Texans Could Target Patriots Offensive Lineman This Offseason

The Houston Texans might need to keep their eye on the New England Patriots this offseason to find a potential upgrade on their offensive line.

That upgrade could come in the form of Patriots veteran center Garrett Bradbury, whom the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander recently linked as a name to take notice of for the Texans as a potential cap casualty for New England:

"One name to watch is Garrett Bradbury, who started at center for New England last year. The Patriots don’t need to cut Bradbury, but he could be one of the biggest cost-saving measures on their roster," says Alexander. "The Patriots could save $5.7 million by releasing him, making him a prime candidate to be traded for further compensation."

If the Patriots do decide to part ways with their veteran center, it effectively leaves a starting-caliber interior offensive lineman up for grabs on the open market for needy teams to pounce on. And the Texans might be one of the primary names that make sense to fall within that bucket.

Could Texans Pursue Garrett Bradbury This Offseason?

In terms of Bradbury's outlook as a cap casualty for the Patriots, it's easy to see why their front office would have a clear incentive to do so.

Bradbury did start all 17 games upfront for New England at their center spot, but in their cap-saving efforts to get their roster primed for another Super Bowl run, opening up nearly $6 million on the books can go a long way.

Especially when the Patriots have a young option who can slide over to the center spot in the form of left guard Jared Wilson, who will enter his second season starting upfront for New England, the move to cut Bradbury to save that extra might make too much sense from their perspective.

Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury (65) heads to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

What happens next for the Texans? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Texans news delivered to your inbox daily!

For the Texans, that would allow Bradbury to hit the market as what would be a top free agent priority to pursue. Their offensive line is still a unit that could use some tweaks heading into next season, especially on the interior.

Figuring out their guard situation is a different story, but Bradbury could at least be a serviceable option to plug in at center at 30 years old with over 110 games started of both regular season and playoff experience.

Doing so would require the Texans to free up a bit of cap space off their own books to acquire a center of his caliber. Houston currently sits just under $5 million above the salary cap line heading into the new league year, and will need to make a handful of moves in terms of cuts and restructures as is to remain cap compliant.

But, if the Texans can find the cash to spend on hand, and the Patriots do decide to go in another direction at center, that could lead to a perfect pathway to find an upgrade to their offensive line room heading into 2026, and thus allow for this Houston offense to complement the elite defense that resides on the other side.