Financial moves Houston Texans’ can make before start of free agency

The Houston Texans could be aggressive entering free agency with less draft picks to work with entering the draft.

With the NFL free agency arriving in two weeks, the Houston Texans will be an interesting team to follow as they enter this offseason with Bill O’Brien as the general manager. Since O’Brien was hired as the head coach at the start of the 2014 season, the Texans have had Rick Smith and Brian Gaine as the general managers, but now the Texans’ current head coach will have a crack at running the show in the front office.

Texans will have their fair share of free agents that include headlines nose tackle D.J. Reader. Although there exists a universe where Reader could walk if the Texans decide to be conservative with their financial resources.

More from Toro Times

• Houston Texans: Can Sean Payton really be the next head coach?
• Houston Texans Draft: Michael Mayer should be a no doubter at pick 12
• Houston Texans already telling fans the Davis Mills era is over
• Houston Texans have hand forced, waste no time in firing Lovie Smith
• Houston Texans: Pros and Cons of keeping Head Coach Lovie Smith

Texans didn’t re-sign Kareem Jackson, Tyrann Mathieu, or Jadeveon Clowney to contract extensions. Even though Gaine was still the person in charge at this point last season, and fired a few months after the conclusion of the 2019 draft.

Houston will be walking a fine line in how they structure their deals with Deshaun Watson, Laremy Tunsil, and Zach Cunningham in line for contract extensions soon. Texans can make still make moves before extending their core players and create a little more wiggle room for financial flexibility.

Particularly in the offensive line, the Texans have solid starters in Tunsil, Max Scharping, Nick Martin, and Tytus Howard moving forward. Zach Fulton and Senio Kelemete could be expendable given how well the Texans have rebuilt their offensive line over the last year.

Both players were brought in Gaine’s first year as the general manager, and they could be gone with O’Brien now in charge for an entire offseason. Waiving Fulton and Kelemete would open north of $10 million for Houston.

Although they have done their part for the team, the Texans could allocate those resources to adding talent to another position if needed.

Whether if it’s for an existing free agent or a player they’re trying to land from another team, the Texans have to be willing to spend to improve their team.