Tag: Texans free agency

TeX’s and O’s: Christian Wilkins would bring disruptive force to Texans’ interior

In our first iteration of “TeXs and Os,” a look at what Christian Wilkins would look like on the Houston Texans defensive line.

The interest has been brewing.

Ever since the Miami Dolphins chose not to franchise their star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, his interest with the Houston Texans has been well noted. ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler was first to report that Houston was a team to watch and then local reporter Aaron Wilson of KPRC later repeated that same sentiment.

It makes sense. Head coach DeMeco Ryans’ attacking 4-3 front would be a perfect fit for Wilkins and he’s the type of presence the team currently lacks. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winner Will Anderson Jr. looks like he could become a premier edge player, but outside of that, the defensive line is unclear. Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard is coming off a career season with 12.5 sacks and is an unrestricted free agent. Defensive tackle Maliek Collins is a solid, but unspectacular starter and his running mate Sheldon Rankins is also set to hit free agency.

Ryans preached that he wanted to improve the quality of the Front 7 after the team’s 34-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and Wilkins could play a huge part in doing just that if Houston was to splurge.

Since he was drafted in 2019, Wilkins has been one of the premier defensive tackles in the NFL. He has had at least 10 tackles for loss in each of the past three seasons and broke out in a huge way in the pass rushing department in 2023 with nine sacks.

He was one of Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded defensive tackles each of the past three years and has never had a rushing defense grade below 70 since 2019. His pass rush grade has also been over 70 since 2021 and peaked with a grade of 72.8 this past season.

It’s the perfect time for him to hit the market. The NFL more than ever values defensive lineman that can rush the passer and, in addition to his nine sacks, Wilkins generated 61 quarterback pressures per NextGen Stats in 2023. Not to mention his additional 26 quarterback hits.

What exactly does he bring to the Houston Texans that would encourage general manager Nick Caserio to engage in his first huge bidding war as general manager of the team?

The conversation likely begins with his availability. Wilkins played 80% of the Miami Dolphins’ defensive snaps in 2023 and represents a player that is capable of playing both the 1-technique and 3-technique defensive tackle spots in Ryans’ system. He would never need to come off the field and could be used interchangeably with multiple other players on the defensive line.

For a defense that preaches the importance of stopping the run, Wilkins more than satisfies that demand. He’s capable of occupying multiple blockers in the gap but also making explosive plays up-field to kill plays. His high motor also shows up on film chasing runs to the outside and making exceptional plays that are often not expected for players as large as Wilkins at defensive tackle.

This play against the New England Patriots stands out as representative. Wilkins not only starts out the play double-teamed — which frees up space for other defenders to attack the run — but he’s also able to come off the double team and chase the run to the outside. It’s the kind of athleticism and effort that every defensive coach covets.

That’s before you even discuss his ability to rush the quarterback.

Wilkins has improved every season rushing the passer as evidenced by both his statistics and PFF grades. It is also evident on film. He has good power to attack opposing guards and centers with ample athleticism to be used more creatively as well when called upon.

This stunt play is an excellent example of Wilkins using his athleticism to get to the quarterback. The opposing defensive tackle crashes the center and right guard leaving nobody to take Wilkins. He’s able to get to Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis before he has a chance to get rid of the ball. The Texans defense uses very similar concepts under Ryans and he would likely be tasked with assignments like this even more frequently.

Wilkins, in conjunction with a player like Anderson and any other pass rushers that Houston might add this offseason, would create headaches for offenses. It would be very difficult to allocate resources and call protections with two premier defensive linemen demanding attention. On the same side as Anderson, one of them would very likely see individual protection assignments. On stunts they both have the athleticism to torch offensive lineman and exploit protection rules.

In short, Wilkins effects every aspect of the defense. He is an every-down player that is impactful in both the rushing game and attacking the opposing quarterback. He would make life easier for linebackers to kill run plays and also open up pass rushing lanes for his teammates, all in addition to his own individual contributions.

This multi-level projected contribution for Wilkins makes paying him a little bit easier. The 28-year-old will likely demand the largest contract on the free agent market and will be paid even more after recent extensions for defensive tackles Justin Madubuike and Chris Jones from Baltimore and Kansas City respectively. As the league recognizes the impact of defensive tackle play, there will be very competitive bidding wars to secure that.

