Takeaways from Houston Texans revising Senio Kelemete’s deal
By Jair Lopez
The Houston Texans are reportedly reworking Senio Kelemete’s deal heading into the start of training camp.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Texans will be extending offensive lineman, Senio Kelemete. The Texans brought in Kelemete along with Zach Fulton in 2018 to reinforce the interior of the offensive line, but injuries have kept Kelemete from contributing to the offense.
Houston reworked Fulton’s deal earlier in the offseason to lower his cap hit for this season, and it the same could be applied to Kelemete. Kelemete hasn’t seen the same success that Fulton has had as a starter on the offensive line, but it appears the Texans are confident that he can turn it around.
Kelemete dealt with a wrist injury last season that sidelined him for the majority of the season after playing the opener against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1. Rookie second-rounder Max Scharping stepped in and had an impressive season for his first year in the NFL after being a second round pick.
Scharping should be the favorite to start at left guard for the Houston Texans this upcoming season, but Kelemete could be in the thick of things if he stays healthy.
Two attributes the Texans coaching staff likes about Kelemete is his versatility and knowledge of the offensive line. A veteran player like Kelemete could come in handy to mentor the younger players and play multiple positions across the offensive line as a reserve.
Texans and veteran guard Senio Kelemete are set to finalize a one-year contract extension, which would have him under contract through the 2021 season, according to sources
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 27, 2020
Reworking Kelemete’s deal speaks a lot of how the Texans view him as still an important part of their offensive line. Kelemete’s deal was only three years when he signed with the Texans, and the last year of his contract was almost entirely non guaranteed. However, the Texans have stuck by him and even elected to keep over their 2018 third-rounder, Martinas Rankin.
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This deal is a win for both sides as the Houston Texans could guarantee more of Kelemete’s salary for the 2020 season, lower the cap, and also give the offensive lineman job security for another season.