Top Targets For Texans Entering Free Agency
NFL free agency is right around the corner and Nick Caserio looks to be a player.
The Houston Texans are trying to build off their 11-8 AFC South champion season in 2024. They have the right coach in DeMeco Ryans. They have a franchise quarterback on a rookie contract in wunderkind C.J. Stroud.
Houston also has young foundational pieces that still have several years left on their current deals. Breakout receiver Nico Collins is the only player eligible for an extension, while defensive stars Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre, and Christian Harris still have much to prove before entering negotiations in 2025.
The Texans have roughly $63 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, but also have 30 impending free agents. Sure, Houston could splurge on a player two, making them an offer they can't refuse, but it also needs stable depth now facing a first-place schedule in 2024.
Should the Texans let Jonathan Greenard, Sheldon Rankins, Blake Cashman, Steven Nelson and Devin Singletary walk, those spots become essential positions to target once the legal tampering period begins Monday.
Here are five potential outside names who should be on the Texans' radar if the price is right.
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DL Christian Wilkins
If the Texans are to swing big for one of the marquee names, Wilkins should be the target. He was a staple for five seasons in the Dolphins' front seven as one of the league's better run defenders but turned it up a notch in the pass-rushing department this season with nine sacks.
Wilkins has finished with a 73.4 grade or higher mark as a run defender, per Pro Football Focus, since 2020. Perhaps Ryans' most significant accomplishment was turning around the worst-ranked run defense back-to-back seasons into a top-10 unit. The Texans want to build off that with Anderson off the edge. Wilkins, who could play both a three-tech and one-tech, would be a plug-and-play addition to the trenches and a somewhat mentor to the former No. 3 pick.
Everything, however, comes down to pricing, Now that Chris Jones is back in Kansas City on a lucrative $95 million deal, Wilkins is the top defensive tackle on the market. He's going to command anywhere between $22-$26 million annually. Are the Texans willing to cough up the dough?
If they don't, the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, and Cleveland Browns could all be contenders for the 28-year-old. The Minnesota Vikings could be a dark horse given the connection with former head coach Brian Flores.
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LB Azeez Al-Shaair
Speaking of connections, it's hard to imagine Al-Shaair won't be on the Texans' radar. He was last season after blossoming into one of the league's better rotational backers under Ryans with the San Francisco 49ers before joining rival Tennessee on a one-year, $5 million deal.
Al-Shaair wanted a chance to play for Mike Vrabel while establishing himself as a three-down thumper. Both goals were accomplished despite a woeful 6-11 campaign that led to a change of command. The 26-year-old totaled 163 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four pass breakups and seven quarterback hits as the commander up the middle.
Harris is best used in space, meaning whoever Houston adds must be comfortable playing the middle. That's where Al-Shaair shined in Nashville and could build off next season. Patrick Queen and Frankie Luvu have been rumored as Houston targets, but the connection between Ryans and Al-Shaair would create a seamless transition.
Houston won't be alone in trying to land the former Florida Atlantic star. Sources told TexansDaily.com during the combine that Al-Shaair might have a bigger market than any other player at this position due to his versatility.
RB Tony Pollard
Saquon Barkley is the ultimate dream for Texans fans everywhere. The reality is Houston probably will be looking at two running backs for the price of one. Singletary, who took over as the bell cow back midseason, still remains in talks for a reunion, but the Texans won't stand by idly waiting for him to decide what's next.
Pollard's production went up in Dallas last offseason following Ezekiel Elliott's release, but his overall numbers dipped. As the No. 2 back, Pollard averaged over 4,8 yards per run in four of his five seasons. He did finish with over 1,000 yards for a second consecutive year, but he also averaged a career-low 4.0 yards per attempt and only scored six touchdowns.
From a scheme standpoint, Pollard would fit in easily under Bobby Slowik's personnel. He's the type of runner who could elevate the run game behind a healthy offensive line, keeping the chains moving while serving as a secondary piece opposite Stroud.
Pollard can provide value as a receiving threat, too. In five seasons with the Cowboys, he averaged 7.5 yards per catch and five touchdowns. Over his final three years with the "other" team in Texas, Pollard picked up at least a dozen first downs.
D'Andre Swift is another name worth monitoring, but from a schematic standpoint, it's hard to not envision Pollard as an option. The Texans could shock the world and spend big on Barkley, but if they choose to be more cost-affordable, the 6-foot tailback up Interstate 45 could be the best option.
