Houston Texans Depth Chart
- AFC South
- Stadium
- NRG Stadium
- Head Coach
- David Culley
- Offensive Coordinator
- Tim Kelly
- Defensive Coordinator
- Lovie Smith
- Special Teams Coach
- Frank Ross
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who shares the same agent as Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, said on the Huddle and Flow podcast that, "I highly doubt (Deshaun Watson) will suit up in a Texans uniform again. He's extremely serious." The Texans and Watson are in a standoff, with Houston saying they will not trade the 25-year-old signal-caller. But Watson remains steadfast in his trade demands and wants out of Houston. Eventually, something has to give. If this continues to play out, the Texans may have no choice but to find the best available offer for the star quarterback. Watson was still a top-five fantasy QB without All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins in 2020, so he should be drafted as an elite quarterback again in 2021. A trade out of Houston could make him even more attractive.
The Houston Texans released cornerbacks Mark Fields and Brandon Williams on Tuesday, per the league's transaction wire. Fields started the 2020 season with the Minnesota Vikings and played in two games before joining the Texans. He played in just two more games in Houston and had two total tackles. Williams appeared in six games and had just one tackle for the Giants in 2020 before signing with Houston in January. He appeared in 45 games for the Cardinals between 2016 and 2018. The moves will free up around $1.5 million in salary cap space for the Texans entering the 2021 season.
The Houston Texans and running back David Johnson agreed to a restructured deal on Tuesday, according to a source. Johnson's one-year deal will be worth up to $6 million with $4.25 million fully guaranteed at signing. His total cash is lower than his previous contract, but his full guarantee for the 2021 season more than doubles from $2.1 million. Johnson came to Houston as part of the blockbuster deal that sent All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals before last season. He had a career-high yards-per-carry average of 4.7 on 147 rushing attempts, scoring six touchdowns in 2020. The 29-year-old wasn't a game-changer for the Texans, though, and his injury history may give some fantasy managers pause. However, he could be a decent draft pick in 2021 with Duke Johnson now out of the picture.
The Houston Texans released quarterback Josh McCown on Monday, according to the NFL's transaction wire. The 41-year-old played in three games for the Eagles in 2019 and became the league's oldest practice-squad player after he served as an emergency quarterback at the start of last season. McCown was signed to the active roster in November, but he never saw the field. The Texans actually interviewed him for their vacant head-coaching position in January, so McCown could get into coaching once he retires as a player. The Texans also announced on Monday that they signed running backs Buddy Howell and Dontrell Hilliard and cornerback Cornell Armstrong to contract extensions.
The Houston Texans released center Nick Martin on Friday. Martin carried an $8.75 million salary cap hit for the 2021 season. With the release of Martin and running back Duke Johnson, the Texans are around the $20 million mark after the moves, with the salary cap projected near the stated floor of $180 million, per Over The Cap. Martin started 62 games over the last four seasons after he was selected in the second round of the 2016 draft and signed a three-year, $33 million deal in 2019, which included more than $18 million guaranteed. He was owed $7.25 million in 2021 and will have a dead-money charge of $2.5 million. The 27-year-old missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury.