One of the biggest additions of the Houston Texans' 2025 offseason was bringing in tackle Cam Robinson on a one-year $12 million deal. There was a level of belief that Robinson could help solidify the left tackle position and offer C.J. Stroud a more consistent chance after clear offensive line regression at the end of the 2024 season. Two games into the season, and it has been a complete failure for a veteran who is now riding the bench after starting and playing 59 snaps in a Week 1 loss.
It wasn't that Robinson was completely awful in Week 1, but simply the fact that rookie Aireontae Ersery has proven to be a far better option. This was on display with Ersery playing well at right tackle in the first game of the season and handling the promotion to the left side the following week. All making it incredibly clear that Houston simply didn't need to sign Robinson at all. Perhaps that is cap space that would've been far better spent at a more pressing position.
Texans LTCam Robinson Benched 2 Weeks into Frustrating 2025 Season
The most obvious issue has been the lack of playmakers, with Joe Mixon unable to go, and Nico Collins being the only consistent pass catcher. What cap space the Texans used on Robinson could've easily been spent to give C.J. Stroud a better chance. In both of the first two weeks of the season, the Texans were given every chance to come away with a win and simply couldn't get the job done.
While Stroud deserves a lot of the blame for this, there is no denying it is an uphill battle with the current cast at the skill positions. Almost every other young franchise quarterback in the league has at least two reliable options who are capable of making plays when the game matters most. Week-to-week, it is impossible to predict who is going to impact a game for Houston beyond Collins.
All of this builds the case that Houston has every reason to regret signing Robinson. Spending $12 million with $10 million in guarantees on a player who now appears poised to spend the rest of the year on the bench when that cap space could be helping the offense is incredibly frustrating.
No question, the Texans' decision to sign Robinson was a failure, one that will continue to age poorly as younger pieces cement themselves into roles. However, it is important to note the flip side of this, which is pointing to solid draft decisions that have the offensive line improving even in the middle of the concerning 0-2 start to the season.