Rams want a 5th for Kupp...offer them a 6th...sign someone to back up Mixon...trade Mills to the highest bidder...fix the lines using the draft...
Spoiler https://www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/2025/texans-nfl-free-agency-2025/ OFFENSE QUARTERBACK Players under contract (3): C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills, Kedon Slovis Pending free agent: Case Keenum “… he likely won’t return to Houston, assuming he wants to continue playing.” RUNNING BACK Players under contract (6): Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale, British Brooks, J.J. Taylor, Jawhar Jordan Pending free agents: None “ Given the number of players the Texans have in their running back room, don’t expect the Texans to be players in the running back market. … Houston's running back room is likely set.” WIDE RECEIVERS Players under contract (6): Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, John Metchie, Xavier Hutchinson, Jared Wayne, Tank Dell Pending free agents (2): Stefon Diggs, Robert Woods Other wide receiver targets around the NFL (8): Demarcus Robinson, Chris Godwin, Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, Mack Hollins, Dyami Brown, Cooper Kupp, D.K. Metcalf “Dell’s knee injury he suffered late last year will likely cost him the 2025 season. And Diggs is expected to have a solid market in free agency, despite coming off an ACL injury. Though Houston has left the door open for Diggs to return, it’s probably not at the price he wants, which is why the Texans traded for Christian Kirk. Still, the move doesn’t prevent Houston from signing another receiver in free agency or one within in the first three rounds of the draft. In fact, you should expect it. Hollins and Brown could be good deep-play threats. Robinson has familiarity with Caley in LA. Houston tried to trade for Allen last season. And Adams and Stroud have expressed respect for each other.” TIGHT END/FULLBACK Players under contract (3): Dalton Schultz, Brevin Jordan, Cade Stover Pending free agents (3): Teagan Quitoriano, Irv Smith Jr., Dalton Keene Other tight end targets across the NFL (4): Hunter Long, Hayden Hurst, Mercedes Lewis, Zach Ertz “The Texans will likely add a tight end for depth purposes. They had several injuries at the position this past season, including Jordan, who tore his ACL early in the year, and Stover, who suffered a shoulder injury in the playoffs. It’s a position new OC Nick Caley covets. Schultz struggled last year, but his contract extension, which he signed last season, won’t allow for the Texans to release him without incurring a penalty. So if the Texans add a tight end in free agency, it likely won’t be a big name player.” OFFENSIVE TACKLES Players under contract (3): Laremy Tunsil (pictured), Blake Fisher, Tytus Howard Pending free agent: Zachary Thomas GUARD Players under contract (2): Kenyon Green, Nick Broeker Pending free agent: Kendrick Green Other notable free agents around the NFL (7): Will Fries, Tevin Jenkins, Kevin Zeitler, James Daniels, Patrick Mekari, Meckhi Becton, Aaron Banks “The Texans plan to release starting right guard Shaq Mason after his poor showing last season, leaving them with only Kenyon Green and Nick Broeker, neither of which will start next season. Juice Scruggs, Jarrett Patterson, and Howard all have the ability to play guard, but it isn’t their primary positions. Expect the Texans to sign a guard in free agency and draft one early to fill their needs, as this is an emphasis for Houston. Fries is an intriguing choice. He’s one of the best free agent guards on the market, who missed most of the 2024 season with a tibia injury. Jenkins has potential too. The Texans have a lot of solid choices to choose from.” CENTER Players under contract (2): Jarrett Patterson, Juice Scruggs Pending free agents: None DEFENSE DEFENSIVE END Players under contract (4): Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry, Dylan Horton Pending free agents (2): Jerry Hughes, Derek Barnett “…Don’t be surprised if Barnett returns, as he played a key role on the Texans defensive line last season and has expressed interest in returning. He had two fumble returns for touchdowns last season. Hughes didn’t play much last season, and probably wouldn’t return unless they needed an extra body.” DEFENSIVE TACKLE Players under contract (2): Tim Settle Jr., Kurt Hinish Pending free agents (2): Mario Edwards (pictured), Foley Fatukasi Other notable free agents around the NFL (4): Sheldon Rankins, Jonathan Allen, B.J. Hill, D.J. Jones “Edwards and Fatukasi, who started last season, are both heading for free agency. And while the door is open for one to return, it’s more likely the Texans will try and get better at defensive tackle. League sources at the combine kept telling me to watch out for Rankins as a player the Texans might try to sign after he became available. Rankins was one of the team’s leaders in 2023. I’ve also recently heard the Texans could look into Allen, who was recently released by Washington. Jones and Hill were also potential options. DeMeco Ryans knows for his defense to take the next step, their defensive tackles must improve.” LINEBACKERS Players under contract (3): Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, Christian Harris Pending free agents (4): Neville Hewitt (pictured), Jake Hansen, Devin White, Del’Shawn Phillips “The biggest thing for Houston will be finding a good backup if Hewitt doesn’t return. Hewitt was an important special teams player for the Texans, but he has a desire to become a starter. If he can’t find what he’s looking for in free agency, he’s not opposed to returning to the Texans. Hansen is likely to return. Phillips and White could be headed elsewhere.” CORNERBACK Players under contract (3): Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, D’Angelo Ross Pending free agents (3): Jeff Okudah, Kris Boyd (pictured), Ka’Dar Hollman “The Texans have their top two starters at cornerback, but will likely look for a No. 3, as they tried to trade for one at the deadline last season, a source told the Chronicle. Boyd was an important special teams player. Okudah has interest in returning, but it’s unclear if the Texans would try to bring him back.” NICKEL Players under contract: Jalen Pitre Pending free agent: Myles Bryant SAFETY Players under contract (2): Calen Bullock, Jimmie Ward Pending free agents (2): Eric Murray (pictured), M.J. Stewart Other notable free agents around the NFL (3): Talanoa Hufanga, Tre’von Moehrig, Justin Simmons “The Texans have been in discussions with Murray’s agent about a new deal, a source said, but those discussions are ongoing. Murray wants to return to Houston, where he started 14 games at safety last season and finished with 75 tackles. He also had a pick-six in the team’s playoff game against the Chargers. Stewart was a key special teams player for the Texans. If the two don’t return, the Texans could fill the void in free agency or the draft. With Bullock as the starter at one safety spot, the biggest question is whether the Texans will try and find an upgrade or stick with Ward. Hufanga, who was injured for some of 2024, played under Ryans in San Francisco for two seasons (2021-22) and was an All-Pro in 2022.” SPECIAL TEAMS Players under contract (2): K Ka’imi Fairbairn, P Tommy Townsend Pending free agent: LS Jon Week
https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-free-agency-forecast-predictions-2025 “Receiver is ridiculously weak—though that’s been supplemented with some veteran releases, so it’s gotten better [this week],” says another AFC exec. “Tackle’s not very good, but guard’s O.K., center is O.K. And corner, safety and linebacker are all pretty good.” • San Francisco 49ers G Aaron Banks should benefit from the tagging of Chiefs G Trey Smith, and may be this year’s version of Robert Hunt, a solid interior lineman who cashes in big on the open market. Kansas City will likely take a look at him, with Stanley off the market, and the Minnesota Vikings could use help inside as well. • The San Francisco 49ers would like to keep Dre Greenlaw—but there’s some doubt they’ll be able to since he played well enough in limited action coming back from a torn Achilles to drum up a real market. Among the available linebackers, he has a pretty solid skill set, and is still just 27 years old coming off his second contract. He should land right around what Derrick Barnes got (three years, $25.5 million) in Detroit. • On a receiver market chock full of older vets (Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins), there could be a premium on faster weapons. It was reflected in Tutu Atwell getting a one-year, $10 million deal for 2025 from the Los Angeles Rams, which floored other teams, and could foreshadow the New York Giants’ Darius Slayton getting a deal in the eight-figure-per-year range. • Commanders receiver Dyami Brown is a name some teams are looking at as a potential guy to bet on the future with—he’s never had more than the 308 yards receiving he had during the 2024 regular season, but the flashes he’s shown over four years finally became more consistent in the playoffs. The 25-year-old had 14 catches for 229 yards and a touchdown in Washington’s three postseason games. • Indy’s Will Fries could be another guard that surprises, with Smith tagged, and contending teams such as the Vikings and Houston Texans potentially looking to upgrade on the interior. And while we’re there, teams really like the Atlanta Falcons’ Drew Dalman atop the center market. He could, perhaps, be the last piece of Ryan Poles’s offensive line makeover in Chicago. • Ravens OG Pat Mekari has struck a few folks I’ve talked to as someone being undervalued. He’s started 52 games over the past six years, and has logged hundreds of snaps at each of the five positions on the line, and played as a jumbo tight end as well. He’s only 27 years old. Baltimore letting him go now would be more of a “can’t pay everyone” dynamic than anything, particularly after the Ravens re-signed Stanley. So I figure someone can score here. • Along those lines, it’s always hard to find bargains with the big guys. But James Hudson III is one to keep an eye on—he started 17 games over the past four years in Cleveland, was developed as a fourth-round pick by Bill Callahan, and is still just 25 years old. So he won’t break the bank but might get a nice deal to go start somewhere. And maybe a bigger one than former first-round pick Jedrick Wills Jr., once the Browns’ left tackle and now a free agent with a knee issue that’s hurting his value.
