Starting guard sent packing in latest moves
Days after trading for offensive tackle Marcus Cannon and signing guard Justin McCray, the Texans continue to overhaul their offensive line.
They released veteran Zach Fulton on Wednesday, cutting their starting right guard who carried a $3.75 million salary-cap figure and creating a net $2.34 million in salary-cap space with $750,000 in dead money.
Fulton was due a $2 million nonguaranteed base salary along with a $1 million roster bonus March 22 that the team has now avoided having to pay.
Fulton started every game last season for the Texans and was the 42ndranked guard, according to Pro Football Focus grades, with a 63.0 overall blocking grade, 11 sacks allowed, 27 hurries and 39 pressures.
Originally signed to a four-year, $27.92 million contract in 2018 that included $13 million guaranteed, Fulton restructured his contract last summer. The former Kansas City Chief started 44 games over the past three seasons.
Since the season ended, the Texans cut starting center Nick Martin and replaced him with Justin Britt on a one-year, $5 million deal and added McCray on a two-year, $4 million deal.
General manager Nick Caserio has prioritized upgrading the special-teams units during free agency. The Texans are signing Cleveland Browns cornerback and special-teams ace Tavierre Thomas to a twoyear, $4 million contract, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly.
A former Division II AllAmerican from Ferris State who went undrafted, Thomas (5-10, 205 pounds) has recorded 47 career tackles in three NFL seasons. He had 30 tackles, including two for losses, last season. He returned 10 kickoffs for 204 yards in 2019 and blocked a field goal.
The Texans also are signing former Browns linebacker Tae Davis to a oneyear contract, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly. Davis, 24, has recorded 52 career tackles and two sacks. He has five quarterback hits.
At 6-1, 224 pounds, Davis is an athletic fit for new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s 4-3 scheme and a core special-teams contributor. A former undrafted free agent from TennesseeChattanooga, Davis played safety for his first three years of college before shifting to outside linebacker.
Meanwhile, the Texans are retaining veteran tight end Pharaoh Brown on a one-year, $2.2 million contract, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly. The contract includes playing time incentive clauses that could earn him more than the $2.183 million restricted free-agent original-round tender.
A former Raiders undrafted free agent from Oregon, Brown delivered a strong season as a combo tight end. At 6-6, 258 pounds, he has excellent size and performed well as a blocker, showed sound hands as a receiver and has an ability to break tackles after the catch.
In 13 games with nine starts, Brown caught 14 passes on 16 targets for 163 yards and two touchdowns in 2020. He overcame a serious college injury that nearly cost him his leg and is coming off the best year of his career.
“You can ask him to do different things, whether it’s align him away from the formation, align him as a fullback, align him as a tight end in-line, align him as an off-the-ball tight end,” Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly said during the season. “He finds ways to make it work and to excel at it. I’m very pleased with Pharaoh. He does a really good job in both the run game and pass game. He’s just a good football player.”