Offseason Outlook News & Rumors

The Texans were in on Dre Greenlaw, a year after already reuniting Ryans with ex-49ers pupil Azeez Al-Shaair, but did not outbid the Broncos. Weeks later, the team circled back to a cheaper option in Speed. Replacing Shaquille Leonard as a three-down Colts linebacker, After a 102-tackle 2023 slate that included a career-high 12 tackles for loss, Speed posted a career-best 142 tackles (seven for loss) last year.

The six-year Colts contributor wanted to play for Ryans, but a full-time role will not be a lock. Al-Shaair returns, and Christian Harris missed most of last season. Henry To’oTo’o also started 15 games. Speed’s addition crowds Houston’s LB corps while supplying insurance at the very least.

Rankins did not fit with the Bengals, who edged the Texans for the interior pass rusher in 2024. The Bengals cut bait on Rankins’ two-year, $24.5MM deal, doing so after he missed 10 games with a hamstring injury and a bout with viral meningitis. Finishing last season on the reserve/NFI list, Rankins accepted a pay cut from his 2023 Texans terms (one year, $9.75MM). That year, he posted six sacks, nine TFLs and 10 QB hits to deliver his second-best pass-rushing season as a pro. Now 31, the former Saints first-rounder joins one of the most experienced D-lines in recent NFL history.

As the Texans ran wild reconfiguring their O-line, they took a flier on one of the Patriots’ Caserio-era pickups. With Caserio in the copilot seat, the Pats acquired Brown from the 49ers during the 2018 draft. He then started at left tackle for a Super Bowl-winning team. Brown could not justify his Raiders free agency payday but resembled his previous form during a second Pats stint.

Brown, 32, has been unreliable since that ’18 showing. The mammoth tackle has missed 44 games in that span. This included a strange ending to his Patriots 2.0 run, when internal concerns Brown was overplaying an injury to protect himself for a 2024 free agency bid emerged, and a patellar tendon tear three games into his Bengals year.

Brown joins Robinson, Ersery, Tytus Howard and Blake Fisher in the Texans’ tackle equation. Howard’s past at guard will likely come into play again, whereas Brown profiles as a depth piece — provided he makes the team. A 96-game starter, Brown has extensive experience at both left and right tackle. A Kelvin Beachum-like role as a veteran swing tackle could be in the cards, but this looks like the 11th-year veteran’s last chance.

Sporting a far steadier profile than Brown, Tomlinson’s reunion with Ryans brings more change to a front PFF ranked 29th last season. Stroud took 52 sacks last season — up from 38 in 2023 — as the unit contributed heavily to his somewhat disappointing follow-up effort.

None of the Texans’ newcomers match Tunsil’s pedigree, but the team has far more options at each position than it did in 2024. Tomlinson joins Howard, Ingram and the loser of the center competition (Jarrett Patterson–Juice Scruggs–Jake Andrews) as guard options. As it stands, Tomlinson looks like the Texans’ LG starter.

Tomlinson, 33, brings by far the most experience among any upfront option Houston has. The durable blocker has made 155 career starts, missing only one game in 10 seasons. Shaq Mason came to Houston with a similar profile, before missing time in 2024, but almost no one in the NFL matches Tomlinson’s durability. The 2024 Seahawks starter is on the downside of his career, but he did command a raise from his vet-minimum Seattle deal. The former San Francisco stalwart graded as a mid-pack (44th) option among guards, per PFF, last season. That represented an uptick from his two Jets years.

