Former Chargers special teams ace shockingly cut by Texans

A former Los Angeles Chargers' standout is one of the surprise early moves of NFL roster cutdown day as Tuesday morning Nick Niemann was cut by the Houston Texans.

A sixth-round draft pick out of Iowa by the Chargers in 2021, Niemann flourished on special teams and made the All-Rookie Team. In three years, he played in 64 games and made three starts as a linebacker. He played in 13 games under head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2024, but was allowed to walk in free agency.

The #Texans are releasing LB Nick Niemann, a special teams contributor who signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the team in March. Niemann’s contract included $3 million guaranteed this season and $1 million in full guarantees next year as well. pic.twitter.com/PC5AFUGhJD
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 26, 2025

The Texans signed Niemann to a surprisingly big two-year, $6 million contract that included a whopping $4 million in guaranteed money, making him a surprise cut. Included in his contract was a $1.5 million signing bonus, guaranteed $1.5 million base salary and $1 million in salary for 2026.

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Niemann was one of the Chargers' special teams leaders, having played 80 percent of the snaps in 2024. He registered 21 tackles in 13 games.

The Chargers aimed at replacing the loss of Niemann by re-signing linebacker Troy Dye. He actually stayed with the Chargers for more money than Houston offered Niemann - a contact worth $8 million in incentives.

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Dye played a career-high 318 snaps on defense last season, which was 29% of the Chargers' total. That number could creep up near the 40% range after Dye had a solid training camp and preseason.

Regardless of his role on defense, there is no denying he will have a huge role on special teams. Dye was one of the Chargers' best special teams players last season and that should continue into 2025.

Houston Texans linebacker Nick Niemann during training camp at training camp. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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