I always write about new players coming to the Texans via the draft, but I seem to skip the new players that come via free agency. Might be because the Texans haven't really been big players in that market for much of their existence. So here we go.
The Texans have never been a team making the big splashy, high dollar signings in fee agency. Their biggest splash in team history is arguably Johnathan Joseph in 2011. They also picked up S Danieal Manning that same year. The Texans were supposedly in on the top free agent CB that year, Nnamdi Asomugha, but the price tag was a little too hefty so the Texans settled on Joseph and Manning. In the end, that turned out to be one of the best moves in their history as Asomugha was out of the NFL 3 years later and Joseph went on to have 9 solid seasons with the Texans, including 2 Pro Bowls.
The Texans started off by re-signing a few of their own players whose contracts had expired, including TE Daulton Schultz, K Ka'imi Fairbairn, WR Noah Brown, CB Desmond King, and for some reason S Eric Murray. One of the first players they signed from another team was a player they initially drafted in the 2nd round in 2019 and traded to the Chiefs in 2022, DB Lonnie Johnson. Johnson was cut by KC, picked up by the Titans, then signed with the Saints last year. In his last 2 seasons he's averaged less than 12 snaps per game on defense, seeing the field mostly on special teams. A very underwhelming start. And it didn't stop there. CB Mike Ford was added. Ford has not only started just 10 games in his 6 year NFL career, he's only played about 10% of the defensive snaps in those 6 years. Listed as a LB, Del'Shawn Phillips signs with the Texans. He's played under 5 defensive snaps per game in his 4 year career. These are clearly special teams players, if they even make the roster.
Speaking of special teams, P Cameron Johnston was not re-signed by the Texans. He signs with the Steelers. So that means the Texans are in the market for a punter and they pick up former Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend. He was an All Pro in 2022 though his stats are similar in his career to Johnston's. In fact, Johnston may be a little better pinning opponents inside the 20 than Townsend is.
On day 2 of the tampering period is when things started to get a little more splashy for the Texans. First they pick up 10 year veteran DT Denico Autry, who spent the last 3 years with the Titans and 3 years before that with the Colts. Autry had a career high 11½ sacks last season, and has 36 in his last 4 seasons. Even though he will be 34 years old when the season starts, this could be a big addition to the interior of the Texans d-line.
With RB Devin Singletary walking and signing with the Giants, that put the Texans in the market for a RB. Reports are that they were in serious negotiations with Saquon Barkley, but they couldn't outbid the Eagles where he ended up signing. The Bengals had just signed Zach Moss from the Colts and had announced they'd be releasing the RB they've had the last 7 seasons. Texans GM Nick Caserio lights up their phone lines and works out a deal with the Bengals, sending them a 7th round pick from next year in return for Joe Mixon. Mixon has had four 1,000 yard seasons in his 7 year career, including last season. Mixon is also an excellent pass catcher averaging 51 catches the last 3 seasons. The Texans haven't had a RB with that many catches since Arian Foster in 2011.
Then the Texans dish out what is easily the most money they've ever given out in free agency, on a per year basis that is, by landing 4 time Pro Bowl DE/LB Danielle Hunter, who up until now has spent his entire 9 year career with the Vikings. Even though it's only a 2 year deal, it's worth a whopping $49M with all but $1M of that guaranteed. That's almost $25M per year to you and me. Hunter had the 4th most sacks in the NFL last season with 16½. It's the 2nd year in a row and 5th time in his career he's had double digit sacks. Paring Hunter with Will Anderson, with Autry in the middle, should give the Texans a formidable pass rush and make opposing QBs more than a little nervous this season.
The start of the new league year is today and with that free agency begins. This means players whose contracts have expired can sign with whatever team wants their services. The trading season also opens so trades can now be made again until the trade deadline sometime in the middle of the upcoming season.
Because so many players used to be signed minutes after the free agency period started, the NFL came up with a rule that allowed teams to negotiate a couple of days beforehand. This was called "legal tampering". Funny thing though, the second the legal tampering window opens, deals are already being announced, so I don't see the difference. Anyway, nothing can be finalize until the official start of the new year, which again, is today.
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| Joseph |
The Texans have never been a team making the big splashy, high dollar signings in fee agency. Their biggest splash in team history is arguably Johnathan Joseph in 2011. They also picked up S Danieal Manning that same year. The Texans were supposedly in on the top free agent CB that year, Nnamdi Asomugha, but the price tag was a little too hefty so the Texans settled on Joseph and Manning. In the end, that turned out to be one of the best moves in their history as Asomugha was out of the NFL 3 years later and Joseph went on to have 9 solid seasons with the Texans, including 2 Pro Bowls.
