Texans Free Agency: Could Houston Sign Big-Name RB?

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans took pride in his team’s achievements after his first year of guidance. Transforming a franchise that had secured only three wins the season before, he propelled them to the playoffs divisional round and clinched their first AFC South title since 2019.

However, this offseason is critical for the Texans to “earn it again next year,” as Ryans puts it.

According to Pro Football Focus, as reported by Over The Cap, the Texans are poised to have $69,959,976 in cap space for the upcoming offseason. This places them third in the league in terms of available funds, with only the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans ahead of them, according to PFF’s calculations.

Last year, signing free agent Devin Singletary paid dividends. In four seasons with the Bills, he totaled 672 carries for 3,151 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns while adding 145 catches for 971 yards and four more scores.

In the 2023 season, the Texans’ offense had its moments of dominance, but they need to address the running back position this offseason. Devin Singletary led the team with 898 rushing yards and four touchdowns, despite facing subpar run blocking. Re-signing Singletary could be a sensible move for Houston.

But if not Singletary, who else is available at the running back position? Could the Texans use this cap space to go slightly deeper into their pockets to sign a big-name running back?

PFF has ranked the NFL’s top free agents. Here’s the most notable running backs:

Saquon Barkley, New York Giants- 2024 Free agency rank: 29
Barkley briefly held out last offseason but returned to play on his franchise tag with slim chances of earning incentives. Despite the Giants’ dismal season, Barkley showcased his explosiveness and highlight-reel catches in 2023. However, his inconsistency and missed time in recent seasons complicate his market value, especially with a weak 2024 running back draft class.