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NFL Approves Cal McNair As Texans’ Principal Owner

March 26th, 2024 at 4:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

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

March 25th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Ely Allen

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

March 24th, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Rory Parks

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

March 22nd, 2024 at 10:18am CST by Adam La Rose

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

March 21st, 2024 at 5:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

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

March 20th, 2024 at 9:25pm CST by Ely Allen

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.

Contract Details: Young, Awuzie, Taylor, Rams, Cards, Chargers, 49ers, Lions, Texans

March 20th, 2024 at 10:12am CST by Sam Robinson

With free agency’s first wave in the rearview mirror, here is a look at some of the contracts authorized by teams in the days since the market opened:

  • Chidobe Awuzie, CB (Titans). Three years, $36MM. Contract includes $22.98MM guaranteed. Awuzie’s 2025 base salary ($11.49MM) is guaranteed for injury at signing, with $7.51MM of that total fully guaranteed. Awuzie being on Tennessee’s roster on April 1 of next year locks in the other $3.98MM. The veteran cornerback is a due a $1MM bonus on April 1, 2026, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
  • Darious Williams, CB (Rams). Three years, $22.5MM. Commanding a market, the recent Jaguars cap casualty’s second Rams contract can be worth up to $30MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
  • Chase Young, DE (Saints). One year, $13MM. The deal includes $7.99MM in per-game roster bonuses, CBS Sports Jonathan Jones notes. Including a $2.7MM base salary and a $1.86MM signing bonus, Young’s New Orleans pact is still heavily tilted toward games active. That will make the defensive end’s recovery from neck surgery worth monitoring more closely.
  • Tyrod Taylor, QB (Jets): Two years, $12MM. Taylor will see $8.5MM fully guaranteed, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets. An additional $6MM in incentives are present in the veteran QB’s deal. Three void years are included here, dropping Taylor’s 2024 cap hit to $2.8MM.
  • DeeJay Dallas, RB (Cardinals): Three years, $8.25MM. Dallas will see $2.4MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. The final two base salaries on this contract — both worth $2.4MM — are nonguaranteed. Rushing yards-based incentives run up to $750K per year in this deal.
  • Javon Kinlaw, DT (Jets): One year, $7.25MM. The ex-49ers first-rounder will receive a $5.5MM signing bonus, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicating the deal also includes $1.75MM in incentives.
  • Gus Edwards, RB (Chargers). Two years, $6.5MM. The ex-Ravens back will see $3.38MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. Edwards’ $3MM 2025 base salary is nonguaranteed, with Wilson adding he is due a $125K roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2025 league year.
  • Noah Brown, WR (Texans): One year, $4MM. Brown re-signed with the Texans for $3MM guaranteed, per Wilson. The wideout’s second Houston contract can max out at $5MM.
  • Jon Feliciano, G (49ers). One year, $2.75MM. Feliciano will receive a $925K signing bonus, and Wilson adds $1.25MM in incentives are present in this accord.
  • Emmanuel Moseley, CB (Lions). One year, $1.13MM. Moseley will stay in Detroit for the veteran minimum, via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers. Coming off a second ACL tear in two years, Moseley will receive a $1MM signing bonus. He received $6MM in 2023.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/19/24

March 19th, 2024 at 8:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles

Texans, DL Mario Edwards Agree To Deal

March 19th, 2024 at 11:31am CST by Adam La Rose

Mario Edwards will be returning to the AFC South in 2024. The veteran defensive lineman has agreed to a one-year deal with the Texans, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Edwards has seen time with six teams during his NFL career, including a one-year stint in Tennessee in 2022. After a single campaign in Seattle, the 30-year-old will join a Houston front which has made a number of changes during the early portions of free agency. Edwards visited the Texans on Monday, as noted by Fowler’s colleague Field Yates.

Houston has seen the departures of D-linemen Maliek Collins (traded to the 49ers) and Sheldon Rankins (signed with the Bengals) in recent days. Coupled with the departure of Jonathan Greenard on the edge, those absences – along with those of Jerry Hughes, Teair Tart and Derek Barnett, presuming no member of that trio is re-signed – have left several vacancies for the Texans. Some of them, of course, have already been filled.

The team worked out two-year deals with Denico Autry and Tim Settle last week, and Danielle Hunter was added as Greenard’s replacement. The latter will give Houston a high-profile edge tandem opposite 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson. Edwards could fill in as a rotational pass rusher behind that pair, as he has for much of his career. The former second-rounder has seen a defensive snap share above 50% only three times (and once since 2017).

Edwards (who attended high school in Denton, Texas) has demonstrated an ability to chip in as a pass rusher in a number of stops, though. The Florida State alum has posted between two and four sacks in each of the past seven seasons, and a repeat of that production should be expected in 2024. The Texans ranked 17th in sacks last year, and Edwards’ addition will of course not impact that figure next season to the degree Hunter’s will. Still, the former will be counted on as an experienced depth option as head coach DeMeco Ryans aims to guide the team’s defense to an improvement from 2023’s showing.

Chargers, Denzel Perryman Agree To Deal

March 17th, 2024 at 4:18pm CST by Ben Levine

MARCH 17: Perryman is indeed expected to re-join the Chargers on a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Fowler adds this will be a $3MM agreement. Given the departures of Murray and Kendricks, a starting role could very well await Perryman upon his return to Los Angeles.

MARCH 16: Denzel Perryman is eyeing a reunion with his former team. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the free agent linebacker has discussed a new deal with the Chargers. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston describes the recent talks as “productive.”

The former second-round pick spent the first six seasons of his career with the organization. Injuries kept him from reaching his full potential, and the linebacker ended up leaving the organization having started 51 of his 69 appearances.

After signing with the Panthers during the 2021 offseason, Perryman was promptly traded to the Raiders. He ended up having a career season in 2021, finishing with 154 tackles en route to a Pro Bowl nod. He got into another 12 games with the Raiders in 2022 before signing a deal with the Texans last offseason.

Perryman’s 2023 campaign was highlighted by continuous penalties for initiating contact with his helmet. After earning seven such flags through the first 10 weeks, Perryman was slapped with a three-game suspension by the NFL (eventually reduced to two games).

The veteran ended the season having started 11 of his 12 appearances, compiling 76 stops. He added another eight tackles in two playoff games. Pro Football Focus graded Perryman only 71st among 82 qualifying linebackers, but his score was brought down by one of the worst coverage grades at his position. The 31-year-old expressed interest in sticking in Houston for the 2024 campaign.

The Chargers will need someone to soak up linebacker snaps after Kenneth Murray Jr. and Eric Kendricks left via free agency. Nick Niemann is still around for one of the ILB spots, but inexperienced options like Daiyan Henley and free agent addition Troy Dye are the team’s other answers at the position.

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