We are a little over a week into NFL free agency, and if I had to apply a label to the Houston Texans' run in free agency, it would be "quantity over quality." The move the Texans made that got the most buzz actually sent a quality player OUT of the building, the trade of Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders. The influx of players has been short on big names, and long on small salaries.
Here is the sum total of what the Texans have done so far the last couple weeks, courtesy of Pro Football Focus:
Signed: DI Sheldon Rankins (one year, up to $7 million)
Signed: EDGE Darrell Taylor (one year, $5.25 million)
Signed: G Laken Tomlinson (one year, $4.25 million)
Signed: CB/KR Tremon Smith (two years, up to $7.5 million)
Signed: LB Nick Niemann (two years, up to $6.5 million)
Signed: CB Ronald Darby (one year, $2.5 million)
Signed: WR Braxton Berrios (one year, $2 million)
Signed: EDGE Casey Toohill (one year)
Signed: FB Jakob Johnson (one year)
Signed: WR Justin Watson
Traded for: G Ed Ingram
Traded for: S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Traded for: WR Christian Kirk
Re-signed: EDGE Derek Barnett (one year, $5 million)
Re-signed: Dl Mario Edwards Jr. (two years, $9.5 million)
Re-signed: S M.J. Stewart (one year, $2.5 million)
Re-signed: DI Kurt Hinish (one year, $2.35 million)
Re-signed: RB Dare Ogunbowale (one year, $2 million)
Re-signed: LB Jake Hansen (one year, $1.7 million)
Extended: CB Derek Stingley Jr. (three years, $90 million in new money)
Traded: T Laremy Tunsil
Traded: G Kenyon Green
Released: G Shaq Mason
That's a lot of bodies, and the salary value on all of the above players seems in line with the quality of the respective player. As we sit right now, though, the Texans are getting largely subpar grades on their free agency activity, likely due to what they have NOT brought in. In other words, they still have some glaring needs. For my money, these are the four areas I am still waiting on:
More offensive line bodiesI was fine with the Tunsil trade, more than fine with releasing Shaq Mason, and over the moon that Nick Caserio was able to flip Kenyon Green for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. However, when bodies go out, they need replacements. Thus far, the only moves made to backfill those shipped out have been signing veteran guard Laken Tomlinson and trading for guard Ed Ingram. The Texans have made no moves to find help at tackle. I need to see a few more vets before I can feel good about drafting offensive linemen next month.
A third threat at wide receiverThe trade for Christian Kirk was a fantastic move, even at his somewhat bloated $16 million salary for 2025. Kirk gives the Texans a true slot threat. However, if the season started tomorrow, the battle for the outside receiver opposite Nico Collins would be between John Metchie, Xavier Hutchinson, and whatever other bodies are floating around the building at wide receiver. This room needs at least one more person who can get open, likely more.
Running back depthJoe Mixon is the unquestioned starter at running back, that goes without saying. From there, we all love Dameon Pierce, but aside from a Week 18 romp over a Titans team that may or may not have been trying, we haven't seen consistently good football from Pierce for two seasons now. I have a feeling the Texans second string running back for 2025 played his most recent game in college. It's a good running back class this season, and I could see a third or fourth round pick getting used for the backfield.
More cornerback depth
The Texans have arguably the best pair of starting cornerbacks in all of football, with the newly enriched Stingley and second year CB Kamari Lassiter. There was a massive drop off after those two last season, though. I like the signing of veteran Ronald Darby to a one year, $2.5 million contract, but the Texans absolutely need more help on their secondary depth chart, in case of injuries down the road.
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