March 7, 2026, 9:12 a.m. CT
For the Houston Texans, everything this offseason starts and ends with fixing their offensive line.
After the trade of Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns, only one starter is promised a spot in the five-man front for next season. Rookie left tackle Aireontae Ersery should be slotted in on the blindside, barring a change of positions this offseason, while right tackle Trent Brown should be a placeholder for the long-term fix via the NFL draft.
The Texans certainly hope to see improvements via the NFL draft, but they can rely only on young players hitting. Even if Houston were to use all four picks in the first three rounds on premium lineman prospects, the AFC South two-time champs are in win-now mode, meaning they should dip into a rich free agency pool and continue adding experience in hopes of protecting Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud, who already is under pressure.
With just under $40 million in cap space, Houston should be meticulous about who it targets via free agency. Right now, all signs point to fixing the interior of the trenches first, so here are some veteran options available that should be in play for Houston once the legal tampering period starts next week.
Despite being a bit injury-prone, Seumalo has been one of the league’s better guards over the past five seasons between stops in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. He’s already won a Super Bowl and likely would just want a one-year prove-it deal to cash in next offseason with a healthy campaign.
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At 32, Seumalo is the ideal option for general manager Nick Caserio to target. He would come in and immediately start, thus giving a draft pick time to be developed before taking over. Should the Texans play their cards right, a two-year deal with a heavy payout early could be within reach.
Pricing will be the make-or-break incentive for Houston. Again, when on the field, Seumalo is one of the league’s more consistent interior linemen, so the annual salary per year might push Houston out of range to keep him around for the future.
Much like Seumalo, Vera-Tucker is an interesting option. When on the field, he’s a multi-purpose linemen with the flexibility and chops to play both guard positions and right tackle, similar to Howard. There’s just one problem: he’s always hurt.
Over his five-year career with New York, Vera-Tucker has played in just 43 games and missed the entire 2025 season with a torn triceps. He also suffered an Achilles’ tear in 2023, thus limiting him to five games. But while one will look at the ailment as a negative, perhaps the Texans view it as a strength when negotiating a proper asking price on the market headed into free agency.Â
With two openings at guard, Vera-Tucker should be a name at the top of the Texans’ list to at least inquire about next week. Because of those injuries, his market value won’t be as expensive as that of other linemen, but the upside could make him a steal. He is high risk, high-reward player with a chance to hit rest in Houston if the two sides can agree on a contract.
Back in 2022, the Texans could have selected Johnson with their second first-round pick, but instead took Texas A&M’s Kenyon Green. Two picks later, Johnson landed with the Bolts and made enough of his time out west to command a market.
After a few shaky years to start, Johnson finally lived up to his potential in a contract year, allowing the fewest amount of pressures and sacks on a weak Chargers’ offensive line. At times, he was the only player who provided a shred of protection for quarterback Justin Herbert en route to an early postseason loss.
The risk with Johnson is that his success was on a one-year sample. He could immediately turn back into 2023 form once signed to a big deal, thus costing the Texans money and production. Still, Johnson’s growth, maturity and experience make one think there’s still time for his career to continue blossoming. Best of all? He’s proven durable, having missed only two games in his four-year career.
If the asking price is there, this should be Houston’s top target at guard.
Houston’s been linked to Teller for several weeks now following his announcement to leave Cleveland after seven seasons. Whenever fans see a two-time All-Pro lineman interested in their franchise, excitement levels rise to new heights. Of course, context also has to matter.
While Teller wanted to move on from the Browns, it’s clear the AFC North franchise that’s picking top 10 wasn’t up in arms about his decision to call it quits. His production dropped last season, having played on one of the worst offensive lines in the league while spending time between the bench and the starting lineup. At 31, his All-Pro days are in the past, but does that mean he’s not a qualified starter?
For a cheaper one-year deal, Teller could be a nice find to serve as a stopgap on the offensive line before a rookie starts in 2027. It has to be on the team-friendly side, but there’s no reason to think Teller would be a downgrade over some plays fans witnessed during the 2025 season.
Since the start of the offseason, Mays has been the top name to watch for Houston around the free agent pool. A two-year starter, Mays was exceptional in pass protection, helping former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young go from being a bench option to playff bound starter.
For years, Mays served as the primary backup interior lineman, but was often called on to start after injuries and performed well in relief. He’s started 27 games for the Panthers across four seasons and improved in both pass protection and run blocking each season since being a Day 3 pick out of Tennessee.
The problem for Houston here is the market price. Even though Mays was a part-time starter, teams view him as a full-time option entering 2026. That means the going rate is only going to expand, especially since both Baltimore Ravens All-Pro Tyler Linderbaum and Buffalo Bills center Connor McGovern are expected to command at least $13-plus million.
According to Spotrac, Mays’ market value is over $12 million. That could be out of the Texans’ price range. Still, given his position flexibility and chance to play across the line, it could be worth the price.