Texans Free Agency: What They Got Right –– And What They Missed So Far

The Houston Texans have been about as busy as any team in the first portion of this year's NFL free agency period, and have made some notable upgrades to their roster on both sides of the ball in the process.

In the midst of that productive offseason, the Texans have also still got a few lingering holes remaining in their depth chart that have yet to be addressed among their flurry of moves before their work can be considered complete.

At the rate of just how aggressively Caserio and this Houston front office have been so far, those areas of need are likely to be addressed in due time, whether that be in late free agency or within next month's draft.

But for now, let's hit pause on the offseason just over a week into free agency to break down just what exactly the Texans have gotten right, and where around the roster still has work to do in the weeks ahead:

What They Got Right

Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Braden Smith (72) moves on the field Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Right Side of Their Offensive Line

The Texans made a ton of refinements to their offensive line early in this offseason, but it's the right side of that unit upfront that looks the most secure following their initial moves.

Not only did Houston bring in right tackle Braden Smith from the Indianapolis Colts on a two-year deal, but they also retained their own talent in right guard Ed Ingram on a three-year deal, along with veteran swing tackle Trent Brown on a contract through 2026.

So long as health is in their favor, the right side of Houston's line should have depth and be even deeper than it was last season.

Tight End 1 & 2

Houston needed to bring in additional depth to their tight end room at some point this offseason, and the signing of New Orleans Saints veteran Foster Moreau does just that, bringing much-needed blocking prowess to the position room that can help aid this offensive line further.

The Texans also extended their primary pass-catching tight end, Dalton Schultz, on a new one-year, $12 million deal that keeps him onboard through the 2027 season.

Considering he was Houston's second-leading pass-catcher last season behind Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins, and a well-established target for C.J. Stroud, securing him for the future comes as a good decision.

Investing in Reed Blankenship

It's hard to imagine the Texans getting even better than they were last year defensively, especially in their lockdown secondary, but bringing in a Super Bowl champion and established leader like Reed Blankenship on a three-year deal does just that.

Now pairing next to Calen Bullock as the Texans' rock-solid safety duo, Blankenship brings the stability Houston needed at strong safety that they didn't have at their disposal in 2025. Between injury and other circumstances, the position was a revolving door.

Next season is a different story. Between Blankenship and Bullock, along with Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter on the boundary and Jalen Pitre at nickel, there's a strong case for Houston to have not just one of, but the best secondary in the NFL.

What They Missed

Dec 27, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is pressured by Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (90) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Defensive Interior Help

On one hand, the Texans did sign Sheldon Rankins to a new two-year deal before the free agent market opened that retained a huge veteran piece of their defensive line.

On another, the Texans saw Tim Settle Jr. depart to the Washington Commanders, and also decided to cut veteran Mario Edwards to save $4 million, but have yet to really replace those guys.

Expect the Texans to key in on the defensive tackle position at the top of this year's draft, if not in free agency, even using as high as their 28th selection in the first round to bring an injection of new youth to this front seven.

A Spark at Wide Receiver

Wide receiver is one of the few spots on the Texans roster that hasn't been touched with a new addition from outside the building, and has only lost talent in the form of Christian Kirk signing to the San Francisco 49ers; a move that was long-expected to happen weeks before the new league year.

The Texans do have enough in their wide receiver room, especially with their developing young talent, to roll into next year confident as is. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel showed nice flashes in year one, and even a healthy Tank Dell will be able to factor back into this air attack next season as well.

But if Caserio and this front office wanted to keep their foot on the gas to be aggressive as they have this offseason, bringing in one more pass-catcher to take this group from good to great might be worthwhile to investigate.

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