Still, when Houston spent the past two years clearing cap space after the blunders of the previous management under former general manager Bill O’Brien, this is the type of situation you dream of as a team-builder. Adding Wilkins represents a perfect fit from both a personnel and player perspective.

If the Texans want to take another step forward and their desire to swarm on defense, there should be no hesitation to take a swing on the defensive tackle.

The Bank of Tunsil: Houston’s path to more cap space

The Texans could create significant cap space by restructuring Laremy Tunsil’s contract, but should they do it?

Laremy Tunsil has made a career out of earning paydays from the McNair family.

His dominance as a four-time Pro Bowl left tackle for the Houston Texans has, at times, been overshadowed by the massive trade package that brought him to Houston and the subsequent contracts he signed.

Tunsil was traded to Houston in 2019 for two first-round picks and a second-round selection. He played through the 2019 playoff campaign before signing a market-setting three-year, $66 million extension in the summer of 2020 under then-general manager and head coach Bill O’Brien. He became the highest-paid left tackle in NFL history.

The Ole Miss product, despite overall team failure by the Texans, was able to turn an impressive 2022 campaign into yet another market-setting contract – this time with general manager Nick Caserio. Tunsil signed for three years, $75 million last summer to once again take the crown as the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.

In short, Tunsil has done very well in Houston.

This topic is set to come up yet again this spring as the Texans prepare to make a potential Super Bowl push. Under rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the team is well ahead of schedule and won the AFC South in 2023 while advancing to the AFC divisional round. A humbling loss to Baltimore exposed that their overall talent level is not yet where it needs to be to truly compete with the top of the conference.

The Texans have plenty of cap space to pursue free agents and upgrades this offseason but if they want to pursue more, they have a very obvious in-house option with their franchise left tackle. The Bank of Tunsil, per se, could return salary cap space in exchange for more immediate money from the Texans by restructuring his contract.

Texans listed as strong landing spot for RB Saquon Barkley

Pro Football Focus believes the Texans are a solid landing spot for free-agent RB Saquon Barkley.

The Houston Texans have ample cap space to use this offseason and one obvious need for improvement is the team’s running game. They struggled in that department last season and are expected to explore potential avenues to improve in 2024 and take the burden off of quarterback C.J. Stroud. One potential way to do that is the free agent running back class.

In a recent article, Pro Football Focus listed the Texans as an ideal landing spot for free agent running back Saquon Barkley, comparing his free agency to that previously of Lesean McCoy in 2015.

Houston got all it could out of free agent acquisition Devin Singletary, and it appears upshot 2022 rookie Dameon Pierce is not a great fit in the run scheme. Barkley can get to the edge well in outside zone and make defenders miss in space while also taking pressure off C.J. Stroud. The Texans should have had a much higher pass rate in 2023 and too often deployed a run-run-pass sequence, but Barkley is also an asset as a pass catcher and pass blocker.

Barkley is set to turn 27 this week and was selected second overall out of Penn State in the 2018 NFL draft. He’s rushed for 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns over his six seasons with the New York Giants while making the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

Last year, Barkley was unable to reach a contract agreement with the Giants and was eventually franchise tagged. Although they negotiated a new one-year deal before the season, that contract does not prohibit New York from tagging him once again if they want to keep him as a weapon for quarterback Daniel Jones.

If Barkley hits the market, he’ll be a highly coveted player and could be a dynamic piece for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. If not, Houston will ample options between their own players like Devin Singletary and other free agents such as Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard, De’Andre Swift and Derrick Henry.

3 Texans PFF considers top-40 free agents in 2024

Pro Football Focus has the Houston Texans rostering three of the top-40 candidates in the 2024 free agency class.

Free agency acquisition has been one of the tools general manager Nick Caserio has used to rebuild the Houston Texans.

With the Texans at 7-6 and battling for a playoff spot entering Week 15, it is hard to argue such efforts have been anything but successful.

According to Brad Spielberger from Pro Football Focus, the Texans have three players in the analytics firm’s list of upcoming free agents who hit the top-40. Coming in at No. 38 overall is defensive end Jonathan Greenard:

Greenard has made the absolute most of his contract year under the tutelage of DeMeco Ryans and company., and he’s been productive as a pass rusher and run defender, with his 9.3% run-stop rate ranking eighth among qualifying edge defenders.

