Rush to Improvement: Texans Sign Seahawks DE Rasheem Green
HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans are signing veteran pass rusher Rasheem Green to a one-year contract, according to NFL Network. The addition of Green fills the void at defensive end, a position the Texans did not address in the 2022 NFL Draft.
A third-round pick in 2018, Green, 24, was productive in a rotational role for most of his four seasons with Seattle. He totaled 13.5 sacks and 12 tackles-for-loss while also recording 74 hurries. Last season, Green started a career-best 16 games, totaling 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks and six tackles for loss.
Houston met with Green prior to the draft and initially seemed interested in adding him to Lovie Smith's four-man rush. The taxes to not come to terms with a deal, but revisited with green following the draft after electing to pass on several top names over the course of seven rounds.
Green now joins a defensive line that features Jonathan Greenard, Jordan Jenkins, Kingsley Keke and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, the Houston native that began his career with the Los Angeles Rams but signed a one-year, $3.25 million deal in March as part of the first wave of free agency.
The Texans need more production in the trenches after last season. Houston finished bottom-five in sacks (32), pressures (20.7 percent) and were 31st in defending the run (142.2 yards per game). Greenard showed promise with eight sacks in his second season. Veteran Jordan Jenkins showed slight growth, recording 2.5 sacks and four tackles for loss as a part-time starter.
The Texans added nine new players during the draft — including three local talents from the Greater Houston area in Texas A&M offensive lineman Kenyon Green (Humble), Baylor safety Jalen Pitre (Stafford) and LSU offensive tackle Austin Deculus (Cypress). Houston drafted six of its nine players from the SEC, including LSU All-American cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. No. 3 overall.
