NEWSLETTER
It’s been a rough few years for the Texans. They made the NFL playoffs in 2019 and have since gone 4-12, 4-13, and 3-13-1. The team has gone through a coach each season and recently hired DeMeco Ryans as its head coach. It will be a big 2023 offseason as the team tries to right the ship. Here’s what you need to know about the Houston Texans free agency situation for 2023.
Houston Texans 2023 NFL Free Agents Overview
Quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Jeff Driskel see their contracts expire after seeing 9 games of action between them. The team is likely to look for a quarterback even though Davis Mills started 14 games in his second season as a pro. The team could upgrade the QB position with the number two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Number two receiver Chris Moore is a free agent after having 548 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2022 while tight ends OJ Howard and Jordan Akins hit the market. Rumors have been swirling saying the Texans should consider wide receiver Jakobi Meyers from the New England Patriots to boost the offense.
Defensive lineman Ogbonnia Okoronkwo will hit free agency after 44 tackles and 5 sacks last year. In the secondary, the team loses Tremon Smith who had 22 tackles, four pass deflections, and two interceptions. He also had three forced fumbles during the 2022 season.
Unrestricted Texans Free Agents
To be an unrestricted free agent, there are a couple of qualifications. An NFL player must have four or more years of experience and their contract has to have expired or been voided. They can negotiate with any team without any restrictions or draft-choice compensation. Here’s a list of impending free agents for the Texans who are unrestricted this offseason.
Quarterbacks
Kyle Allen – QB
Jeff Driskel – QB
Running Backs
Rex Burkhead – RB
Royce Freeman – RB
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Jordan Akins – TE
Phillip Dorsett – WR
O.J. Howard – TE
Chris Moore – WR
Centers, Guards, and Tackles
Justin McCray – G
Scott Quessenberry – C
Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, and Edge Rushers
Rasheem Green – DE
Taylor Stallworth – DT
Linebackers
Blake Cashman – LB
Kevin Pierre-Louis – OLB
Neville Hewitt – ILB
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo – OLB
Derek Rivers – OLB
Cornerbacks and Safeties
Jonathan Owens – S
M.J. Stewart – SS
Tremon Smith – CB
Tavierre Thomas – CB
Special Teams
None.
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted free agent is a player who has played for three or fewer accrued seasons and has an expiring contract. The team can assign a tender to the player, which allows them to match any offer the player receives from other teams. The team receives draft compensation if the player signs elsewhere.
2023 NFL restricted free agents for the Texans:
None.
Salary Cap and Roster
General manager Nick Caserio has his work cut out for him during the Texans offseason. Luckily, the GM will have plenty of salary cap space to do so according to projections for Spotrac. The NFL salary cap is $224.8 million for the 2023 season.
Laremy Tunsil and Brandin Cooks represent Houston’s biggest cap hits at $35.2 million and $26.5 million. The rest of the roster is considerably cheap. This means the Texans could target key players set to hit free agency. The franchise has the money to make some moves and hopefully turn it around.
Texans Free Agency 2023 FAQs
NFL free agency will commence on March 15, 2023. It begins at 4 p.m. eastern time. The date signifies the start of the new league year and the end of all player contracts. Many players are set to hit the market and gain free agency status.
An unrestricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired, and they have no ties to their former team. Starting on March 15, they are free to negotiate with any team in the league without restrictions.
A restricted free agent can be extended what is called a qualifying offer. If offered, they are still allowed to negotiate with other teams around the league. Their current team is allowed to match any offer.
There is a “legal tampering” period that begins on March 13. Teams can talk to certified agents but no signings can be made until free agency is official.