Re-signings:

• Mario Edwards, DL. Two years, $9.5MM ($4.5MM guaranteed)
• Derek Barnett, DE. One year, $4MM ($1.5MM guaranteed)
• Folorunso Fatukasi, DT. One year, $3MM ($1.5MM guaranteed)
• Jake Hansen, LB. One year, $1.7MM ($800K guaranteed)
• Dare Ogunbowale, RB. One year, $1.5MM ($750K guaranteed)
• M.J. Stewart, S. One year, $2.5MM ($500K guaranteed)
• Myles Bryant, CB. One year, $1.34MM ($500K guaranteed)
• Kurt Hinish, DT. One year, $1.8MM ($375K guaranteed)
• Irv Smith Jr., TE. One year, $1.23MM ($15K guaranteed)

Anderson has plenty of vets to learn from. Houston’s D-line rotation could consist of a 12th-year player (Autry), two 11th-year vets (Edwards, Hunter), a 10th-year player (Rankins), a ninth-year cog (Barnett) and two eighth-year performers (Fatukasi, Tim Settle). By comparison, Taylor (Year 6) and Hinish (Year 4) look raw.

Working strictly as an inside player under Ryans, Edwards joining Rankins will make for an interesting duo of inside rushers. Houston will have more firepower there, with Settle totaling five sacks as a part-time starter last season, while Fatukasi is back as a run defender. It will be interesting to see who starts alongside Anderson and Hunter.

Barnett, 29, enjoyed his most productive season in ages last year; he notched five sacks and two scoop-and-scores as a backup D-end. Forcing two fumbles as well, the ex-Eagle first-rounder has found a role after being marginalized by Philly’s D-line depth. Suddenly, the Texans’ D-line looks like one of the NFL’s deepest position groups.

Notable losses:

• Tucker Addington, LS (waived)
• Tremayne Anchrum, OL (released)
• Anthony Averett, CB (released)
• Kris Boyd, CB
• Ronald Darby, CB (retired)
• Stefon Diggs, WR
• Kendrick Green, G
• Neville Hewitt, LB
• Jerry Hughes, DE
• Case Keenum, QB
• Shaq Mason, G (post-June 1 cut)
• Eric Murray, S
• Jeff Okudah, CB
• Del’Shawn Phillips, LB
• Teagan Quitoriano, TE
• Jon Weeks, LS
• Devin White, LB
• Robert Woods, WR

The Texans’ decision to lop three years off Diggs’ Bills extension following the 2024 trade remains odd, but the veteran’s free agency value crumbled after his midseason ACL tear. Diggs’ injury, which came weeks before Tank Dell‘s more severe setback, resulted in his first notable stretch of absences as a pro. Diggs going down played a major role in Stroud’s struggles, but the Texans moved on. The 31-year-old wideout is now a Patriot and has not been cleared for full work yet.

The team had a Diggs re-signing on its radar, but the Pats came in with a three-year, $63.5MM ($16.6MM at signing) offer. Woods expressed interest in staying as well, but the formerly productive pass catcher was unable to make much of an impact even with Diggs shelved. Woods posted 203 receiving yards in his age-32 season; he is now a Steeler. These exits opened the door for Houston’s Iowa State-focused WR approach in April.

Houston’s trade for Gardner-Johnson came a day after Murray’s Jaguars defection. Murray spent five seasons in Houston, dating to Bill O’Brien‘s final year in charge, and started 43 games. Fourteen of those came last season. Murray is now 31 and had rarely been confused with an upper-echelon safety; he notched just two INTs as a Texan and graded outside the top 50 at the position in 2024. Gardner-Johnson is a significant upgrade, and Murray’s Jaguars deal (three years, $19.5MM) was among the most surprising this offseason offered. Murray played for $1.75MM last season.

Darby retired months after signing his Texans deal, wrapping a 10-year career. Weeks, 39, is nearing retirement. He holds the Texans’ games-played record, with 244 (plus 14 playoff contests); second place (Andre Johnson) checks in at 169. Weeks wanted to stay for a 16th Houston season; he is now San Francisco’s long snapper. The 2024 Diggs restructure brings a $16.64MM dead money penalty, while Mason’s release brings $5.2MM (2025) and $7.3MM (2026) charges.

