It's hard to believe that the first month of NFL free agency is officially in the rearview mirror. The Houston Texans saw a ton of player movement since the middle of March, between the addition of free agents (Cam Robinson, Sheldon Rankins, etc.) and departures of familiar faces (Stefon Diggs and Eric Murray, just to name a few).
Although most of the NFL's big-name free agents have already found new homes, several recent Texans players are still available. It wouldn't be a surprise if general manager Nick Caserio was interested in reuniting with a few of those names, including a veteran defensive tackle.
Texans Can Still Re-Sign DT Folorunso Fatukasi 1 Month Into Free Agency
Stopping the run is one of the most important things for an NFL team to excel at. The Texans know that better than a lot of teams after finishing with the 13th-best Pro Football Focus run defense grade (68.9) last season.
Having said that, too much D-line depth is never a bad thing. Even though the Texans have already signed the likes of Rankins and Casey Toohill while re-upping Derek Barnett and Mario Edwards' contracts, there's still room in the fold for free agent DT Folorunso Fatukasi.
Fatukasi, 30, is a seven-year NFL veteran who was drafted 180th overall by the New York Jets in 2018. The former UConn defender spent most of his Jets tenure in a backup role before operating as a starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars and, most recently, the Texans throughout the last three seasons.
As much as Houston fans looked forward to his run, Fatukasi's 2024 performance left much to be desired. The 6-foot-4, 318-pound run-stopper's upside was limited due to a combination of shoulder and foot injuries, holding him to only 16 solo tackles and one sack in 11 appearances. His 35.6 PFF defense grades ended up being the worst effort of his career.
So, why would the Texans be interested in a reunion?
For starters, one can argue that injuries prevented Fatukasi from having a fair shot at proving himself. Assuming he'd be healthy come Week 1, a bounce-back performance isn't unfathomable given that it was only in 2023 when he recorded solid PFF grades regarding run stoppage (60.7) and overall defense (61.0).
Fatukasi's asking price also likely won't be astronomical either. He's currently recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, meaning the Texans might be able to sign him to a cheap, low-risk, high-reward deal if he's still unsigned closer to training camp.
At the end of the day, the Texans have nothing to lose by taking another flyer on Fatukasi. If his injury history is too much to overcome and he keeps looking like a shell of his former self, Houston can easily send him packing before the preseason even ends.