Greenard wins against the run because of a good first step, strong diagnosing skills and a solid ability to set the edge and avoid getting washed out at the point of attack. As a pass rusher, while he doesn’t have the deepest arsenal of moves, he is a good enough athlete to rack up clean-up and pursuit pressures if teammates chase quarterbacks his way, as he rarely gives up on a rep until the whistle blows.

Tight end Dalton Schultz managed to sneak in at No. 36 on the list. The former Dallas Cowboys 2018 fourth-round pick has hauled in 40 catches for 455 yards and five touchdowns through 11 games.

Cornerback Steven Nelson was the highest-ranked upcoming free agent at No. 35. The 30-year-old has stood out for the Texans with 51 combined tackles, nine pass breakups, and three interceptions through 13 games, 12 of which he has started.

Houston will have decisions to make in the offseason as to whether keeping veterans behooves the overall team, or if they would rather have a profound youth movement.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=601914802]

Texans should aggressively pursue DeAndre Hopkins

The Houston Texans could give legitimacy to their receiving corps with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.

The Houston Texans are coming off their best off-season in years.

The franchise hired former Defensive Rookie of the Year and franchise favorite DeMeco Ryans as their sixth full-time coach, spent over $40 million in free agency, and selected quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson second and third overall in the 2023 NFL draft.

They have their franchise cornerstones on offense and defense and a caliber of coaching staff that inspires far more confidence than either David Culley or Lovie Smith did. However, despite all this improvement, there is still an overarching narrative that the Texans are not ready to yet compete for the AFC South and that the roster needs even greater improvements. There is even one specific weakness that detractors point to.

The Texans desperately need a No. 1 wide receiver on their roster.

Robert Woods’ best days are behind him, Nico Collins is still firmly in the project territory, and both John Metchie and Tank Dell likely lack the necessary physical skillset to consistently win on the perimeter in the NFL. It’s a solid receiving group but one that lacks a truly premier option to win against NFL secondaries.

The attention has largely been focused on the 2024 offseason with the possibility Houston could either use Cleveland’s first round pick on a pass-catcher or their ample cap space to sign or trade for one during the early stages of that offseason. Of course, that would still leave Houston without a strong receiving option for Stroud’s debut season. It begs the question: what if Houston could skip the line?

Enter former Texans star DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins was cut by the Arizona Cardinals this on May 26 in a bit of a shocking move. The former star wideout had 1,407 receiving yards during his first season with the NFC team but never played more than 10 games in either 2021 or 2022 while his production absolutely suffered between his own injuries and that of Kyler Murray.

Would there be any merit to potentially reuniting Hopkins with his old team? On the surface, it could make a ton of sense for Houston.

While on the field last season, Hopkins was still one of the best receivers in football. The Cardinals still attempted to run their offense through the wideout with a ridiculous 94 targets in nine games last season. Unfortunately, it would be the lowest yards per target of his career at 7.5 with the atrocious backup quarterback play in Arizona.

Hopkins would immediately provide Houston with the best receiver on their roster and a player who can win on third-and-long situations in a way that the rest of the team could not. His elite catch radius, route running, and overall attention he demands from the defense would help the entire offense in a few ways.

Running backs Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary would be friendlier looks in the run game, akin to the boost Josh Jacobs received with the Las Vegas Raiders last season when Davante Adams arrived. Woods, Collins, and Dell would all be able to thrive seeing a corner one spot inferior on the depth chart than previously projected. Life would also become a lot easier for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

As things currently stand, Slowik is going to be asked to proverbially only “eat what he can kill” during passing downs. The team has no true burner and is relying on exceptional route running and schematics to win from their current group of players. Hopkins presence would provide some easy first down looks and a player that could be trusted with confidence to win in one-on-one situations. Almost like having frozen food in the freezer for Slowik to prepare if the rest of the offense is having a bad day offensively.

It then could not be understated how much the move could potentially aid the development of Stroud.

In the past five seasons, there are a myriad of examples of quarterbacks taking a huge leap forward when premier receiving talent was added to the roster — Dak Prescott with Amari Cooper, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Kyler Murray with DeAndre Hopkins, Tua Tagovailoa with Tyreek Hill, and Jalen Hurts with A.J. Brown this past season.