Draft:

• Round 2, No. 34 (from Giants): Jayden Higgins (WR, Iowa State) (signed)
• Round 2, No. 48 (from Dolphins through Raiders): Aireontae Ersery (T, Minnesota)
• Round 3, No. 79 (from Dolphins through Eagles and Commanders): Jaylin Noel (WR, Iowa State) (signed)
• Round 3, No. 97 (from Vikings through Jaguars)*: Jaylin Smith (CB, USC) (signed)
• Round 4, No. 116 (from Dolphins): Woody Marks (RB, USC) (signed)
• Round 6, No. 187 (from 49ers through Vikings and Jaguars): Jaylen Reed (S, Penn State) (signed)
• Round 6, No. 197 (from Broncos): Graham Mertz (QB, Florida) (signed)
• Round 7, No. 224 (from Bears through Dolphins): Kyonte Hamilton (DT, Rutgers) (signed)
• Round 7, No. 255 (from Browns)*: Luke Lachey (TE, Iowa) (signed)

As pre-draft rumors tied the Texans to adding more O-line help in Round 1, Caserio called about trading up. Though, it is believed the team pursued one of Stroud’s former Ohio State targets. The Texans were connected to trading up for Emeka Egbuka, who overlapped with Stroud’s two QB1 years in Columbus. The Buccaneers, who did not enter the draft with a receiver need, took him at No. 19. This led to a Texans pivot, as they allowed the Giants to come up to No. 25 for Jaxson Dart.

The Texans collected two Day 2 picks — a third-rounder this year and next — to slide down nine spots. They then began importing the Iowa State receiving corps to Houston, starting with Higgins. Set to play on the first fully guaranteed contract for a second-round pick, Higgins broke through for 87 receptions, 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Standing 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, Higgins will complement Noel’s slot skillset in Houston just as he did in Ames. Post-Diggs, Higgins profiles as the Texans’ Nico Collins outside sidekick — while Noel may wait behind Christian Kirk for a year.

Higgins is certainly on the radar to start, as Kirk gives the team an option to avoid starting two non-first-round rookies. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board ranked the two Cyclones 48th and 50th, respectively, viewing the latter (Noel) as great value at No. 79. Standing 5-10, Noel brings some size (201 pounds) to the equation inside. He also has more experience at a high level, spending his full college tenure in Ames — while Higgins transferred from Division I-FCS Eastern Kentucky in 2023. Noel also led the 2024 Cyclones in receiving, finishing with 1,194 yards last year.

These rookies arrived after the team was connected to Deebo Samuel, but the Commanders landing him for a fifth-round pick — a borderline salary dump — revealed modest interest. To that point, no trade offer emerged. D.K. Metcalf‘s trade crusade also included interest in joining the Texans. It cost much more for the Seahawk Pro Bowler, as the Steelers obtained him for a second-round pick and authorized a top-five WR extension. The Texans were also listed as a potential landing spot for Cooper Kupp. After all this and the Egbuka effort, the team will rely on two Big 12 products — as Tank Dell‘s future is foggy.

Dell suffering one of the worst knee injuries in recent NFL annals — ACL, PCL, LCL tears to go with a dislocated kneecap and meniscus tear — will keep the talented wideout from starting the season on time. The former third-rounder is not a lock to play at all in 2025, and while a 2026 return would stand to complicate matters for the Iowa State alums, the Texans selecting both reveals uncertainty whether Dell will be a productive player for the team again. Dell, who suffered a broken leg in 2023 before being wounded in a shooting in early 2024, is signed through 2026.

Once the Texans traded down to 34, they were tied to moving back into Round 1 for Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr.. The Commanders took Conerly at 29, leaving the Texans to address their tackle interest on Day 2. That came via a trade-up with the Raiders, with Ersery the prize. The Texans packaged the 99th pick obtained in the Dart trade in this transaction.

The Robinson signing gives Ersery an onramp, as his Big Ten workload points to being a left tackle-in-training. Ersery spent the past three seasons as Minnesota’s LT starter, earning second-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2023 and first-team honors — in a much bigger conference follow the Pac-12 scramble — last season. Also earning third-team All-American acclaim in 2024, the Kansas City native checked in as the No. 37 prospect on Dane Brugler’s The Athletic big board.

