Foxborough episode also revealed a more notable trade offer. The Patriots received a proposal for No. 38 that included Nos. 58, 79 and a 2026 third-round pick. This would have netted the Pats three Day 2 picks in exchange for one, though it is not known if New England would have needed to throw in another pick as part of a swap.

It is fairly safe to assume the Texans made this offer, as they held No. 58 at the time the Pats made their Henderson choice. Houston had already moved out of Round 1, and Nick Caserio — a Bill Belichick lieutenant during Mike Vrabel‘s New England linebacker years — was active in trades throughout draft weekend. This later included a move up in Round 2, as the Texans climbed to No. 48 (via the Raiders) and chose Minnesota tackle Aireontae Ersery. The Texans gave up Nos. 58 and 99 for the Raiders’ No. 48 slot.

Houston may have been targeting Ersery that high, as the team has launched a near-full-scale O-line overhaul this offseason. The Texans were connected to also moving up in Round 1 for ex-C.J. Stroud Ohio State weapon Emeka Egbuka, but the Buccaneers made a surprise play for the all-time Buckeyes receiving leader at No. 19. The Texans then slid out of Round 1, collecting three Day 2 choices from the Giants to do so. Houston had already chosen Iowa State receiver Jayden Higgins at No. 34, pointing to its New England offer being a non-WR play.

The Texans could have been in play for Henderson as well, as only one running back on a current roster (Derrick Henry) has Joe Mixon beat for career carries (1,816). The Texans circled back to their RB need in Round 4, trading up for USC’s Woody Marks; the future third they offered to the Patriots ended up going to the Dolphins in that exchange.

Henderson was fairly popular during the draft, as the Broncos are also believed to have targeted the Ohio State standout in a trade-down move. Denver discussed terms with the Giants, which would have allowed New York to move ahead of Pittsburgh and draft Jaxson Dart. But Big Blue believing the Steelers would pass on Dart at 21 prompted the team to stand down, eventually dealing with the Texans (for No. 25). The Broncos then bolstered their secondary with cornerback Jahdae Barron.

Another interesting nugget from the Patriots’ Henderson selection process came when Vrabel mentioned a potential wide receiver move with the team’s No. 69 overall pick. Moving out of the No. 38 slot for either offer would have cost the Patriots Henderson; a wideout would have likely been considered in Round 2, in that case. The Pats deciding to stay at 38 and choose Henderson preceded the team using No. 69 on Washington State wideout Kyle Williams. Both skill-position cogs will be expected to boost Maye’s development this season.

5 comments 2025 NFL Draft Chicago Bears Houston Texans New England Patriots

First Round Fallout: Giants, Dart, Sanders, Steelers, Broncos, Alexander

By | at May 18, 2025 10:20 pm

The Giants, heavily connected to Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders throughout the pre-draft process, used the No. 3 overall in last month’s draft – a pick once seemingly ticketed for Sanders – on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. The club ultimately got the player it hopes will become its franchise passer when it struck an agreement with the Texans to trade up from No. 34 to No. 25 and select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.

A recent episode of Giants Life, which is worth a watch for any NFL fan and for Giants fans in particular, offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the trade-up with Houston materialized (video link). As New York GM Joe Schoen confirms, rival teams knew that Big Blue, after having used its first selection on a non-quarterback, was still in the market for a QB. As such, when the draft proceeded to the No. 18 pick (at which point the Seahawks were on the clock), Schoen began getting calls from other GMs looking to trade down to No. 34.

When the draft moved into the 20s, Schoen himself became proactive and began making calls to determine who was interested in trading down. As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post observes, Schoen believed he could swing a deal with the Broncos to acquire Denver’s No. 20 overall pick, which would have allowed him to leapfrog the Steelers and their No. 21 choice. Schoen knew Pittsburgh was in need of a quarterback as well, though he had intelligence indicating the team was also looking to trade back, which suggested the Steelers were not prepared to take a signal-caller at that point.

He nonetheless considered offering the Steelers the same deal that apparently had been discussed with multiple clubs. However, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Giants were banking on the belief that Pittsburgh would select a defensive player with the No. 21 pick, thereby obviating the need to trade for No. 20 or No. 21. This is despite Schoen’s concern, as he voiced in Giants Life, that the QB-needy Browns or Saints could also move back into the first round (though he knew division rivals Pittsburgh and Cleveland would not come together on a trade of that magnitude). Fowler also says New York did not want to part with its No. 65 selection, which the Texans were willing to exclude from a trade package.

Ultimately, the Giants and Texans agreed to a trade that sent the Nos. 34 and 99 picks of the 2025 draft, along with a 2026 third-rounder, to Houston in exchange for the No. 25 pick and the right to select Dart. As Schoen admitted, no one will remember the third-round picks that went to the Texans if he got the Dart pick right. Interestingly, right before Houston GM Nick Caserio called Schoen to formally accept the deal, it looks as if Schoen received a call from Rams GM Les Snead. Los Angeles originally held the No. 26 pick, one spot behind the Texans, so Schoen naturally put Snead on hold to talk to Caserio and finalize a trade. Ultimately, Snead found a taker for his No. 26 selection, which he dealt to the Falcons in exchange for a package fronted by a 2026 first-rounder.

