INDIANAPOLIS --Negotiating on multiple fronts simultaneously, the Texans are engaged in conversations with several of their own free agents about new contracts.
While the Texans have $67.4 million in salary cap space available to spend, that doesn’t mean all or even half of their free agents are going to be back for the AFC South champions.
As much as the Texans have the financial flexibility to be a major player in the free agent marketplace, they’re intensely focused on trying to retain as many of their own top free agents. It’s an expensive balancing act for general manager Nick Caserio and the Texans.
“The focus right now is on our free agents,” Caserio said at the NFL scouting combine. “We’re working through the process with them. We have as many free agents as any team in the league, so we’ve had a lot of dialogue, constructive dialogue with a number of representatives and free agents.
The Texans’ top free agent is defensive end Jonathan Greenard.
Because rushers are such a premium position and Greenard has emerged as one of the top free agents, he’s expected to command anywhere between $17 million and $22 million annually, if not even a few million dollars above that high-end projection, on the open market.
The Texans and Greenard have a strong mutual interest in extending their working relationship now that his rookie contract has expired and the AFC South champions and their former third-round draft pick remain motivated, hopeful and actively exploring whether a financial compromise can be reached, according to league sources. That doesn’t mean that Greenard will necessarily remain with the Texans, but that possibility hasn’t been ruled out by either side. Ultimately, the decision will come down to whether a potential bidding war with other teams makes that possibility financially undesirable for the Texans despite their cache of salary cap space.
Should Greenard ultimately leave in free agency, which many around the league expect to happen because of what he could receive from other teams as a free agent, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Chase Young is among the possible replacement options that league sources were talking about at the NFL scouting combine as a good option for the Texans.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was noncommittal on whether a deal will happen with Greenard, but was enthusiastic about the former University of Florida and Louisville standout’s skills after a breakout season with 12 1/2 sacks and 15 tackles for losses.
“JG did a good job for us,” Ryans said. “He was very productive, his play was physical. He did the things we asked him to do. We’ll see where free agency plays out, but we love JG. We loved what he did for us this year.”
The Texans and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who recorded six sacks last season, have mutual interest, per sources, in working out a new deal with nothing imminent at this time. The Texans may keep their options open, though. The free agent class at defensive tackle is extremely deep with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones, Miami Dolphins’ Christian Wilkins, the Cincinnati Bengals’ D.J. Reader, a former Texans fifth-round draft pick from Clemson, and the Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Madubuike. Madubuike is likely to be franchise tagged if a new deal isn’t reached by Tuesday afternoon’s league deadline, which Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta indicated he would at the combine. Several sources around the league predicted that Jones won’t leave the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
The Texans definitely want to bring back running back Devin “Motor” Singletary and the interest is mutual, per sources. The Texans love his consistency, energy and how he reads the holes to maximize yardage.
“I remember sitting in a free-agent visit with Devin, and just, man, his personality, his demeanor, it was a guy I knew I wanted to work with right away,” Ryans said. “Devin is made of the right stuff. He’s a hard worker. He’s a leader. He shows up every day in practice with a great attitude, and the guys around him feed off of that.”
“Devin is a great guy. We’ll see what happens in free agency, but we’d love to have Devin back just because of what he brought to our team. He was definitely a bright spot for us in that running back room.”
The Texans are expected to explore scenarios where they sign more than one running back, per sources, perhaps rather than spend money on just one free agent runner like New York Giants star Saquon Barkley, who has made the AFC South champions his top potential destination and has been communicating with quarterback C.J. Stroud, per league sources.
That could involve signing Singletary along with another free agent, perhaps the Philadelphia Eagles’ D’Andre Swift or the Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Pollard, all depending on price, per sources. Having two viable running backs is an option the Texans strongly desire after former starter Dameon Pierce regressed in his second NFL season after being named a Pro Bowl alternate as a rookie two years ago.
The Texans and tight end Dalton Schultz want to keep working together and sources emphasized that at the combine as a scenario expected to unfold.
“Schultz will be back with the Texans,” a league source predicted.
The Texans haven’t used the franchise tag during Caserio’s tenure. If they did, Schultz would be a good candidate for the tag, which is just $11.3 million, if a deal can’t be reached by Tuesday’s deadline.
Schultz is a reliable downfield target for Stroud. He caught 59 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns on 88 targets last season after leaving the Dallas Cowboys to sign a one-year deal with the Texans.
“It has to be a part of your calculus, it’s really a fixed number,” Caserio said. “Anytime you assign a tag to a player, it’s essentially, you’re committed to that value. Now, it doesn’t mean you can’t work out a long-term contract extension with that player, but it’s sort of a fixed number. It’s almost a starting point in a negotiation.
