Texans News: 3 free agents available after not signing Timmy Jernigan

2. Marcell Dareus

The former first-round pick back in 2011, Marcell Dareus is capable of being a quality nose tackle for the Houston Texans in 2020 if he were to be signed via free agency. The 30-year-old has played the past three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, splitting the 2017 season with Jacksonville and the Buffalo Bills.

Now a free agent, Dareus is coming off a 2019 season where he played and started in six games, totaling one forced fumble, a half sack, eight solo tackles, one tackle for loss and one QB hit. In 2018, Dareus collected a safety, and for his entire career he’s collected 50 tackles for loss and 37.5 sacks.

In this potential free agent defensive tackle signing, again, it would be nice to have a player who has done some quality things in the league like Dareus to show the ropes to Ross Blacklock, and most likely Blacklock will eventually be the starter at the defensive tackle spot. Dareus would be another free agent who would be good for the Texans to sign to a one-year deal, and he’s still a veteran, but not an aging veteran as the 30-year-old still has some quality years remaining.

As head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien has said this offseason, he expects this year to lean more toward the veterans, so the Texans would be smart to at least take a look at the possibility of signing Dareus to the roster.