Freshly Released Cardinals Starter Finds New Home

It didn't take former Arizona Cardinals offensive guard Evan Brown very long to find a new team.

After being released two days ago, Brown has now struck a one-year deal to land with the Houston Texans according to reports. It's worth up to $3.5 million.

Former #AZCardinals G Evan Brown, who was released late this week, lands quickly with the #Texans on a 1-year deal for up to $3.5M, per The Insiders.

Deal negotiated by Sean Kiernan & Tommy Povinelli from @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/CUjxQO65Aq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2026

Brown just finished his second season in Arizona as the Cardinals' starting left guard, playing 28 games across two seasons in the desert.

While he was considered to be fine in 2024, 2025 saw Brown take a noticable step back in terms of play. Brown's Pro Football Focus metrics saw him finish as the 61st best guard in the league out of 81 eligible players last season.

The Cardinals signed former Pittsburgh Steelers guard Isaac Seumalo this free agency to assumably start at left guard next to Paris Johnson Jr. for 2025. Right guard still seems to be up in the air with players such as Isaiah Adams and Matt Pryor potentially fighting for the spot.

Brown missed the final six games of 2025 due to personal matters that were not disclosed by the team.

"We'll see. I'm not quite sure yet. Like I said, he's dealing with a family thing but I'm thinking about him," former head coach Jonathan Gannon said back on Dec. 21.

Brown has played seven years in the NFL and has started 68 of the 85 total games he's played. He initially began his career as a center but later transitioned to guard.

He's previously played for the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks.

Brown was just one of many official roster moves announced by the Cardinals earlier this week:

Arizona also officially announced the following six signings:

Running back Tyler Allgeier (two years)

Long snapper Casey Kreiter (one year)

Quarterback Gardner Minshew II (one year)

Offensive lineman Matt Pryor (one year)

Offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson (two years)

Defensive lineman Jonah Williams (one year)

The Cardinals may also be targeting more offensive line help in the 2026 NFL Draft, where they've got picks in all seven rounds with premium spots at No. 3 and 34 overall.

Brown ultimately was not the biggest problem within Arizona's offensive problems last season, though he clearly wasn't a solution, either. A split made sense for both player and organization entering 2026, especially with new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur in town.

Here's hoping Brown can find his footing in Houston.