Coach and general manager Bill O’Brien believes 2020 will be a year that favors veterans over younger players, and the front office just made a move to reflect that philosophy.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Texans and guard Senio Kelemete are reaching a one-year contract extension that will keep the former Arizona Cardinals 2012 fifth-round pick under contract through 2021.
Kelemete was going to count $3.6 million against the Texans’ salary cap. Last year, the 6-3, 301-pound guard was limited to one game with a wrist injury after being a part of the Texans’ rebuild along the offensive line in 2018, starting in 14 games.
The former Washington Husky gives the Texans’ position flex at the interior offensive line positions, and O’Brien was optimistic after the draft about the offensive line.
“For this time of year, again, it’s incomplete, but for where we are post-draft, I feel good about our offensive line, where we are and our depth there,” O’Brien told reporters on April 25. “We’ll continue to try to look to add to it. We’re talking to a couple of guys in the [college free agent] process here and things like that, but I feel good about where it’s at for post-draft.”
The Texans are returning the same five starting offensive linemen from 2019. Keeping Kelemete under contract through 2021 extends the continuity into the depth.
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