It's hard to argue that the Houston Texans had a more glaring weakness than they did at left guard.
Kenyon Green, who was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M, never developed into the player they hoped he would be. He was sent to the IR with a shoulder injury but never returned to the lineup once reactivated.
Tytus Howard moved from right tackle to take his spot but he struggled as well. That's why the Texans are expected to look for a permanent replacement this offseason. According to Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus, they might be able to find their answer in the AFC South.
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Cameron says Houston is the best landing spot for Indianapolis Colts guard Will Fries. The only real concern is that Fries went down with a broken leg in Week 5.
"The Texans won’t be flush with cap space to spend on free agents this offseason. Fries, however, would be a match for this team, following his positive showing before going down in Week 5 with a serious leg fracture." — Cameron, PFF
If Fries is healthy, there's no reason to avoid such a move. He was the fourth-best guard when he was playing this season, especially standing out as a run blocker. While his campaign was cut short, he had just one penalty in five games and showed significant progress from the player he was in 2023.
Such a move would open things up for Houston in the 2025 NFL Draft, since they wouldn't feel obligated to find a replacement for Green in the early rounds.