Mario Edwards Jr. has played his last down with the Houston Texans.
According to the league’s transaction wire, the Texans have released Edwards one year into his two-year contract with a failed physical designation. The veteran defensive tackle had been dealing with a torn pec muscle that cost him half of the season on the injured reserve.
Edwards had played in every game for the Texans last season before the injury, recording 13 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for losses and four quarterback hits. He was standout in the second half of the 2024 season for Houston, recording 31 tackles, three sacks, eight quarterback hits and three tackles for losses en route to a second division title.
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The move was rumored to be on the table, though there was also a potential thought that Houston would trade the defensive tackle ahead of the new league year. Instead, the Texans will save $4.41 million in cap space for 2026 while now potentially going back in the market to target another defensive tackle.
Houston did find a player to shore up the defensive line with the addition of Buccaneers defensive lineman Logan Hall on a two-year deal. The Texans also re-signed veteran Sheldon Rankins on a two-year deal worth over $12 million.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans release veteran DT Mario Edwards due to failed physical