Other not so splashy but solid free agent pickups of the past, WR Kevin Walter, DE Antonio Smith, S Tyrann Mathieu, and RB Lamar Miller. Last year the Texans picked up RB Devin Singletary, who led the team in rushing, but has since moved on signing a free agent deal with the Giants. There have been some bad signings as well, including QB Brock Osweiler, CB Ed Reed, and RB Ahman Green, to name a few.
With the Texans coming off their splashiest draft in team history last April, taking C.J. Stroud with the #2 overall pick, then moving up to #3 to take Will Anderson, and then the Texans going on to win 10 games and make the playoffs after having won 3 games the season before, and then actually winning a playoff game, you might have thought they'd keep that train rolling in this year's free agency. And like they've done in free agency for most of, if not all their history, they get off to a slow start on day 1 of the tampering period.
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| Fairbairn |
The Texans started off by re-signing a few of their own players whose contracts had expired, including TE Daulton Schultz, K Ka'imi Fairbairn, WR Noah Brown, CB Desmond King, and for some reason S Eric Murray. One of the first players they signed from another team was a player they initially drafted in the 2nd round in 2019 and traded to the Chiefs in 2022, DB Lonnie Johnson. Johnson was cut by KC, picked up by the Titans, then signed with the Saints last year. In his last 2 seasons he's averaged less than 12 snaps per game on defense, seeing the field mostly on special teams. A very underwhelming start. And it didn't stop there. CB Mike Ford was added. Ford has not only started just 10 games in his 6 year NFL career, he's only played about 10% of the defensive snaps in those 6 years. Listed as a LB, Del'Shawn Phillips signs with the Texans. He's played under 5 defensive snaps per game in his 4 year career. These are clearly special teams players, if they even make the roster.
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| Townsend |
Speaking of special teams, P Cameron Johnston was not re-signed by the Texans. He signs with the Steelers. So that means the Texans are in the market for a punter and they pick up former Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend. He was an All Pro in 2022 though his stats are similar in his career to Johnston's. In fact, Johnston may be a little better pinning opponents inside the 20 than Townsend is.
Former Jaguars T Foley Fatusaki signs with the Texans. He's been a starter for the Jags and Jets the last 3 seasons. More secondary filler with the signing of DB Jeff Odukah, who started just 9 of 13 games for the Falcons last year. LB Azeez Al-Shaair signs with Houston. He played under DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco for 4 seasons. Al-Shaair was 5th in total tackles in the NFL last season with Tennessee.
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| Autry |
On day 2 of the tampering period is when things started to get a little more splashy for the Texans. First they pick up 10 year veteran DT Denico Autry, who spent the last 3 years with the Titans and 3 years before that with the Colts. Autry had a career high 11½ sacks last season, and has 36 in his last 4 seasons. Even though he will be 34 years old when the season starts, this could be a big addition to the interior of the Texans d-line.
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| Mixon |
With RB Devin Singletary walking and signing with the Giants, that put the Texans in the market for a RB. Reports are that they were in serious negotiations with Saquon Barkley, but they couldn't outbid the Eagles where he ended up signing. The Bengals had just signed Zach Moss from the Colts and had announced they'd be releasing the RB they've had the last 7 seasons. Texans GM Nick Caserio lights up their phone lines and works out a deal with the Bengals, sending them a 7th round pick from next year in return for Joe Mixon. Mixon has had four 1,000 yard seasons in his 7 year career, including last season. Mixon is also an excellent pass catcher averaging 51 catches the last 3 seasons. The Texans haven't had a RB with that many catches since Arian Foster in 2011.
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| Hunter |
Then the Texans dish out what is easily the most money they've ever given out in free agency, on a per year basis that is, by landing 4 time Pro Bowl DE/LB Danielle Hunter, who up until now has spent his entire 9 year career with the Vikings. Even though it's only a 2 year deal, it's worth a whopping $49M with all but $1M of that guaranteed. That's almost $25M per year to you and me. Hunter had the 4th most sacks in the NFL last season with 16½. It's the 2nd year in a row and 5th time in his career he's had double digit sacks. Paring Hunter with Will Anderson, with Autry in the middle, should give the Texans a formidable pass rush and make opposing QBs more than a little nervous this season.
So those are the early results from free agency that should be made official today. Free agency has just barely gotten underway so there's a lot more to come. The Texans still have several of their own free agents, who have yet to sign elsewhere, that could be re-signed including CB Steven Nelson, DT Sheldon Rankins, DB Tavierre Thomas and T Charlie Heck, to name a few. Free agents that have already walked from the Texans and signed with other teams are DE Jonathan Greenard (Vikings), LB Blake Cashman (Vikings), RB Devin Singletary (Giants), and P Cameron Johnston (Steelers).
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