With C.J. Stroud secured under his rookie contract until at least 2025, the Texans have a rare chance to build around a promising young quarterback without breaking the bank. This offseason, they made significant moves to take advantage of this opportunity, departing from their conservative approach to free agency in the past three years under Nick Caserio.
Houston brought in players like Stefon Diggs, Danielle Hunter, Azeez Al-Shaair, and Denico Autry. They were also interested in signing Saquon Barkley for a higher salary, but negotiations fell through, and Barkley ended up signing with the Eagles for less than what Houston offered. Despite having Jalen Hurts on a $51 million per year contract, the Eagles managed to secure Barkley for a deal worth $37.75 million over three years, with $26 million guaranteed at signing. Barkley is now the fourth highest-paid running back in the NFL, having opted for the Eagles’ offer over Houston’s slightly lower one.
The early 2020s saw a wave of high-paying contracts for running backs, but many of those players have since been released, had pay cuts, or been traded. Barkley, recognizing the uncertain future for running backs, secured a significant guarantee going into his seventh season.
Although Barkley initially considered the Texans before the Eagles, his ties to Pennsylvania influenced his decision. Despite having more cap space than the Eagles, the Texans ultimately didn’t pursue Barkley. Instead, they focused on other players, like Hunter and Joe Mixon. The Texans acquired Mixon from the Bengals for a seventh-round pick and signed him to a two-year, $19.75 million deal with $13 million guaranteed.
Interestingly, the Texans offered Mixon a better deal than they proposed to Devin Singletary, who signed a three-year, $16.5 million deal with the New York Giants. The Texans also discussed terms with Tony Pollard and D’Andre Swift, but both players signed elsewhere.
Among this year’s free agent running backs, only Barkley and Swift scored more guaranteed money than Mixon, who has had a solid career but faces questions due to his high number of career touches. The Texans will rely on Mixon to bolster their rushing attack, with Caserio indicating that Dameon Pierce, despite a disappointing 2023 season, still has a significant role in the team’s plans for 2024. Pierce will have the opportunity to rebound, albeit in a backfield now led by Mixon.
