We are almost a week into the new league year in the National Football League. The free agency market has simmered down a bit, the Pro Days and site visits for draft prospects are underway, and everyone is ticked off at the Baltimore Ravens for conducting themselves in a sketchy manner in the Maxx Crosby situation.
The Houston Texans have not made any super splashy moves during the week, and that’s okay. Honestly, there weren’t many super splashy moves available for a team that doesn’t have a ton of glaring needs. The one bit of fireworks at the Texans primary position of need, offensive line, was the Raiders’ giving center Tyler Linderbaum an $81 million deal over three years. The Texans were never playing in that playground.
However, moves have been made. Here are my four favorites moves that the Texans have executed so far this offseason, and I’ll include the week leading up to free agency, since the team made a couple trades. Here we go:
4. Texans sign offensive tackle Braden Smith for two years, $20 million
The Texans needed to retool the offensive line, and do so with a higher caliber of veteran than they chose to last offseason. Smith fits that bill, while also weakening a division foe, as Smith spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Colts. The positives with Smith are (a) he can play both tackle and guard (and far less expensively than Tytus Howard), and (b) he definitely fits the SWARM mentality that DeMeco Ryans loves. The downside with Smith? Injuries. He’s missed 18 games over the last three seasons. Health will dictate the quality of this signing, but the thinking behind it, and the contract value, make sense.
3. Texans re-sign guard Ed Ingram for three years, $37.5 million
Bringing back familiar faces is a good thing, as long as they are high performers, and you could argue that Ingram was the Texans’ best offensive lineman last season. Certainly, Ingram was the best version of himself in 2025, as compared to the first three seasons of his career in Minnesota. Ingram was outstanding as a run blocker, something OC Nick Caley covets. The only downside here is the possibility that Ingram is a one year wonder in a contract year, but on the surface, I like this deal.
2. Texans trade a 2026 4th round pick, a 2027 7th round pick, and G Juice Scruggs to the Lions for RB David Montgomery
There were two areas that DeMeco Ryans specifically said the team needed to address this offseason — offensive line and running back. That seemed to be an indicator that the team would be moving on from Joe Mixon, which they did. The solution, for 2026 at least, will be Montgomery as the team’s lead back. Montgomery’s carries have reduced each of the last two seasons in Detroit, but that has more to do with the team leaning more on Jahmyr Gibbs, not some glitch with Montgomery. Montgomery’s running style is physical and downhill, which is precisely what Caley is looking for. Montgomery’S presence should also free up Woody Marks to be more of a specialty back, which should mean more activity in the passing game.
1. Texans sign safety Reed Blankenship for three years, $24.75 million
This was the Texans’ first semi-splashy move, and it came at a somewhat unexpected position. There may be no better secondary in the sport than the Texans’ group on the back end of the defense, so most folks didn’t have “safety” listed as a primary need. However, if there is an Achilles heel on this defense, in 2025 it was safety. The position was a revolving door, thanks to the release of C.J. Gardner-Johnson after three games, and a slew of injuries to M.J. Stewart, Jimmie Ward (plus legal issues), and Jaylen Reed. Blankenship is a solidifying force, a team captain in Philly, and a fantastic fit for Ryans’ style of defense.
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