Ex-starter Kelemete, Kalamabayi are cut
The Texans cut former starting offensive guard Senio Kelemete on Tuesday, a move that signals the franchise trending toward younger players with lower salaries.
Kelemete, 30, started five of 14 games played last season while playing under a $1.3 million base salary.
Originally signed to a threeyear, $12 million contract in 2018, Kelemete started 14 games that season and was limited to one game in 2019 because of a wrist injury.
He restructured his contract before last season. The deal included a nonguaranteed $1.3 million base salary, plus a $250,000 roster bonus and up to $200,000 in per-game active roster bonuses for a salary-cap figure of $1.97 million. The Texans gained a $1.525 million net savings against the salary cap by cutting Kelemete.
The projected starter at left guard is former second-round draft pick Max Scharping.
The Texans have roughly $4.753 million in available salarycap space under a projected salary cap of $182 milllion.
The Texans also cut backup inside linebacker Peter Kalamabayi, a special-teams contributor who wasn’t regarded as a scheme fit for their shift to a 4-3 defense.
The former sixth-round draft pick from Stanford was due a nonguaranteed $920,000 base salary in the final year of his rookie contract. The Texans save that money, minus $29,602 in dead money.
Kalambayi played 41 career games for the Texans and recorded 33 tackles. He played 132 snaps on defense and 784 snaps on special teams.
Executive, two scouts are let go by team
The Texans have dismissed assistant pro personnel director C.J. Leak along with area scout Ryan Cavanaugh and pro scout Steven Price, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.
Leak was hired by the Texans in 2018 by former general manager Brian Gaine.
The Texans, who hired a new general manager in Nick Caserio and a new coach in David Culley, were expected to have changes to their personnel department.
Leak is expected to draw interest from other teams, including possibly the Atlanta Falcons after working with new general manager Terry Fontenot previously with the New Orleans Saints.
Howell, two other players retained
The Texans are re-signing running back and special-teams standout Buddy Howell toa one-year contract with a maximum value of $1.8 million, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly.
The deal includes a $1 million base salary, a $200,000 signing bonus and up to $300,000 in per-game active roster bonuses for a base value of $1.5 million plus not likely to be earned incentives.
The Texans signed Howell to a one-year deal rather than assign him a $2.133 million restricted free agent tender.
The former undrafted free agent from Florida Atlantic rushed for 64 yards on 16 carries last season and caught one pass for three yards. In three seasons for the Texans, Howell has recorded 16 special-teams tackles. He also blocked a punt last season.
The Texans are re-signing cornerback and special-teams standout Cornell Armstrong to a one-year contract, according to his agent, Brett Tessler.
The Texans are also re-signing running back Dontrell Hilliard, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly.
Hilliard is signing a one-year, $1.25 million contract that will include a $920,000 base salary, $80,000 signing bonus and a total of $200,000 guaranteed. The Texans opted to sign Hilliard to a lower contract instead of tendering the restricted free agent for an original round tender of $2.133 million.
Hillard rushed for 19 yards on five carries and caught one pass for two yards last season. He was claimed off waivers in December from the Browns.