The Houston Texans cleared some salary cap space but what does that mean for the team?

The Houston Texans now have $32 million in cap space this season. They reworked the deals for guard Shaq Mason and tackle Tytus Howard, and created about $16.7 million in space, which added onto the roughly $15+ million that has now given them the aforementioned figure of $32 million. According to Over The Cap, the exact figure is $31,908,401.

This move puts them fourth in overall cap space, with only the Tennessee Titans (#3), Washington Commanders (#2), and the New England Patriots (#1) ahead of them in total cap space. The Patriots top the list with $46 million to spend.

Considering all three of those teams are rebuilding, it's not likely they'd want to scour free agency for any players that the Texans may also want, The Texans are in a place where they could have an opportunity to score big this offseason. While the best talents are off the board, there are many big names that are still available.

Names like Xavion Howard, Stephon Gilmore and Odell Beckham (to name a few) are still available and could help the Texans (though not so much Beckham). A guy like Justin Simmons could once again be in play, who, unlike Beckham, is a player the Texans actually need and can now afford.

The team could take chances on Mekhi Becton or Dalton Risner to improve the offensive line, or they could decide that neither Case Keenum nor Davis Mills is the backup they need, and go after Ryan Tannehill instead.

Maybe a signing isn't even the real option, maybe they have their eyes set on a wide receiver. We've heard rumblings all offseason about how Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Brandon Aiyuk, or Deebo Samuels could be on the move. The Texans now have the cap space needed to land one of those wide receivers, even if that's not the most pressing need.

Regardless of who they end up signing or trading for; if anyone, the team is only going to give them a short-term contract, so saving that money to later sign C.J. Stroud or Will Anderson to extensions doesn't make much sense.

Spend that money now, worry about extensions when it's time to do just that.