HOUSTON – The backstory of how Sheldon Rankins joined the Texans on a one-year, $10.5 million contract was years in the making.
Rankins’ ultimate arrival in Houston was preceded by Texans coach DeMeco Ryans recruiting him previously with the San Francisco 49ers.
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And, this time, Ryans convinced the veteran defensive lineman to be a part of his first team with the Texans since being hired this winter. Now, Rankins is with the Texans as a disruptive interior force and anchor for the defensive line in Ryans’ trademark 4-3 scheme.
“Yeah, I actually did know he tried a couple times,” Rankins said. “I had kind of heard that from some people, so when we finally got the chance to make it happen this time, he kind of brought that up. I know people that know him personally that speak for his character, speak for his leadership.
“And then when I got my chance to talk to him and see what he’s trying to do here, see the things he’s trying to build, it was a no-brainer to come be a part of it. I want to do everything I can to help this team, to help this city get back to playing the brand and style of football that we all know and love.”
#Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins on why he signed with the team this offseason @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/r0uoSv7vd9
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 7, 2023
By adding Rankins via a $1.5 million base salary with a $7 million signing bonus and voidable years for salary cap purposes in 2023, 2025 and 2026 of $1.75 million annually, the Texans have added a proven presence as the former New Orleans Saints first-round draft pick from Louisville has been making plays and life difficult for blockers for seven seasons.
Rankins, 29, recorded 43 tackles, three sacks, seven quarterback hits and four tackles for losses last season for the New York Jets.
And Ryans couldn’t be happier with the Texans’ investment in Rankins.
“Yeah, what I’ve seen with Sheldon he’s been exactly the guy,” Ryans said. “Sheldon was a guy I tried to get a couple years ago, and he’s still the same guy. Explosive, leader, brings great energy to that group. Sheldon has been in this system for a while, so he does a really good job of leading and teaching our younger guys, teaching them the nuances of the technique and how it works for him. So, he’s been an excellent acquisition for us, and I’m very pleased with adding him to our team. He’s going to be a big-time help for us.”
Why now? Why the Texans?
Ultimately, the decision came down to scheme fit, a belief in Ryans and Rankins wanting to prove he’s still the same caliber of player he was with the Saints and in college. The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Georgia native is a former 12th overall pick who has 191 career tackles, 23 1/2 sacks, a large number for an interior defensive lineman, with four forced fumbles, one interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
“Yeah, it was the right situation for him at the right time,” Ryans said. “He’s excited to come here and play in Houston and he’s excited to be a leader for us in that room, and that’s what we want. Veteran guy coming in still have a lot to prove, still has a chip on his shoulder to show that he’s one of the best interior defensive linemen in this league, but he’s also unselfish enough to help the other men in that room to come along as quickly as possible.”
As a rookie, Rankins suffered a broken fibula in practice that required surgery. He wasn’t done for the season, though. Rankins came back in 2016 to play nine games and had 20 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble.
When he played every game two seasons later, Rankins had 40 tackles and eight sacks before tearing his Achilles in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles. His next two seasons were interrupted by injuries to his ankle and knee and he left as a free agent in 2021, signing a two-year, $17 million deal with the Jets.
Being with the Texans and Ryans, who calls the defensive plays while working in tandem with defensive coordinator Matt Burke, was an attractive scenario for Rankins. The 49ers, under Ryans’ leadership, had the top-ranked defense in the NFL last season. It’s a similar defense to what Jets coach Robert Saleh operates in New York, too, so familiarity was a large factor.
“Yeah, just the scheme, for sure, that I’ve been in the last few years, and what it’s capable of when done right, when it’s got the right people leading it and the players in the right positions to make it go, and then just to be a part of something special,” said Rankins, who’s represented by Matthew Pope. “I know a lot of people who know DeMeco personally and vouch for the type of person he is, the leader he is. So, to be able to come down here and be a part of something special, it was a no-brainer.”
To have Rankins in place next to Maliek Collins, another penetrating defensive tackle standout who signed a two-year, $23 million extension this offseason, gave the Texans a chance to bolster their defensive line and build in the trenches.
The Texans had the worst run defense last season in franchise history, surrendering 170.2 rushing yards per contest. Rankins could change that weakness into a strength.
Both Rankins and Collins, a former Dallas Cowboys fifth-round draft pick from Nebraska, have low centers of gravity and easily gain leverage and have a repertoire of pass rushing moves and are stout against the run.
“Built similarly, move similarly, rush similarly,” Rankins said. “So, we’ve always kind of watched each other from afar. It’s kind of one of the first things we said when I got down here, like, ‘Yo, I’ve been watching you for years,’ and bouncing ideas off each other. Getting well-acquainted with some nuances that kind of go into it and just kind of feeding off each other. The marriage of us two inside along with the rest of the guys, I think, can be special.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and Click2Houston.com.