Texans Make Big Contract Decision on Controversial Starter

Jan 5, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA;  Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans watches from the sideline against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans watches from the sideline against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans are facing an interesting offseason as NFL free agency gets underway this week, needing to fill some key holes on the roster in order to take the next step as a legitimate contender in the AFC.

With just over $4 million in projected cap space according to OverTheCap, Houston is in a tricky spot. The offensive line was a mess last year as C.J. Stroud couldn't replicate the magic of his rookie campaign, so it's clear that the Texans need to get him some help.

Fortunately, the front office just made a big contract decision on a controversial starter that'll free up some money to spend elsewhere.

Texans Restructure LB Azeez Al-Shaair's Contract Ahead of Free Agency

According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the Texans restructured linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair's contract on Monday. It includes a $7.83 million signing bonus from his original $9 million base salary, lowering the cap hit for 2025 to just over $1 million.

It's not a massive move, though a wise one nonetheless. A defensive captain, Al-Shaair became infamous during the 2024 campaign thanks to his reckless play and disregard of safety procedures, earning a three-game suspension for a perceived dirty hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Al-Shaair is a quality player, ranking 54th out of 189 qualified linebackers at Pro Football Focus. He started all 11 games that he played in this year and all 17 in 2023, firmly establishing himself as one of the most important players on DeMeco Ryans' defense. That said, freeing up this space is important and gives the front office some breathing room entering a critical couple of weeks.

Should the Texans make a marquee signing, fans can point to these kinds of decisions as the motivating factor. Houston needed to be creative in order to fill the holes and this is a logical move that contending teams typically make.

This is an organization that should control the AFC South for years to come. However, unless they find some quality contributors this offseason, the tides could turn sooner than expected. Here's hoping general manager Nick Caserio spends this money wisely.

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