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WR Curtis Samuel
The Texans don't need a No. 1 receiver after Collins' 1,200-yard season. In fact, Houston would be entering treacherous waters if it were to sign one of the top names with Collins going into a contract season.
Adding a No. 3 target would take pressure off Collins and Dell. The slot receiver role was a constant revolving door among John Metchie III, Noah Brown, Xavier Hutchinson, and even Dell at times that never found an identity.
Samuel often gets compared to Deebo due to their versatility, but he's a sturdy slot target who's always been comfortable as the "other" guy in the offense. With Carolina, he served as the No. 2 beside D.J. Moore. With Washington, played the sidekick to Terry McLaurin's leading man, and then moved down to the No. 3 spot when Jahan Dotson joined the mix.
Minus an injured 2020 season, Samuel has hauled in at least 54 balls each year since 2019 and averaged nearly 10 yards per catch. He also has seven rushing touchdowns and is good for 12-18 carries per season. He'd be a creative chess piece for Slowik to work into his system, much like Deebo Samuel a few years ago.
If a two-year deal worth less than $20 million would suffice, Samuel should be in play.
CB Jeff Okudah
The Texans will likely draft a corner within their first three picks, but they need a veteran to pair opposite Stingley to begin free agency. Nelson might be back, but he's also 31 and could be looking for a payday that Houston isn't willing to give.
Why not go after a project player with some upside? That's Okudah, the former No. 3 pick out of Ohio State who didn't allow a touchdown in three seasons with the Buckeyes. After a mixed three seasons with the Lions, Okudah joined the Falcons and seemed to be a more natural fit for Ryan Nielsen's defense.
Over the Cap projects Okudah's value to be about $5.1 million per year, significantly lower than names like Kendall Fuller and Chidobe Awuzie. Adding Odukah, who's only 25, also doesn't take drafting a cornerback at No. 23 off the table, either.
The best-case scenario? Okudah becomes a sturdy No. 2 defender in a surging defense. The wost-case? He provides depth for a secondary needing talent.
Honorable Mentions
DL DJ Reader: Reader began his career in Houston before getting a massive pay raise from the Bengals. If Rankins walks and Wikins is too expensive, this might be a perfect middle ground, especially for the run defense.
DB Quandre Diggs: A move to nickel might benefit Jalen Pitre, but it leaves a hole up top. Diggs, a former nickel defender turned free safety, picked off 13 passes once he transitioned to the back end and is a sturdy tackle. He's 31 and starting to decline, but he'd be a great fit.
LB Jordyn Brooks: Brooks' best season came in 2021 at the MIKE position, when he totaled 184 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and six pass breakups. Over the past two years, the former Texas Tech star has notched at least 100 stops and improved as a blitzer. Brooks is a Houston native, so maybe he'd be willing to join the squad for a literal hometown discount.
WR Tyler Boyd: If Houston is looking for a sturdy slot receiver, few are more consistent than Boyd. Since 2019, the 5-11 target has hauled in at least 67 balls for 670 yards while averaging 11 yards per play. He's 29 and stable, something the Texans need in their passing game.
DE Chase Young: How much are the Texans willing to spend? Let's say Young wants to reinvent himself now fully recovered from the ACL tear and is willing to take a one-year "prove-it" deal worth less than $10 million. If the former Defensive Rookie of the Year finished with 7-plus sacks and 12-plus tackles for loss, that's a win-win for both sides.
DL Javon Kinlaw: The former No. 14 pick in the 2020 draft could need the Rankins' treatment to get back on track. Last season as a rotational option, Kinlaw was best used on passing sets, totaling career-highs in QB hits (seven) and sacks (3.5). He already has an understanding of what Ryans looks for in a defender and the traits are too good to ignore.
RB Gus Edwards: If Singletary walks, Edwards could be a replacement. He's been better as the No. 2 role with Baltimore, but he can play the lead-back role if injuries occur. Last season, with J.K. Dobbins out, Edwards totaled 13 touchdowns and averaged 4.1 yards per carry.
LB Willie Gay Jr.: Gay's best used in sub-packages off the edge, and eventually moved to the No. 3 role for Steve Spagnuolo's defense. Still, Houston needs blitzers up the middle. Should Gay transition from outside to inside, perhaps a one-year deal as Cashman's replacement isn't far-fetched?
CB Adoree Jackson: Coming from Wink Martindale's aggressive-blitz defense, Jackson should be able to hold his own in coverage. He played better in the nickel than on the outside, but the versatility should make him expendable. One thing Jackson told reporters on Radio Row during the Super Bowl is he wants to play for a Super Bowl-contending team.
