The Houston Texans are keeping one of their own.
After adding Sheldon Rankins and Braxton Berrios to kick off the day, they came to terms with an in-house free agent, Derek Barnett. According to reports, it’s a one-year deal worth $5 million.
The 14th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Tennessee, Barnett never lived up to his draft status with the Philadelphia Eagles. He still showed enough promise that they kept him for six and a half seasons before moving on.
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Barnett was waived in November, 2023 and picked up by the Texans. In six games, he had 2.5 sacks and was re-signed for the 2024 campaign.
Playing a reserve role behind Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter proved to be a perfect fit for him as he had 26 tackles, 5.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble returns for touchdowns.
Houston Texans defensive line already loaded
Keeping Barnett while bringing back Sheldon Rankins gives the Texans a stacked defensive line. This was a strength for them in 2024 and should remain the case this year.
Their lone need on the line is for a nose tackle but they could re-sign Foley Fatukasi. He was an effective run stopper in 2024 with his only concern being injuries.
Houston could bring him back on an affordable deal while supplementing the position with a rookie — potentially a Day 3 selection.
Their offensive line needs to be addressed still, but the D-line is loaded with talent.