Texans OG Ed Ingram: Houston's Best Offensive Lineman Ranks No. 14

We're pushing forward with our ranking for the top 25 Houston Texans for the 2026 season, counting down who on the roster will be the most important pieces for this group's success in the months ahead.

Several names on the offensive line have already been mentioned within the top 25, which might be a good indication of the potential improvement this unit might see this season: Aireontae Ersery, Wyatt Teller, Braden Smith, and their rookie Keylan Rutledge have all been guys previously seeing a shoutout thus far.

But now as we hit the top 15, we've hit who might be the most talented and the most impactful piece on the Texans' offensive line as a whole: offensive guard Ed Ingram, who slots in at No. 14.

Why Ed Ingram Is So Important

The importance that Ingram brings to this Texans offense is clear: he offers stability, proven production shown from last year, and he brings the exact type of skillset in the run game that Houston is looking to lean into this season.

That's exactly why the Texans felt the need to bring him back onto this roster as a priority this offseason. Ingram was slated to hit free agency with the chance to get a payday from another offensive line-needy team, and instead, Houston made sure to extend him on a three-year deal for $37.5 million.

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery (79) and guard Ed Ingram (69) and tackle Austin Deculus (76) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For how he performed last season, that's a bargain contract. But now comes time for Ingram to show he can sustain that same level of play from 2025–– a year where he ranked within the top 20 guards in the NFL via Pro Football Focus–– and not revert to the same level he was stuck at in three years with the Minnesota Vikings.

Ingram improving some of his numbers in pass protection will be important this season, as he gave up four sacks throughout the 14 games that he played. But if he can take steps forward in that area, while continuing to be one of the better run blockers at his position around the league, the Texans will look wise in extending him to that multi-year deal a few months ago.

Ingram's Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

- Excels as a run blocker; graded top-10 via PFF in 2025
- Strong technique and uses hands well

Weaknesses

- Needs to show consistency year after year
- Has room for improvement in pass protection

What Happens if Ingram Gets Hurt?

If Ingram were to miss any time for the Texans this season, that's not great. He's their best and most productive offensive lineman, at least based on last year's sample size, and any games missed would shake up the chemistry that this five-man starting group will have established.

However, the Texans could have a nice plan in the event that he does go down for any reason. That relies on their rookie, Keylan Rutledge, who was primarily a right guard throughout his time in college, but will be forced to change positions at the next level (probably center) because of Ingram's presence.

An injury to Ingram would just mean that the Texans can shift Rutledge over to the right guard spot, play someone like Jake Andrews or Evan Brown at center, and be a serviceable unit on the interior. It's not exactly a preferable outcome, but far from a disaster.

Why We Ranked Ingram Here

Had this ranking been done before last season, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that puts Ingram in their top 25, let alone in their top 15 players on the Texans roster. That's because Ingram took a major leap forward in his production in just one season with Houston compared to the lackluster showing he had throughout three years in Minnesota.

His consistency as a run blocker and as a stable force the Texans can rely on in the interior showed up big time in a season where Houston didn't have a ton of certainty across their offensive line.

Oct 5, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Houston Texans guard Ed Ingram (69) during play against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Keyon Martin (38) during the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Whether it be moving Tytus Howard around to different positions, or shifting players in and out of the starting line, Ingram was one of the few pieces in the mix who was a weekly starter who filled his role extremely well.

Now Ingram enters year two with Houston. He has a full year of experience under his belt starting on this offensive front, has taken on a full offseason with the same coaching staff, and has a chance to be even better than he was in 2025.

That provides more than enough confidence that Ingram is fairly ranked here at No. 14, and will be a big part of any success that this offensive line can put together throughout 2026.

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