Each of those quarterbacks entered the year as one caliber of quarterback and exited on an entirely different tier, with a renowned sense of confidence from their teams, after acquiring great receiver play. Skipping straight to this step would allow Stroud to operate with confidence in difficult passing downs while he grew comfortable with the rest of the playbook.

The non-football items become a little more difficult in the Hopkins discussion.

Hopkins has expressed a desire to join a team capable of competing for the Super Bowl and has said he would prefer to avoid rookie quarterback play. That likely leaves Houston far out of play. However, it’s also well reported that Hopkins would like to cash in on another pay day. That would leave the Texans as one of a handful of NFL teams that could make a legitimately enticing offer.

Would Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio be willing to invest serious financial resources towards a player on the back half of his career and one that has never been invested in practicing? That wouldn’t seem to go with the general methodology. It may be possible to ignore it within the context of needing to aid Stroud as they hope he becomes the future of the franchise.

There’s a scenario where an Odell Beckham-like deal, who received one-year and $15 million worth up to $18 million with incentives, could be beneficial for both parties. Even a two year deal where Hopkins can come off the books in 2025 as Houston transitions to true Super Bowl aspirations and has had time to find a younger option to play the No. 1 receiving role.

Who knows if the receiver would even be interested in returning? As long as he’s posting cryptic stories on his Instagram and remains available in the free agent market, it may not be the worst idea for Houston to inquire about his services.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

Texans automatically upgraded tight end with signing Dalton Schultz

The Houston Texans instantly upgraded their tight end group with the signing of Dalton Schultz according to Pro Football Focus.

The Houston Texans have used short-term veteran deals to fill roster holes as general manager Nick Caserio has counted on the draft to bolster the long-term depth.

One area where the Texans actually found an upgrade with one of their short-term signings was Dalton Schultz.

According to John Kosko from Pro Football Focus, Schultz ranks No. 8 on their list of top-15 tight ends and is in the third tier of “good but needs pieces around to be great.”

Schultz’s two-year WAR ranks fifth at the position in addition to the fact that he has earned over 100 targets in back-to-back seasons, and has just one fumble over the same time span. His 16 touchdowns rank fourth, and his 81 receiving first downs are tied for fifth at the position. While he was allowed to leave in free agency from the Dallas Cowboys, it’s hard to argue with the numbers he’s put up.

The Texans have never been so close in recent seasons — not with Jordan Akins, Brevin Jordan, Pharaoh Brown, Darren Fells, Jordan Thomas, or Ryan Griffin. Houston may not have had a top-15 tight end since C.J. Fiedorowicz, whose 2016 campaign is still the last time the Texans had a tight end go over 500 yards receiving.

Admittedly Schultz won’t have a Pro Bowl quarterback throwing to him or have a Pro Bowl receiver out in the pattern along with him. However, Dameon Pierce generated 939 rushing yards through 13 games, and the Texans are doubling up on their commitment to the run with Devin Singletary. Schultz came from an offense that similarly placed an inordinate value on the run game when compared to today’s pass-heavy NFL.

Houston may not have enough pieces to help Schultz flirt with Pro Bowl nods as he did the past two seasons. However, the Texans have a better tight already atop their depth chart.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

Why the Texans should avoid adding veteran receivers to the roster

The Houston Texans shouldn’t be too quick to add veteran receivers to the roster at this particular juncture of the offseason.

The Houston Texans could stand to add a veteran receiver to their offseason roster.

So says to Marc Sessler from NFL.com. The “Around The NFL Podcast” co-host pointed out that one of the areas where the Texans could use additional improvement, despite all of their offseason efforts, is at receiver.

I have DeMeco Ryans atop my candidates for Coach of the Year. I expect new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik to become a household name in time, as his Shanahan-inspired offense takes hold in Houston. Arrow up for C.J. Stroud and the Texans, but the rookie passer’s progress will take time unless the front office finds more help around him. After trading away Brandin Cooks, Houston’s cast of wideouts looms as suspect. Nico Collins is a promising third-year building block. Hope surrounds John Metchie III‘s return from acute promyelocytic leukemia. From there, though, Robert Woods, Noah Brown and a whole bunch of inexperience round out the cast. General manager Nick Caserio isn’t afraid to churn the roster, so expect the Texans to find veteran assistance in time.