Houston has its 2024 second-round pick, Fisher, set to push for its starting RT job in training camp. Ersery’s lack of experience there points to the Texans planning an Ersery-Fisher future at tackle, though Ersery did receive RT reps during Houston’s offseason program. Two seasons remain on Howard’s contract, but his constantly changing workload has included 27 starts at guard.

Darby’s retirement removes a guardrail for Smith, but the Texans do not have a starting spot available at corner, anyway. The 5-10 CB profiles as a depth player behind Lassiter for now. The team traded up to add Marks, a one-year Smith USC teammate, as a hopeful longer-term RB option. Pierce’s rookie contract expires at season’s end, and Mixon’s guarantees pay out after 2025. This came after the Texans and Browns exchanged Day 3 capital, across the 2025 and ’27 drafts, hours before this year’s event.

Other:

• Fired Bobby Slowik, hired Nick Caley as OC replacement
• Promoted Chris Liipfert, Chris Blanco to assistant GM posts
• S Jimmie Ward arrested on domestic violence charge
• Parted ways with team president Greg Grissom; Mike Tomon named replacement
• Fired O-line coach Chris Strausser, promoted Cole Popovich as replacement
• Hired Jerry Schuplinski as senior offensive assistant
• Claimed C Jake Andrews‘ two-year, $4.65MM deal off waivers from Patriots
• Brought in six UDFAs

In 2024, Slowik received a sizable raise on an extension after a run on the HC carousel. Going from PFF to 49ers assistant to Texans OC already represented considerable progress for the young staffer, the lead conductor of Stroud’s Offensive Rookie of the Year season. The Texans did not take a step back in the grand scheme last season, reaching the divisional round despite significant injury trouble on offense. The team dropping from 13th to 19th in scoring and 12th to 22nd in total offense, though, led to Slowik’s firing.

Now the Dolphins’ pass-game coordinator under ex-49ers coworker Mike McDaniel, Slowik put himself on the map in Houston. Caley will have a chance to do the same. While a fixture on PFR pages during coaching carousels, Caley secured his first coordinator opportunity after turning down two OC positions. The Rams tight ends coach both rejected the Patriots (in 2024) and Jets (in 2025); he was believed to be New York’s top choice this year.

Caley, 42, had the luxury of being a choosey candidate after being on Sean McVay‘s staff. More interest would have come. Caley will go from eight-season tight ends coach (with the Patriots and Rams) to play-calling OC. Though, he did serve as the L.A. pass-game coordinator last season. A Stroud rebound will undoubtedly garner him HC meetings, but the Texans will certainly hope for some continuity around their QB. Franchises with defense-based HCs, though, run into this problem regularly.

Top 10 cap charges for 2025:

1. Danielle Hunter, DE: $20.2MM
2. Dalton Schultz, TE: $14MM
3. Derek Stingley Jr., CB: $12.03MM
4. Tytus Howard, OL: $11.58MM
5. C.J. Stroud, QB: $9.89MM
6. Will Anderson Jr., DE: $9.6MM
7. Joe Mixon, RB: $9.41MM
8. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S: $9MM
9. Nico Collins, WR: $8.58MM
10. Denico Autry, DL: $6.59MM

No one has won three straight AFC South titles since the Peyton Manning-led Colts did so from 2003-07; the Texans are a clear favorite to do so. Playing in what has been the AFC’s weakest division essentially since Manning’s 2012 Indianapolis exit helps Houston’s chances, but thus far, they have not been able to go the distance with the true AFC heavyweights in the playoffs. Houston has undoubtedly completed a turnaround, but back-to-back seven-loss seasons in the AFC South has chained the team to second-tier contender status.

A formidable defense will back Stroud, and the Texans devoted their offseason to protecting themselves against more WR and O-line injury trouble. Caley unlocking more from the franchise QB — against a schedule featuring 10 non-playoff teams from 2024 (though, one is the 49ers) — thanks in part to the offseason additions could give the Texans a slingshot to the AFC’s top level. How Stroud fares in this new scheme will be a key AFC variable to follow, as yet another powerhouse operation could be lurking in the conference.