The Houston Texans took on some pretty bad contracts when head coach/general manager Bill O'Brien was in charge. Although they've managed to steadily get their salary cap in order, there's still work left to do.
Just this past offseason, the Texans either chose to let walk or released a handful of players that didn't add enough value last year. They must keep trimming down the cap and move on from these other two players next year.
No. 3 player the Houston Texans were right to let walk: O.J. Howard, TE
O.J. Howard was a highly coveted prospect coming out of Alabama. Not surprisingly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted him 19th overall in 2017. However, he hasn't been able yet to leave his mark in the NFL he's running out of time to do so.
Although injuries are to blame for Howard's lack of success in the pro, availability is a player's best ability and if you can stay on the field, you'll hardly make an impact. Throughout his career, he's never played a full season, which certainly had a negative impact on his development. Nevertheless, the Texans gave him a shot and gave him a one-year deal before the start of the 2022 season.
Howard ended up appearing in 13 games with 10 starts in 2022 and reinforced what every team he previously suited up for knew: He's not the playmaker he was in college and he's better suited for a reserve role at this stage of his career. Rightfully, Houston opted not to bring the Alabama native back for a second season and he's now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, having signed a one-year deal in free agency.
No. 2 player the Houston Texans were right to let walk: Phillip Dorsett, WR
Brandin Cooks notwithstanding, the Texans haven't gotten much production from their wide receiver corps in recent years, which is why they decided to give the group a makeover this offseason. Cooks is now with the Cowboys and Houston brought in Robert Woods to take his place. The team's brass also signed Noah Brown to ensure that whichever quarterback they choose in the upcoming draft has enough weapons at his disposal.
The Texans could take either Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Jordan Addison with their second first-round selection but whoever ends up being the pick will most like be an upgrade over Phillip Dorsett.
Just like O.J. Howard, Dorsett was a star at the college level but his success didn't carry over into the NFL. Still, Houston needed to make upgrades to their wide receiver unit in 2021, so they added him to their practice squad after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars before the start of the regular season.
A first-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2014, Dorsett was cut not long after signing with the Texans and promptly joined the Seattle Seahawks before returning to Houston late in the 2021 season. The top brass liked what he did and brought him back for 2022.
Dorsett went on to play 15 games with four starts and caught 20 passes for 257 yards with one touchdown last year. Granted, the Texans' quarterback situation was far from optional last season but Dorsett didn't precisely play at a Pro Bowl level, which is why general manager Nick Caserio let him walk in free agency.
Even though the Texans' wide receiver unit could still use a boost in the draft, parting ways with Dorsett and signing Noah Brown seems like the best course of action.
No. 1 player the Houston Texans were right to let walk: Justin Britt, OL
During his stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks, assistant Tom Cable had a big say on which the offensive linemen both teams acquired in the draft. And back in 2014, the Hawks chose Justin Britt in Round 2.
Britt was supposed to become a mainstay of Seattle's offensive line but instead became a liability. He was the Seahawks' starting right tackle in 2014 but struggled so badly that he moved to left guard the following season. Once again, he faltered, which led to another position switch in 2016, this time to center.
Because the third time is the charm and because Cable wasn't ready to give up on him, Britt had somewhat of a breakout year and made the Pro Bowl (as an alternate) in his first year playing center. He then signed a three-year extension worth $27 million in 2017 but struggled to stay healthy and failed to live up to expectations.
Having seen enough of Britt, Seattle released him before the start of the 2020 season and spent the year away from the gridiron. Then in 2021, the former Mizzou Tiger landed in Houston, where he spent two uneventful seasons.
All in all, Britt played 12 games for the Texans, having spent most of the 2022 season on the reserve/non-football illness list for personal reasons. The reason for Britt's absence was never disclosed but he had full support from the team, "When somebody's dealing with something personal, you leave it at that", then-head coach Lovie Smith told the media at the time.
After the 2022 season, the Texans released Britt, which created $3 million in cap space. They then used those saving to bring back Scott Quessenberry, who took Britt's spot in the starting lineup and fared relatively well.
No. 2 contract the Houston Texans are ready to see expire: Derek Rivers, DE
It's unrealistic to expect every player the Texans signed in free agency to become Pro Bowler. On the other hand, some of the acquisitions they made were a bit puzzling. It's true that the Texans needed to fortify their defensive front after ranking 32nd against the run last year. Having said that, the decision to bring back defensive end Derek Rivers on a one-year deal is rather puzzling.
You could argue that Rivers provides depth and could become a solid piece in Houston's pass-rush rotation. However, he missed all of the 2022 season with a torn bicep. Re-signing him might have made sense if he had been a steady contributor last season. But that's the thing, the 2017 third-round pick has failed to stay healthy throughout his career and has managed to appear in more than eight games in a season, just once, and that was back in 2020, when he played 13 games.
It's easy to say that bringing back Rivers is a low-risk move when you take into account that his contract is worth $1.06 million and only $40,000 is guaranteed. However, he could be taking a roster spot that could otherwise go to a rookie or an undrafted free agent.
As it is, expecting Rivers to stay healthy is a tall task and he'll have an uphill battle to make the Texans' 90-man roster. On the off chance he does make the cut, it's hard to see him having a big impact next season.
No. 1 contract the Houston Texans are ready to see expire: Christian Kirksey, LB
The Texans were in horrible shape in 2021 but they still managed to make several additions in free agency. The problem was that most of the players they signed were of the journeyman variety (Vernon Hargreaves) or simply past their prime (Mark Ingram II).
Then again, Houston had a few hits, such as defensive tackle Malik Collins and cornerback Desmond King II. Another player that stood out from the Texans' free agent class was linebacker Christian Kirksey, who's suited up for 30 games with 29 starts in the last two years.
A third-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2014, Kirksey joined the Green Bay Packers in 2020 and signed with the Texans the following year. To his credit, he's been serviceable in spite of all the coaching changes but his days in Houston could be close to an end.
For starters, head coach DeMeco Ryans inherited Kirksey, so he has no attachment to him. Although the former Iowa Hawkeye could make a positive impression in training camp, he might need to fend off a couple of newcomers, Denzel Perryman and Cory Littleton.
While it's true that Kirksey has been a key cog on the Texans' defense, the team's brass wouldn't have signed Perryman and Littleton if they didn't think they could contribute. Even though Perryman struggles in coverage and Littleton's forte isn't stopping the run, both might be better fits in Ryan's system than Kirksey.
If Houston decides they've seen enough of Kirksey, they could release him at any time before the start and free up $5.4 million in cap space with $1 million in dead money.