By Connor Byrne | at July 17, 2026 3:54 pm
While a member of the Colts in 2025, right tackle Braden Smith went on season-ending IR with neck and head injuries in mid-December. Now, as he prepares to enter the first season of a two-year, $25MM contract with the Texans, Smith is on the mend from neck surgery, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports.
Smith was limited during the spring, but the 6-foot-6, 312-pounder is “tracking toward a full recovery for training camp,” according to Wilson. A full-time starter throughout his eight-year run in Indianapolis, Smith is expected to serve as the Texans’ No. 1 right tackle if healthy. If not, the Texans retained Trent Brown on a one-year, $7MM deal in free agency, giving them established insurance at the position.
Availability has not been a given for Smith, whose lone full season came back in 2019. Smith temporarily became the game’s highest-paid right tackle in July 2021, when the Colts handed him a four-year, $72MM contract extension. But the former second-rounder from Auburn went on to amass 23 absences over the next half-decade, including four in 2025.
Over 13 appearances in his final year with the Colts, Smith yelded just one sack. Unsurprisingly, Pro Football Focus gave him a solid grade as a pass blocker (71.9). However, in PFF’s estimation, he struggled in the running game (58.0). Overall, the outlet ranked Smith a below-average 48th out of 84 qualified tackles.
Adding Smith and re-signing Brown were among several offseason moves the Texans made to address their offensive line. It began when they traded guard/tackle Tytus Howard to Cleveland in early March. General manager Nick Caserio then re-signed right guard Ed Ingram (three years, $37.5MM) and brought in Wyatt Teller (two years, $16MM) in free agency. Teller was a stalwart right guard with the Browns from 2019-25, but he could start on the left side in Houston. First-round rookie Keylan Rutledge may also be an option at left guard, though that will depend on whether he beats out Jake Andrews for the starting center job.
View Comments (0)