“So, you have to figure out is that valuable, does that make sense, or let the player get to the open market, let the market dictate what the value is. Honestly, it’s a little cat-and-mouse game, so you just try to take the information in, have a general understanding of the market and try to make a good decision.”
Texans veteran corner Steven Nelson recorded a career-high five interceptions, including returning one 82 yards for a touchdown in the playoff win over the Browns. Nelson turned 31 in January and played through injuries last season to appear in every game. As a proven defensive back who has started for the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles Nelson is expected to have a good market. It’s unclear if the Texans and Nelson will agree on terms, but there is mutual interest in continuing their business relationship now that his contract has expired, per league sources.
“Steve had a great year, lot of respect for the way Steve handled himself and the way he played this year,” Caserio said. “Similar to a lot of other players we’ll work through the process there. There are a lot of good players who are out there in free agency, including some of our players we’re going to have somebody playing opposite Stingley so we’ll kind of work through it here in the next few weeks to see where we end up.”
The Texans are having discussions with linebacker and defensive signal caller Blake Cashman, their leading tackler last season, per sources, with no deal regarded as imminent.
Cashman, a former special teams standout acquired in a trade from the New York Jets, became the Texans’ leading tackler and was the defensive signal caller last season in a career breakthrough season. Cashman told KPRC 2 at the close of the season he wants to stay with the Texans, but emphasized that’s not up to him.
Cashman is expected to have a healthy market if he leaves the Texans and they may not be willing to spend enough to keep him from leaving. It’s not regarded as a lock at all that he’ll return and the Texans may explore a free agent market with an eye toward hard-hitting Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who’s interested in the Texans, per sources, after playing for Ryans with the 49ers.
“I think Cash’s role has kind of grown sort of incrementally each year,” Caserio said. “We traded for him with the idea that he would have an impact in the kicking game, which he has. I think when he’s had the opportunity to play in the defense, I mean he led us in tackles this year, which I’m sure nobody had in their bingo card. Cash has done a lot of great things for us. We’ll work through the process. If we have the opportunity to bring him back, I think he’ll have a good role on the team.”
The Texans are in active contract discussions with kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, who has led the NFL in field goal percentage over the past two seasons, per sources. There is optimism that a deal could ultimately happen, per sources.
Fairbairn, ideally, will be back under a new deal, but it won’t be inexpensive. His four-year, $17.65 million contract is expiring. The Texans definitely want Fairbairn back and are working on trying to get him extended, per league sources.
The five highest paid kickers are Justin Tucker (Baltimore Ravens, four years, $24 million, $6 million average), followed by Matt Gay (Indianapolis Colts, four years, $22.5 million, $5.62 million average), Jason Myers (Seattle Seahawks, five years, $21.1 million, $5.27 million average), Tyler Bass (four years, $20.4 million, $5.1 million average) and Chris Boswell (Pittsburgh Steelers, four years, $20 million, $5 million average). Fairbairn ranked ninth in the NFL last year with a $4.41 million average.
Punter Cameron Johnston, who set a record for the longest punt in franchise history, is a free agent the Texans would like to retain with his three-year, $8 million contract expiring, but they’re also evaluating several college punters at the combine, including Texas Tech standout Austin McNamara, and keeping their options open, as is Johnston. Barring a change, Johnston is likely heading to free agency. Among the NFL teams in need of a new punter: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Although the Texans have a lot of cap and cash at their disposal, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Caserio is planning a spending spree. The Texans plan to allocate some of their salary-cap space and financial commitments toward the future, including an expressed goal mutually shared to extend wide receiver Nico Collins.
“We have some flexibility relative to financial commitments that we might be able to make, but you don’t necessarily have to use all your money up in one year,” Caserio said. “You really look at your team in sort of two-year increments, so whatever you don’t do this year, that money is going to be used in future years.
“I’m sure I’ll get a question here very soon about Nico Collins. That’s coming. That could be a player that maybe he’s a par of the future. You’re focused on the short term, but part of our responsibility is to kind of think ahead a little bit and just try to make good sound decisions for the team and the organization. Every year is important. Every year is different.”
The Texans’ goal is to build a sustainable competitive football team that’s capable of winning championships.
Having Stroud under his current rookie deal does allow for some ability to be selective on big spending items while managing the salary cap.
“What do I think is going to happen?” Caserio said. “We’re all going to find out. Free agency, it’s what does the market tell you? And then any player, what are you willing to pay that player commensurate with their role? Every year markets change.
“I think sometimes what happens is I’d say with some of the tender numbers, you sort of get pigeonholed or benchmarked because once you establish a certain financial commitment level, it’s almost used as a starting point, so you’re either comfortable paying him that level or you’re not, and it’s all about resource allocation. Our job is to try to find good football players and add good players to our team.
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.
Photo: Logan Riely / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images