Clear Focus on Offensive Line This Offseason Opens Up Avenues for Improvement
The Texans are better and have paths for continued improvement
The top offseason priority for the Houston Texans was to continue to improve the offensive line.
They did just that.
The Texans saw improvement in blocking in 2025, but they still lacked it in some areas. The rushing attack had spurts of success, but inconsistency was prevalent. There was still work to do.
Like last year, change was necessary.
The changes started similarly to last year. Tytus Howard was shipped off in a trade to a team that wanted him and would pay him, a la Laremy Tunsil. The first day or so of free agency was slow and was led by a defensive addition in safety Reed Blankenship. Then the differences really started.
Braden Smith was added to the tackle room on a two-year deal worth up to $25 million. The long-time Indianapolis Colts right tackle was a monster in the run game. The investment was notable. His total contract was worth more than the entire 2025 free agency investment. Laken Tomlinson, Cam Robinson, and Trent Brown’s contracts totaled less than $20 million for one season. Smith was getting more and was signed for multiple years.
Evan Brown was signed for a small commitment, bringing a veteran presence to the interior. Brown had played center and guard, most recently left guard for the Arizona Cardinals, so he could help in multiple spots. If the Texans had stopped there, they’d have already surpassed last season’s approach on the offensive line. They weren’t done.
Wyatt Teller had been a mainstay in Cleveland for the Browns. The right guard let it be known he wouldn’t be back in Cleveland and had already bid farewell to the city. He was going to play somewhere new, and Houston was that spot. The Texans this week committed to two years of Teller with up to $23 million in his contract. Again, an investment surpassing last year’s.
