How Texans stand at defensive tackle before free agency, interest in Sheldon Rankins, update on Foley Fatukasi’s health

HOUSTON – DeMeco Ryans’ eyes take on a particular focus and intensity when it comes to analyzing the Texans’ roster needs at the line of scrimmage.

“That’s where it all starts for me,” the Texans’ third-year coach and former Pro Bowl linebacker said at the NFL scouting combine. “They are very important. They’re a good group of guys.”

And the Texans want to bolster both sides of the football in the trenches, definitely an offensive line in flux and coming off a rough season in pass protection, as well as a talented defensive line headlined by Pro Bowl defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.

As good as the Texans were up front, the reality is that veteran defensive tackles Foley Fatukasi and Mario Edwards Jr. are both headed to free agency, per league sources.

And Fatukasi’s market, as well as he performed as a run-stopping presence, is expected to be delayed by a shoulder injury that will require surgery and have him back in time for next season, per a league source. Edwards should have a healthy market after a good season as part of one of the NFL’s top defensive units as he recorded 31 tackles, three sacks and eight quarterback hits last season despite missing four games for an NFL suspension.

“We’re looking to improve the defensive line, for sure,” Ryans said. “Self-scouting, I think we can definitely improve the interior defensive line.”

One way the Texans can accomplish that goal is by bringing back veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.

The Texans are interested in Rankins and are expected to explore a potential scenario of a deal prior to free agency, per league sources. A former New Orleans Saints first-round draft pick from Louisville, Rankins played for the Texans two seasons ago under a one-year, $10.5 million contract.

The Texans negotiated with Rankins, 30, last year during free agency and made a substantial offer, but were ultimately outbid by a few million dollars by the Cincinnati Bengals as they reached a two-year, $26 million contract with the former Louisville standout.

Now, they’re potentially getting back into business with Rankins.

The Texans will need to create salary cap space by restructuring contracts even after the league and the NFL Players Association agreed to a salary cap of $279.2 million, a rise of $23.8 million on player spending for the 2025 fiscal year. The Texans have roughly $5 million in salary-cap space available.

A few of the prime candidates for potential restructured contracts include Hunter, who has a $23.7 million salary cap figure, Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins, who has an $18.4 million salary-cap figure, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who has an $11.5 million salary-cap figure and Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who has a $28.3 million salary cap figure. Hunter loves playing in Houston and is a possible extension candidate as he heads into the final year of a two-year, $51 million contract.

Rankins missed the final seven games of last season with a non-football illness and has made a full recovery, per sources. Rankins had 18 tackles and one sack in seven games played for Cincinnati. With the Texans, Rankins recorded a career-high six sacks in 15 starts as he finished with 37 tackles, eight for losses and 10 quarterback hits with one forced fumble. Rankins provided a strong locker room presence and was a mentor to younger players, including Anderson. Rankins has played in the NFL for nine seasons, recording 246 career tackles, 30 1/2 sacks, 44 tackles for losses and 69 quarterback hits.

“We’ll look to add more defensive linemen, free agency or draft,” Ryans said. “I don’t have one set answer on how we’ll do that. I went to the Senior Bowl. There’s a lot of talented guys.”

Texans general manager Nick Caserio expressed confidence in the team’s ability to create financial flexibility before free agency officially begins next week.

“I think we’re able to create a little bit, going back to last year,” Caserio said. “I think we’ll be able to put ourselves in position to add some players to the team as we go here n the next few weeks. We have a pretty good team. We have a number of players that are returning. We have some players that are going to be free agents. We’re probably going to lose some players, maybe a chance to re-sign some of those players and if we don’t re-sign some of those players then maybe there’s an opportunity out there that makes sense.

“We’ll just be opportunistic. We’ll try to find players that have a very defined role and then try to match up the fit with the contract value. And if it’s a match, great. If it’s not, then we’ll go to the next thing.”

The Texans have a corps of young players under rookie deals they’ll look to extend over this offseason and next year. That includes All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., whom the Texans plan to negotiate with this offseason on a deal that could make him the highest paid player at his position, per sources, nickel Jalen Pitre and, when they’re eligible after three seasons, star quarterback C.J. Stroud and Anderson.

“The good part about where we are is the core of our team, our young guys, is set,” Ryans said. “We have a lot of young guys who we feel really good about and are some of the best players at their position in the NFL. So, how do we continue to add guys to that mix.”

The Texans are the defending AFC South champions and are coming off another season where they lost in the AFC divisional round. The Texans are 0-6 in that stage of the postseason in franchise history and are the only team in the AFC that has never reached the AFC championship game.

“We’re excited for the offseason, we’re happy with where we finished off the season,” Ryans said. “It was a successful season. Our guys did an outstanding job of persevering. It didn’t end the way we wanted it to end, but you never lose sight of what it took to get to that point. Now, all of our focus this offseason is how do we get to that next step as a team. You don’t just start over next season and automatically end up there.

“For me, I start back over. That’s why we’re here at the combine. With the draft and free agency, we want to add as many great football players to our team as possible. That’s what will allow us to be a great team. It’s not always so much about the coach .You’ve got to have some dudes, playmakers who can go make plays. Players are the guys who win games.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.

“A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity” – Dubois on Playing with Ovechkin, Chasing the Cup in Washington