Value of Things: Evaluating the Texans Defensive Line

Are there any holes on the Texans defensive line?

As we come back to our analysis of the Houston Texans position groups, I remind everyone of the overall objective here. Our first priority is to get a handle of who we have. When you do that, it becomes pretty clear what the team will need moving forward. From there, then you can start to evaluate possible free agent targets versus draft prospects.

To make matters more complicated, most of these players are at the end of their contract. So, a part of the calculation will be where they set their own price. Some guys were good guys to have on their current price but might be too costly at the price they want. So, we will look at contract status, total snaps, PFF Run and Pass rush grades, tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss. In terms of PFF, anything above 60 is considered good. Obviously, anything lower than 60 is shaky to bad.

Maliek Collins

Contract: Signed through 2024
Snaps: 780
PFF Run: 44.5
PFF Pass Rush: 68.4
Tackles: 41
Sacks: 5.0
TFL: 8

It is hard to crack on Collins too much, but you will notice something about the defensive line and that is a struggle against the run. Collins isn’t breaking the bank and he is a good pass rushing defensive tackle, so his presence isn’t a huge problem. If he could paired with a run stuffing tackle then it might actually work well.

Jonathan Greenard

Contract: Free Agent
Snaps: 697
PFF Run: 69.7
PFF Pass Rush: 72.9
Tackles: 52
Sacks: 12.5
TFL: 15

It all comes down to price. Greenard picked the right time to have his first healthy season as a Texan. So, do you pay him over $20 million a season when he hasn’t been healthy until this season? Do you allow him to break the bank somewhere else? It’s a hard question for Nick Caserio because if you let him go then you have a gaping hole at one of the defensive end positions.

Will Anderson

Contract: Signed through 2027
Snaps: 695
PFF Run: 77.4
PFF Pass Rush: 76.6
Tackles: 45
Sacks: 7.0
TFL: 10

If you look at the PFF grades you can see that Anderson is a different type of player and one you can build a defense around. With the fifth year option he has four more seasons before he has to get paid. So, you can take advantage of the reasonable deal and hopefully pair him with another dominant defensive lineman through free agency or the draft.

Sheldon Rankins

Contract: Free Agent
Snaps: 673
PFF Run: 34.1
PFF Pass Rush: 74.7
Tackles: 37
Sacks: 6.0
TFL: 9

Like Collins, there is nothing inherently wrong with Rankins. He is a nice pass rushing tackle and he made some plays this past season. Still, he struggles against the run. That meant that DeMeco had to cheat in order to stop the run. That is why the team sometimes got gashed against the pass. If you had a run stuffing tackle it would enable those linebackers and safeties to be more honest against the pass.

Kurt Hinish

Contract: Signed through 2025
Snaps: 542
PFF Run: 47.5
PFF Pass Rush: 55.5
Tackles: 22
Sacks: 0.5
TFL: 2

He was an undrafted free agent, so the expectations have to be limited. There is a difference between playing a lot of plays and playing them well. It can be tricky saying someone that plays a lot and assuming it means they are being successful. He shouldn’t be getting this many snaps, but he is a good guy to keep around.

Khalil Davis

Contracts: Free Agent
Snaps: 481
PFF Run: 60.7
PFF Pass Rush: 63.7
Tackles: 32
Sacks: 2.0
TFL: 6

Can part-time players become full time players? If you took these numbers and projected them over 700 snaps then you would have yourself a damn good defensive tackle. Of course, that rarely ever happens as players often get exposed when they get more playing time. He can easily come back and be a productive tackle, but maybe he can be an affordable option with increased playing time.

Jerry Hughes

Contract: Free Agent
Snaps: 474
PFF Run: 58.5
PFF Pass Rush: 67.2
Tackles: 32
Sacks: 3.0
TFL: 4

As a Horned Frog I have some very fond memories of Hughes. He was a good signing that provided good veteran leadership for a reasonable price. At 35 it is time for him to move onto into the next phase of his life. He won’t be going to Canton, but he was a really good football player for a long time. It’s time to find a new guy.

Derek Barnett

Contract: Free Agent
Snaps: 415
PFF Run: 74.3
PFF Pass Rush: 73.9
Tackles: 22
Sacks: 2.5
TFL: 9

Barnett was a great midseason pickup. If he will sign for a reasonable amount I’d love to have him back. He is a perfect third defensive end that can spell the starters on any down. Others might be pass rush specialists, but he is capable of playing an entire game if need be. He won’t dominate, but he will put up some quiet good numbers.

Teair Tart

Contract: Free Agent
Snaps: 378
PFF Run: 49.0
PFF Pass Rush: 65.2
Tackles: 24
Sacks: 1.0
TFL: 8

Tart was picked up late in the season when the Titans cut him late in the season. I suppose everyone has a good price point and he is no different. However, just looking at the numbers there isn’t much to write home about. This team has plenty of defensive tackles that can’t defend against the run.

Dylan Horton

Contract: Signed through 2026
Snaps: 175
PFF Run: 51.8
PFF Pass Rush: 50.7
Tackles: 13
Sacks: 0.0
TFL: 1

Horton lost most of the season due to an undisclosed health condition. So, it is hard to say what he could have done if healthy for the whole season. Year two will tell us a lot if he is able to come back to playing football. If he can get into the facility and work with the conditioning team and coaching staff he could come back a much better player.

Overall Observations

This team has two starters under contract next season. They have a few complementary pieces like Hinish and possibly Horton, but they will have to make major decisions on Greenard and Rankins. I personally can’t see them running back to the same defensive line, so one of those two will likely go somewhere else. That means they either need to commit major dollars to replacing them or major draft capital. Stay tuned.