The Houston Texans begin their Organized Team Activities this week, and they’ll run for the next couple weeks. Mandatory minicamp comes the week after that, and then comes the summer vacation preceding training camp. In short, we are in a part of the calendar in which the only thing really causing roster moves will likely be injuries.
The Texans are going to spend the next couple weeks assessing what they have on this roster, carefully mixing the rookies in with the veterans to begin to define roles and see who actually makes the 53-man roster come late August.
This gives us the opportunity to sit back, and look at the moves that GM Nick Caserio has executed, across all methods of roster building — free agency, re-signing their own free agents, and of course, the NFL Draft. As many of you know, I like to power rank things, so here are the 10 best moves made by Caserio with a quick hit, single sentence thumbnail for each move:
10. Signing defensive lineman Logan Hall to a two-year, $13 million deal
This is an underrated signing as Hall can provide position versatility (tackle or end) and can rush the passer.
9. Re-signing guard Ed Ingram to a three-year, $37.5 million deal
Ingram made a big impression after being acquired in a trade for a sixth round pick in 2025, and the Texans like continuity in their offensive line.
8. Signing guard Wyatt Teller to a two-year, $16 million deal
Ingram will handle the right side, and Teller is the favorite to man the left guard spot. He and his family have been exceedingly excited (on social media) about the opportunity here in Houston.
7. Re-signing tackle Trent Brown to a one-year, $7 million deal
Brown probably begins the season as a backup on the depth chart, but the fact of the matter is that the Texans didn’t lose a game that Brown started last season. The nine-game winning streak began with Brown’s insertion into the starting lineup.
6. Re-signing defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to a two-year, $17 million deal
Rankins second chapter in Houston was even more dazzling than the first one (which earned him a nice deal with the Bengals two years ago). This is a sneaky good re-sign by Caserio.
5. Trading up to draft guard/center Keylan Rutledge
4. Trading up to draft defensive tackle Kayden McDonald
I’ll group the two rookies together. The Texans moved up slightly to get in position to get each of these guys, and the expectation is that they will be tone setters in the trenches for the next several seasons.
3. Swapping out Tytus Howard for Braden Smith at right tackle
Howard was fine as the team’s right tackle, but Smith is a downright nasty human being who has a reputation around the league for being a sixty minute fighter on Sundays. Howard doesn’t really have that rep.
2. Trading for running back David Montgomery
The Texans could not go into 2026 with Woody Marks as their starting running back again. He’s just not equipped to do it for 17 games. Montgomery, on the other hand, never met a broken tackle opportunity that he didn’t relish.
- Signing safety Reed Blankenship to a three year, $24 million deal
Most of the moves for the Texans came on the offensive side of the ball, but I couldn’t be more excited about an elite defense getting a starting caliber player at their only position of weakness. A scary defense got scarier with this signing.
