The Texans' Biggest Roster Hole That Still Hasn't Been Addressed

Through the first couple of days that the NFL's legal tampering period has been opened, the Houston Texans have done a strong job of not only retaining internal talent on their roster, but also bringing in a couple of starting-level upgrades on both sides of the ball.

On the offensive end, the Texans retained right guard Ed Ingram on a three-year deal, and also signed Braden Smith from the Indianapolis Colts to serve as their right tackle for the next two years, thus bringing some good stability into their highly discussed offensive line unit.

Former Colts T Braden Smith is signing with the Houston Texans on a two-year deal, sources tell The Athletic. pic.twitter.com/tDCedDckNC
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 10, 2026

Defensively, the Texans brought in Reed Blankenship from the Philadelphia Eagles to make their already-elite secondary even better. And by hashing out new contracts for Sheldon Rankins and Danielle Hunter to be on board for the next two seasons, it helps bring some welcomed continuity on their front seven that was one of the most productive in the league last season.

It's a great start to the offseason in Houston. However, now that the dust has settled surrounding the Texans' two big free agent splashes, there's still one position on the roster that could still benefit from an upgrade before entering next year, and might even be the next area Nick Caserio and Co. address in the coming weeks: left guard.

Texans' Left Guard Spot Still Needs Work

The Texans' offensive line, both their starting five-man front and the depth behind them, has begun to gradually come together in the past week to prepare for a just as good, if not better, unit than they had in 2025.

Aireontae Ersery and Trent Brown fill out left tackle spots one and two, Braden Smith and Blake Fisher round out the right tackle spot, and Ed Ingram's now locked in for the next three years as their starting right guard; one of their most productive offensive linemen of 2025; someone who PFF graded as a top-10 run-blocker amongst all NFL guards.

Considering there were rumblings of Ingram being worth $15-18M annually, the #Texans getting him on this deal is great value.

PFF graded Ingram a top-10 run blocking guard in 2025. Re-signing him is massive for Houston’s offensive line to keep moving in the right direction https://t.co/iY06CDLtYN
— Jared Koch (@jjaredkoch) March 9, 2026

The Texans, and specifically offensive line coach Cole Popovich, also appear to like what they have at center with Jake Andrews, their primary starter at the position from last season, and could be gearing up as their Week One starter for 2026.

There could certainly be some veteran or rookie depth to come in and compete with Andrews, but as a cheap, experienced veteran who's been in the building for the past year-plus, his chances as a starter don't look too bad.

That leaves the left guard spot that still sticks out as a glaring need. Currently, Jarrett Patterson would slot in as the most likely name; someone who's been on Houston's roster for the past three seasons, and actually having started in 21 games throughout that span.

Sep 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans center Jarrett Patterson (54) during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

But in an offseason where the offensive line has remained a clearly underlined area that needs upgrades, there's certainly room for improvement, or at least competition next to Patterson in order to make this five-man group a true step above what they had in 2025.

Free agency remains an option to address that need, and the deeper into free agency the Texans get, the better chance they have to cash in on valuable names they see fit at a lower price.

However, it feels like the draft might be the most likely and most effective way for the Texans to give their left guard spot a facelift. With two selections in the top 40 picks, it gives Houston two chances to upgrade the interior of their line.

It's a worthwhile investment to make that can help round out this offensive line for the foreseeable future, and might just be the plan Nick Caserio has in store once the draft rolls around, depending on how the coming days of free agency shake out.

For now, circle the left guard spot as the most likely spot the Texans address an upgrade for next. And when they do, it might end up as the perfect finishing touch on this offense's protection to silence the offensive line conversation that's persistently revolved around them.

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