Houston Texans Depth Chart
- AFC South
- Stadium
- NRG Stadium
- Head Coach
- DeMeco Ryans
- Offensive Coordinator
- Bobby Slowik
- Defensive Coordinator
- Matt Burke
- Special Teams Coach
- Frank Ross
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
Veteran free-agent defensive end Mario Edwards (knee) visited with the Houston Texans on Monday, according to a league source. Edwards missed the last game of the year in 2023 while playing for the Seattle Seahawks, but he should be good to go this fall for the start of the 2024 season. The 30-year-old former second-round pick of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2015 out of Florida State had 21 tackles (15 solo), two sacks, five tackles for loss, six QB hits and a forced fumble in 15 games (one start) in his first season with Seattle last year. Edwards' best days are behind him, so he's not going to be on the fantasy radar in IDP leagues. In his nine years in the NFL, he has a total of 21.5 sacks, 156 tackles (110 solo), 28 tackles for loss, 52 QB hits, six passes defended and four forced fumbles in 114 games (33 starts).
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (leg) looks to be making great progress on his road to recovery. The 24-year-old is working his way back from a broken fibula, which sidelined him for the final few weeks of the regular season. Dell has reportedly been looking good while working out with his private coach. The second-year wideout is ahead of schedule and is expected to be ready to go at the beginning of OTA workouts. He was limited to 11 games last season but still finished with 47 receptions, 709 yards, and seven touchdowns. The expectation is that he's only going to get better as time goes on.
The Houston Texans agreed to terms with free-agent defensive tackle Tim Settle on Thursday on a two-year deal worth up to $7 million with incentives, according to sources. Settle will join an interesting Texans defensive line after spending the last two seasons with the Buffalo Bills. The 26-year-old spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Commanders after Washington took him in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft out of Virginia Tech. Settle should help make up for the loss of defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins while at least being a rotational player on the interior of Houston's defensive line in 2024. In his last two seasons with the Bills, Settle recorded 20 solo tackles, two sacks, five tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 32 games (four starts).
New Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon signed a three-year, $27 million contract extension with the team on Thursday that includes $13 million guaranteed, according to a source. The Cincinnati Bengals were set to cut Mixon for salary cap purposes earlier this week but ended up trading him to the Texans instead. Devin Singletary, Houston's primary back last year, signed with the Giants in free agency. The 27-year-old Mixon, a Pro Bowler in 2021, goes from one potent offense to another and will be the Texans' No. 1 back, giving him clear RB1 upside in fantasy. In 17 starts for Cincy in 2023, Mixon had the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career while scoring nine rushing touchdowns on 257 carries. He added 52 receptions (64 targets) for 376 yards and another three TDs.
Four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter is signing an two-year deal with the Houston Texans this week worth $49 million, including $48 million fully guaranteed, according to sources. It's a huge get for the upstart Texans, as Hunter has 87.5 career sacks in 119 games played (90 starts) in his eight seasons in the NFL, all with the Vikings after they took him in the third round in 2015 out of LSU. The 29-year-old pass-rusher has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons and in four of the last five years. He had a career-high 83 tackles (54 solo), a career-high 16.5 sacks, a league-high 23 tackles for loss, 22 QB hits and four forced fumbles in 17 starts for Minnesota in 2023. Hunter finished as a top-five defensive lineman in IDP fantasy leagues last year and will now join forces with Will Anderson Jr. to give Houston's pass rush an even bigger boost.