Myjai Sanders' Tenure with Texans Ends in Disappointment

Despite the excitement upon his arrival, Myjai Sanders' tenure with the Houston Texans end in disappointment.

HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans have spent the entire off-season adding to their defensive line unit. But on Tuesday afternoon, the Texans made three roster moves that ended players' respective tenure with the franchise.

Headlined by Myjai Sanders, the Texans departed from three players. Houston waived Sanders and safety, Josh Thompson while releasing wide receiver Alex Bachman. Bachman and Thompson did not play a role in the Texans' success. Meanwhile, Sanders' short tenure with the franchise was a huge disappointment.

Oct 9, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Myjai Sanders (41) against the

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Sanders' arrival in Houston came a year after the Arizona Cardinals made him a third-round pick during the 2022 NFL Draft. He only appeared in 13 games. But Sanders' short time in Arizona proved he embodies coach DeMeco Ryans' SWARM defensive mentality.

He was coming off a solid rookie season after recording 23 tackles, 3.0 sacks, one fumble recovery and a forced fumble. He also added 17 total pressures and 13 hurries. If not for a thumb injury sustained during training camp, Sanders may not have fallen out of Arizona's rotation before his departure.

At the time, the change of scenery appeared to be good and one that could help Sanders re-establish himself as a promising pass-rusher.

Ryans had been fond of Sanders since he came out as a draft prospect from Cincinnati. At the time, Ryans was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. Following his arrival, Ryans described Sanders as a "young pass-rusher the Texans wanted to add."

However, Sanders appeared in seven games for the Texans while recording a few healthy scratches. He finished the 2023 season with seven tackles with two quarterback hits during his short tenure in Houston.