According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans have agreed to a trade involving offensive tackle Tytus Howard. The deal, which won't be processed until the beginning of the league year is for a fifth-round selection. Additionally, the Browns have agreed to a contract extension with Howard that lasts for three years and is worth up to $63 million.
Sources: The #Texans and #Browns have agreed to terms on a trade to send starting RT Tytus Howard to Cleveland in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
Much-needed OL help. Plus, Howard gets a new 3-year, $63M extension in a deal done by @malkikawa and Ethan Lock of @FirstRoundMgmt. pic.twitter.com/3X2PprFIjN
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2026
The deal lists Howard as a right tackle, presumably the position he will play for the Browns. Howard also has experience at both guard spots. In fact, he played all three over the course of this past season in order to help to try to put their best foot forward on the line of scrimmage.
With the Browns set to lose as many of four of their opening day starters from last year's team, they came into this offseason knowing they had significant work to do. This takes care of one of their starting offensive line spots before the start of free agency. It also eliminates one of their tackle spots, which will have a cascading effect on the unit.
The Browns own the sixth pick in this year's draft and there are a couple candidates that will likely be in the conversation for left tackle near the top of the draft. Both Monroe Freeling out of Georgia and Caleb Utah, one of the two premier offensive linemen out of the University of Utah could be in the mix.
Likewise, if the Browns feel a player like KT Leveston should be competing for a job on the line of scrimmage, he will either flip to left tackle or perhaps more likely, slide inside to guard.
The Browns still have Dawand Jones who has played tackle, though he is coming off of his third season-ending injury in a row. That alone might be reason for the Browns to be aggressive in acquiring another good option, which would then allow Jones to get fully healthy and allow him to become the team's swing tackle.
The Browns are still waiting to hear back from Joel Bitonio on a decision whether or not to retire. That would impact the team's guard situation, which is currently wide open and could get an infusion of talent between free agency as well as the draft. They also need to address the center position as Ethan Pocic suffered an Achilles' injury late last season and is also a pending free agent.
This would only be the latest trade between the Browns and Texans. In addition to the infamous trade that allowed the Browns to acquire Deshaun Watson, the two teams came to an agreement last year with left tackle Cam Robinson. He is currently a pending a free agent.
The move reportedly involves the fifth-round pick the Browns got in exchange from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for Kenny Pickett. The Browns had three fifth-round selections for this year's draft. The move would drop that number down to two as well as nine picks overall.