The Houston Texans, much like the other 31 NFL teams, made plenty of changes on both sides of the ball this offseason. Although they used the 2025 draft and trade market to bring in some new faces, the Texans have also made plenty of free-agent signings since March, which includes adding outside reinforcements while retaining familiar names, too.
One of Houston's offseason signings saw the team reunite with a former player, as veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins was signed to a one-year, $5.25 million contract on March 14. The veteran defender had previously spent the 2023 campaign with the Texans, so the hope was that he could replicate the success he had had that year with a reunion.
Unfortunately, there's a good chance Rankins' latest deal with the Texans won't age well.
Texans DT Sheldon Rankins Already Looks Overpaid Before Training Camp
After starting his career with the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, Rankins joined the Texans on a one-year contract ahead of the 2023 season. He went on to record 29 solo tackles, 6.0 sacks, and a forced fumble in 15 games, leading to his receiving a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024.
Much to his dismay, Rankins' time with the Bengals didn't go as planned. He only recorded 10 solo tackles and a sack, which is mostly due to his being limited to seven appearances. He missed three games earlier in the season due to a hamstring injury before missing the final seven with a mysterious viral illness.
It turns out that was all the Bengals needed to say, choosing to release Rankins in February.
Now, Rankins is back with the Texans, and there's a good chance he might not live up to his $5.25 million price tag. As great as he was during his first Houston tenure, he's now a 31-year-old veteran who's coming off significant hamstring and viral ailments. Even if he's recovered enough to return to the gridiron, he might not be able to return to his previous form.
Even his underlying stats don't paint a promising picture. Rankins' Pro Football Focus grades regarding defense (55.3), run stoppage (46.2), tackling (32.9), and pass rushing (58.9) were all among the worst efforts of his nine-year career, and those numbers could plummet even more if he can't successfully bounce back from a rocky 2024 performance.
Hopefully, all of Rankins' injury concerns are in the rearview and that he goes on to have a productive training camp. Otherwise, his second Texans stint could end before it even begins.