The One 2026 Free Agent Texans Can't Afford to Lose

Heading into this coming NFL offseason, the Houston Texans won't have many critical players hitting the market in free agency, as most of their core pieces are either still signed onto their rookie deals or already handed a new big payday with a new extension, in the case of those like Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre.

But among the Texans' class of pending free agents, there's one name in the mix that Houston can't afford to lose; as someone who's been a rock-solid component to the offense when he's healthy and on the field, and proven to have been a worthwhile pickup from this past offseason: right guard Ed Ingram.

Ingram, a pickup from the 2025 offseason via trade from the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth-round pick, has cemented himself as a quality starting right guard on the Texans' newly refurbished offensive line, and while he's been healthy and on the field, he's stuck as one of the more consistent parts of the protection upfront.

While forced out for Week 1, along with Weeks 10 and 11, Ingram has started every other one of Houston's 10 regular season games on the year, grading out as one of the best offensive guards in the NFL.

Per Pro Football Focus, Ingram has a 73.0 overall grade, good for 15th amongst eligible guards. A large part of that success comes from his prowess as a run blocker— grading as the fourth-best guard in the league within the run game at 81.9.

How Much Would Ed Ingram Cost the Texans?

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans guard Ed Ingram (69) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Currently, Ingram is on a bargain of a contract. His deal is worth just a base salary of $3.4 million this year, which doesn't even sniff the top names at his position, even with the production to match. Therefore, a nice payday will be in order for the former Vikings lineman in the coming months to reflect that.

It's hard to pinpoint the exact value that Ingram would be worth in free agency, but we could take a look at the top names at his position to get a gauge of just what the market is estimating top guard play to be at.

Three guards in the NFL are making over $20 million annually, with the highest value going to Kansas City Chiefs' Trey Smith at an eye-catching $23.5 APY. Ingram won't be seeing those types of numbers after one productive season in Houston, but it shows just how highly valued consistency on an offensive interior can be.

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For Ingram, an APY of around $8 to $10 million a season might not be too far off from what to expect. Doing so would place him within the top 15 highest-paid right guards in the NFL on an annual basis, and depending on the length of said contract, could hammer down a long-term option on the interior at just 26 years old.

There's still a lot of ball to be played, and for Ingram, a few more weeks ahead to continue building upon his value for this offseason's pending free agency. But for the Texans, if all holds to form, it might be wise to put pen to paper on a multi-year deal for their standout guard once the time inevitably comes.

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