No one should fault Sessler for not listing all 13 receivers on the Texans’ offseason roster. However, there is faulty logic in adding a veteran receiver in May.

The Texans need to see what they have in third-rounder Tank Dell and sixth-rounder Xavier Hutchinson. Can they learn the offense? They are the future of the position, even if the Texans were defending Super Bowl champions and not a rebuild. Houston has to get a sense of their return on investment. Adding veterans would help with the “win now” premise, but the Texans would have progress-stoppers that would get in the way of developing younger talent.

Remember Bill O’Brien and his “veteran type of year” approach to 2020? How did that work out?

In order to truly rebuild from what has ailed the Texans, they have to develop a system that cultivates young talent. No better place to start than receiver.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

Report: Texans sign CB Shaquill Griffin to 1-year contract

The Houston Texans have signed former Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin to a one-year contract.

Talent evaluation and personnel acquisition never stops for the Houston Texans.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans signed former Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin to a one-year contract. The maximum value of the contract is worth $4.5 million with $3 million guaranteed.

Griffin, 27, played 19 games for the Jaguars over the past two seasons. The former Seahawks third-round pick collected 59 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and 11 pass breakups for Jacksonville.

The 6-0, 198-pound cornerback’s best season was in 2019 when he amassed 65 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and 13 pass breakups through 14 games, all of which he started en route to his only Pro Bowl selection.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

Texans earn B grade for entire 2023 offseason moves

The Houston Texans managed to earn a B grade for their offseason moves according to CBS Sports.

The Houston Texans are essentially done with their offseason roster construction.

Free agency was in mid-March. The NFL draft was held during the last weekend of April. Whatever moves the Texans make now are simply rounding out the 90-man offseason roster.

According to Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports, the entirety of the Texans’ offseason moves were good enough to warrant a B grade.

The strategy from GM Nick Caserio hasn’t been wholly different from recent years: Lots of rental deals for mid-tier veteran castoffs. This year’s crop for new coach DeMeco Ryans at least has some potential hidden gems to supplement an inevitable first-round QB: Case Keenum is a charismatic No. 2 under center, RB Devin Singletary makes for nice Dameon Pierce relief, ex-Cowboys WR Noah Brown and TE Dalton Schultz at least have the skills to keep growing and Ryans’ 49ers pupil Jimmie Ward should be a culture-builder as a utility man in the secondary. Their biggest gets, of course, came in the draft, where QB C.J. Stroud and DE Will Anderson Jr. have the potential to be franchise-changers.

The hiring of Ryans, the former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator and reigning AP NFL assistant coach of the year, set the tone that the Texans weren’t waiting for salary cap space to clear or better draft picks to accumulate. Houston is ready to win now.

The moves Houston made in free agency were somewhat tepid. If any statement was made, it was with the 2023 draft class where Houston picked Stroud and Anderson right off the top at Nos. 2-3 overall. Each side of the ball has a young cornerstone, a privilege very few teams have even among veteran leadership.

Ultimately, the offseason program and training camp will determine whether Houston’s B grade offseason was good enough for the Texans to start winning immediately.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

Get to know Case Keenum: What has the QB been doing between Texans stints?

Case Keenum has returned to the Houston Texans for a third time. What can the former Houston Cougar provide for the Texans’ offense?

Pro football started for Case Keenum in the city where his college career ended.

The Houston Texans signed the Houston Cougars quarterback as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Keenum finally saw time in the moribund 2013 campaign, was sent packing to the St. Louis Rams for most of the 2014 campaign, but led Houston to two wins and a 9-7 finish for then-rookie coach Bill O’Brien.

Keenum had no staying power in Houston, and spent time with the Rams (2015-16), Minnesota Vikings (2017), Denver Broncos (2018), Washington (2019), Cleveland Browns (2020-21), and the Buffalo Bills (2022).

It seems strange to ask of a player who has 10 career starts with the Texans, but what exactly can Keenum bring to Houston?

To help provide some insight, Bills Wire managing editor Nick Wojton fielded some questions about the 35-year-old signal caller.