Few teams have overhauled their roster this offseason more than the Houston Texans. The team has signed 12 new players since free agency began last week as the club searches for their first winning season since 2019.
Here are five of their key additions so far — and what fans can expect in 2023.
WR Robert Woods
Woods inked a two-year, $15.25 million contract to join the Texans. The 30-year-old spent last season with the AFC South rival Tennessee Titans catching 53 passes for 527 yards and two touchdowns.
Pro Football Focus gave Woods an overall grade of 68.0 in 2022 — his lowest since 2015. Before his time in Tennessee, Woods played four seasons with the Buffalo Bills (2013-2016) and five with the Los Angeles Rams (2017-2021).
Despite a down year in 2022, Woods will be the number-one wide receiver option for Houston this season, as the team will be fielding an extremely inexperienced group of pass catchers unless more moves are in store.
With WR Brandin Cooks out of the picture, don’t be surprised if Houston adds a WR at the upcoming NFL draft.
S Jimmie Ward
Houston allowed 6.8 yards per completion in 2022 and are hoping to improve on that number by adding Jimmie Ward.
Ward started five games for the San Francisco 49ers last year. He recorded 50 tackles, three interceptions, two quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.
When targeted, the former first-round pick allowed 473 yards, three touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 73.2%. His 510 defensive snaps played were the lowest since his rookie season in 2014. However, the three interceptions were a career-high.
Ward’s contract is worth $13 million over two years, giving the Texans a stop gap in their secondary, but not committing them to anything long term.
DT Sheldon Rankins
The Texans added to the defensive line, signing seven-year NFL veteran Sheldon Rankins to a one-year $9.75 million deal.
Rankins had a career-high 43 tackles for the New York Jets in 2022. He contributed to one of the league’s best defenses with three sacks and seven quarterback hits. That being said, Houston will now be the third NFL stop for the 28-year-old.
Again, the term on his deal doesn’t tie the franchise to defensive lineman beyond 2023, making this season a “prove it” year for the Louisville alum.
Last season, the Texans finished middle of the pack with 39 sacks. They’re hoping Rankins can help grow that number.
TE Dalton Schultz
Schultz was the seventh most targeted tight end in the NFL last season. He finished with 57 catches for 577 yards and five touchdowns on 817 offensive snaps. Those numbers are solid if unspectacular, but could have been higher had Dak Prescott not battled injuries throughout the year.
Schultz played a big role in the two playoff games for the Cowboys, averaging 10.2 yards per reception and catching three touchdowns in postseason action.
The 26-year-old will earn $9 million in 2023 with the Texans — making him the 27th highest-paid tight end in the NFL. If rumours are to be believed, Schultz reportedly turned down a 3 year deal from another club, only to watch the TE market dry up in front of him.
With a strong tight end class coming through the draft, Schultz will hope to try his luck in free agency once again next season, and secure a final big money deal.
If Schultz can remain healthy, this could be one of the better free-agent signings in the entire NFL.
RB Devin Singletary
There’s no question that Dameon Pierce will be the starting running back for Houston in 2023. However, adding Singletary will help improve their run game which struggled for much of the season last year.
Singletary has over 800 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards each of the last two campaigns. His 51.7 yards per game rank 25th among active players.
Last season, Houston finished 31st in rushing yards (1,476) and rushing touchdowns (7). Singletary’s one-year $3.75 million deal is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Texans. If nothing else, it gives them a change of pace back, and a veteran presence on an extremely young team.
Other Signings
Other free-agent signings include:
- FB Andrew Beck – 2 years, $6.25 million
- QB Case Keenum – 2 years, $6.25 million
- DT Hassan Ridgeway – 1 year, $3.25 million
- RB Mike Boone – 2 years, $3.1 million
- WR Noah Brown – 1 year, $2.6 million
- CB Tavierre Thomas – 1 year, $2.25 million
- DE Chase Winovich – 1 year $2 million
In addition to the free agents, Houston holds the second overall pick in next month’s NFL Draft and are likely to secure a franchise QB with the selection.
-Hayden Remillard
Twitter: @HaydenTalks
Photo: Keith Allison. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.