Texans may have scored underrated free agent signing with DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo

The Houston Texans were active in free agency signing their own players and also dipping into the shallow end of the free agent pool to add veteran talent.

Even though the Texan didn’t make any big waves, they had a splash that may turn out to be a quality signing.

According to Ben Linsey from Pro Football Focus, the Texans found decent value in the signing of former Los Angeles Rams linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.

Okoronkwo is another high-efficiency, low-volume pass rusher getting an opportunity to show what he can do in an expanded role. Okoronkwo’s 314 defensive snaps in 2021 marked a career high, as did his 75.3 PFF pass-rushing grade. He’s a versatile edge defender who has graded well against both the run and pass whenever he has been on the field. The only issue is that we’ve only seen it in a part-time role.

Okoronkwo is expected to convert from outside linebacker to defensive end — much the same way Jordan Jenkins went from a stand-up edge rusher with the New York Jets to a down lineman in Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 scheme.

Okoronkwo saw the most snaps of his career in 2021 as he played 255 compared to 158 in 2020 and 115 in 2019. The 6-1, 253-pound edge rusher contributed with 15 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, 2.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles through 13 games.

The Texans lost Jacob Martin in free agency to the Jets. Adding Okoronkwo allows the Texans to have a veteran off the edge to be a part of a rotation to generate a pass rush.

Smith told reporters on March 2 at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Texans are a defensive lineman friendly system.

“If I’m a defensive lineman, I would like to come to a place like the Houston Texans,” Smith said. “We start up front. Again, it’s about, as I said, about the defensive line. We kind of read on the run, athletes getting up the field, making sacks and things like that. I think it’s a defensive line friendly system.”

Okoronkwo seems to agree as evidenced by his choice with Houston.