Key role player on the Texans' offense expected to re-sign after testing the free agent market
The Houston Texans were once again a hot team out of the gate during the first day of the free agency frenzy once the legal tampering period started, which continues to be a trend under general manager Nick Caserio. The Texans brought in a number of free agent acquisitions on short-term contracts which is another […]
The Houston Texans were once again a hot team out of the gate during the first day of the free agency frenzy once the legal tampering period started, which continues to be a trend under general manager Nick Caserio.
The Texans brought in a number of free agent acquisitions on short-term contracts which is another norm under the Caserio regime. Houston's best move of the day however was a player the front office brought back as opposed to bringing in.
According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the Texans are expected to re-sign wide receiver Noah Brown after letting him test the open market.
Brown played a critical role for the Texans' offense during the 2023 season and turned into a legitimate big play target for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud until his season was cut short after undergoing shoulder labrum surgery.
Brown missed a total of eight games during the 2023 season including the Texans' Divisional Round loss against the Baltimore Ravens. He's expected to make a full recovery from the injury and be back next season. When he did play, Brown was able to take the top off opposing defenses and be a threat down the field.
He finished the season with 33 receptions for a career-high 567 yards and two touchdowns. Brown averaged the fourth-most yards per reception (17.2) among players with 25+ receptions in 2023, trailing only Amari Cooper, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Pickens.
The majority of his targets came on passes 10+ yards down field and his deep playmaking ability was a perfect complement to Nico Collins and Tank Dell in the passing game. When all three were healthy, the Texans' passing attack was truly at its best and it's shaping out to be that way once again in 2024.
The Texans' front office let Brown hit the open market before re-signing him to let him feel out the rest of the market and speak to any teams who were interested. Based on the first wave of free agency, Brown made the correct call. The wide receiver market was the worst among all positions on Day 1 of free agency, mainly due to the impressive incoming batch of wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Brown's return to Houston will be a major boost for Stroud, who otherwise didn't receive a lot of notable help in terms of additions made on the first day of free agency. We'll see if that changes going into Tuesday.
Houston Texans make two very underrated defensive moves during legal tampering period
The Texans made some sneaky moves.
