Looking for someone to strengthen their defensive line in 2023, the Houston Texans signed Sheldon Rankins to a one-year deal worth $10.5 million.
A former New Orleans Saints and New York Jets starter, Rankins proved to be a steal for Houston. In his lone season in the Lone Star State, he recorded 37 tackles, six sacks, forced one fumble, and scored a defensive touchdown.
He then left in free agency, striking a two-year, $24.5 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same impact there, registering 18 tackles and one sack in seven games. He was sidelined for 10 games as he battled a hamstring injury early in the season and ended the year on injured reserve (IR) with an illness.
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Heading into the 2025 season, the Bengals decided to release Rankins, who will enter free agency for the third year in a row.
With Rankins gone, the Texans relied on Foley Fatukasi and Mario Edwards—both of whom are now free agents. They also brought in Denico Autry, who didn’t live up to expectations and has been named a potential cut candidate in Houston.
While they could attempt to re-sign their pending free agents, Houston might want to consider bringing Rankins back. Not only would he be an upgrade to their defensive line, but it would also allow them to move on from Autry with confidence.
This could also be a positive move for Rankins, who had one of the best seasons of his career while working in DeMeco Ryans’ system.