Dunleavy highlighted the portion of Schoen’s war room conversations in which he told head coach Brian Daboll, “you guys are convicted in [Dart]. You believe in him. We did the process. He checked all the boxes. Let’s roll the dice.” That exchange leads Dunleavy to believe the Dart pick, as previously reported, was indeed driven by the coaching staff.

Earlier reports also indicated Daboll was one of the coaches who did not see eye-to-eye with Sanders, and while the Giants reportedly still would have entertained a trade-up for Sanders if Dart had been taken off the board, multiple Daboll-Dart connections formed in the run-up to the draft. It became clear that Dart was Daboll’s preferred target, and Sanders himself acknowledged that he “didn’t hit it off with Giants coaches,” according to Fowler.

The No. 65 pick that the Giants did not want to include in a trade-up maneuver was used to select Toledo defensive end Darius Alexander. Though New York had already added the high-ceiling Carter to a group that includes Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the club further leaned into its defensive front with Alexander, whom many scouts viewed as an ascending prospect. One team source told Fowler, “when you think of the New York Giants, you think of how they are built up front.”

13 comments Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Houston Texans Los Angeles Rams New York Giants Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/25

By | at May 13, 2025 8:32 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

0 comments Baltimore Ravens Detroit Lions Houston Texans Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers Transactions

Texans Restructure K Ka’imi Fairbairn’s Deal

By | at May 12, 2025 11:59 am

Ka’imi Fairbairn is still under contract to the Texans for the next two years, but his deal has been altered. The veteran kicker worked out a restructure, as detailed by Over the Cap.

Fairbairn was originally owed a base salary of $4.73MM, but that figure has been reduced to $1.25MM. The remaining money has been converted into a signing bonus with three void years being added to the pact. As a result, his 2025 cap hit has been dropped from $6.73MM to $3.95MM.

In place as the Texans’ kicker over the past eight years, Fairbairn has long been among the league’s best at the position. The 31-year-old saw his overall accuracy dip slightly to 85.7% in 2024, but he showcased his range on several occasions along the way. Fairbairn made 13 field goals of 50 yards or more (on 16 attempts) last season. At one point, that represented an all-time record but Brandon Aubrey wound up making 14 such field goals for the Cowboys.

Fairbairn has signed two long-term deals during his time with Houston. The most recent of those came last spring, and his $5.3MM AAV places him in a tie for sixth amongst kickers. Expectations will remain high for the UCLA product moving forward as the Texans aim to improve on their middling offensive stats from last year. Fairbairn will give the team a reliable option at the position for 2025 and beyond.

Houston entered Monday near the bottom of the league in cap space. All but one member of the team’s draft class is already under contract, but this move will free up funds for other moves during the latter stages of the offseason.

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Texans Sign Six Undrafted Free Agents

By | at May 11, 2025 4:39 pm

The Texans have signed six undrafted free agents, bringing their rookie class to 15 players. Here are Houston’s UDFA signings:

  • Austin Brinkman, LS (West Virginia)
  • Eli Cox, C (Kentucky)
  • Alijah Huzzie, CB (North Carolina)
  • Daniel Jackson, WR (Minnesota)
  • K.C. Ossai, LB (Louisiana)
  • Junior Tafuna, DT (Utah)

The Texans let longtime long snapper Jon Weeks walk in free agency, so Brinkman will compete with reserve/futures signing Tucker Addington for the LS roster spot this summer. His three-year contract includes $110k in guaranteed money, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Cox was a four-year starter along Kentucky’s offensive line with experience at center (35 starts) and right guard (12 starts). He showed off excellent athleticism at the Combine, but lacks ideal length and power for the NFL. His movement skills and football I.Q. could make him a solid fit in the zone-based scheme of new Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Cox will receive $250K in total guarantees on his first NFL contract, according to Wilson.

Huzzle was an early riser at the East-West Shrine Bowl, but tore his ACL during team practice, sidelining him for the rest of the pre-draft process and likely his rookie year. That tanked his draft stock, but Huzzle still has potential as a playmaker in the secondary and on special teams. He recorded 12 interceptions and 42 passes defended across 30 games at East Tennessee State before transferring to North Carolina, where he posted 18 passes defended and four picks in the last two years. Huzzle’s size (5-foot-10, 30-inch arms) will likely keep him in the slot in the NFL, though he has experience on the outside as well. He also brings upside as a punt returner.

Ossai is the younger brother of Bengals edge rusher Joseph Ossai. His contract with the Texans includes $175k in guarantees ($15K signing bonus and $160k guaranteed salary), per Wilson.

Tafuna is a 6-foot-4, 308-pound defensive tackle who received some early praise from Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans at rookie minicamp (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). He wasn’t especially productive at Utah, recording only 15 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 45 career games (45 starts), but still earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors in 2022 and 2023 with an All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2024. Tafuna is a strong, agile defensive lineman who can eat blocks in the trenches, even if he doesn’t post eye-popping statistics. He received $200k in total guarantees from the Texans, according to Wilson.

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