The first 90-man roster for 2024 has been completed by the Texans.
There will be more moves to come as the Texans look to churn the bottom on the 90-man roster throughout the offseason in hopes of building the most talented 53-man in-season roster with extra depth and developmental pieces on the practice squad. Houston has the 10th-most salary cap space following the draft as well with a load of potential free agents still available ahead of offseason camps.
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We looked at the offensive positional grades earlier. Here’s how each defensive position group grades out on the first 90-man roster of the season.
Grading Texans defensive positions post-2024 NFL Draft
Here's a look at every position on the Texans following the 2024 NFL Draft with grades and expected cuts.
Defensive ends (7)
- Will Anderson Jr.
- Danielle Hunter
- Derek Barnett
- Dylan Horton
- Solomon Byrd
- Marcus Haynes
- Ali Gaye
Will Anderson Jr. heads into Year 2 with a Defensive Rookie of the Year award in tow. He’s coming off a rookie season in which he was the only player in the NFL to finish top-3 in pass rush win-rate and run-stop win-rate from ESPN Analytics. In Year 2 he’s paired opposite of Danielle Hunter.
Hunter tied Maxx Crosby for the NFL lead with 23 tackles-for-loss this past season. He’s put up double-digit sacks in four of the past five seasons in which he played. He missed all of 2020 injured and 10 games in 2021. He hasn’t missed a game in any other season since his rookie year in 2015 and hasn’t missed any other start since 2016. Hunter has secured 14.5 sacks or more in three of the last five seasons in which he’s played, including 16.5 in 2023.
Hunter and Anderson Jr. are not just good starters. They are the upper-echelon of edge players in the entire NFL. Behind them, they have former first-round pick Derek Barnett who re-signed with the Texans this offseason. Barnett joined the Texans late last season and started the last four games of the regular season and the playoff game against the Browns. In those five games, Barnett had impressive production with 19 tackles, 12 QB hits, seven TFLs and 3.5 sacks.
Denico Autry was signed in free agency by Houston and he should play mostly at defensive tackle in the Texans' predominant nickel defense. However, he has the versatility to play on the edge and provide depth behind Hunter and Anderson Jr. with Barnett. It’s an extremely talented two-deep at maybe the most important position on the defensive side of the ball. Truly, the Texans have a three-deep at the edge position with last year’s fourth-round pick Horton and this year’s seventh-round pick Byrd.
Houston has two other versatile defensive tackles in free agent signee Mario Edwards and rookie undrafted free agent Pheldarius Payne who could factor into the mix with edge reps as well if either make the team with a deep spot on the roster or practice squad. A case could be made that they have a four-deep at edge, if they were able to keep all of them, including each of the versatile tackles. Regardless, the Texans have constructed a relentless unit of top-end talent, backups with starter talent and a three-deep on-par with most team’s two-deep at the position.
Grade: A+
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Defensive tackles (9)
- Denico Autry
- Foley Fatukasi
- Tim Settle
- Marcus Harris
- Khalil Davis
- Mario Edwards
- Kurt Hinish
- Pheldarius Payne
- McTelvin Agim
The tackle position saw the departure of Maliek Collins (trade) and Sheldon Rankins (free agency). The Texans have since re-signed Khalil Davis, signed four outside free agents (Autry, Fatukasi, Settle and Edwards), drafted Marcus Harris and signed a high-priority free agent, Pheldarius Payne.
The names aren’t going to get anyone excited, but neither did Collins or Rankins before signing with the Texans and putting up some of the best and most consistent play of their career. Collins and Rankins each played around 60% of the defensive snaps last year. Houston has more than replaced their role and production with the new additions and how this unit meshes their unique versatility together to better the line as a whole and not just one position group.
Fatukasi will handle reps at the 1-technique. Autry will play inside at the 3-technique and also take reps on the edge. Settle will split time between the 1 and the 3-technique. Edwards can play inside and outside, similar to Autry, as too can the rookie Payne. Marcus Harris provides youth and upside at the 3-technique. Davis returns to continue to grow off what he showed last year, while Hinish looks to continue to show the production that he did in the playoffs where he bested his career total of 1.5 sacks by recording a sack in each playoff game on around 55% of the defensive snaps.
It’s a deep and talented group that should be able to stay fresh and healthy throughout the season with a diverse rotation. The lack of top-tier talent at the position lowers the ceiling on the grade.
Grade: B-
Linebackers (10)
- Christian Harris
- Azeez Al-Shaair
- Henry To'oTo'o
- Jacob Phillips
- Neville Hewitt
- Jamal Hill
- Max Tooley
- Del'Shawn Phillips
- Tarique Barnes
- Jake Hansen
The linebacker position in Houston is top-heavy with Harris and Al-Shaair. Behind them isn’t a lot of proven defenders as it’s mostly made up of younger players and special teamers. Next up behind Harris and Al-Shaair is To’oTo’o and possibly Jacob Phillips. Phillips appears to be the Texans' next Blake Cashman-type of player given a shot at the position. Similar to Cashman, Phillips has the talent for the position but has struggled to stay healthy. It worked beautifully for Cashman and the Texans in Houston, leading to Cashman living up to his namesake in free agency. Can lightning strike twice?
Rookies Hill, Tooley and Barnes could all get in the mix early in an attempt to surpass a few of the special teamers on the roster and provide better depth as a linebacker. Hewitt has been a special teams stud but rarely plays on defense. Del’Shawn Phillips and Hansen each are predominantly special teamers as well.
If the Texans were to see Harris and/or Al-Shaair to miss time they would be hoping for a big Year 2 leap from To’oTo’o, Jacob Phillips to have a turn of fortune in health and/or one of the trio of rookies to provide Year 1 immense value as a linebacker and not just on special teams. Of the trio, Tooley may be the best of the group in this regard.
It’s a great top-end unit worthy of an “A” with one of the more risky situations from the third linebacker spot on. There’s a lot of projection behind the starters of Al-Shaair and Harris. It’s a potential trapdoor to the success of the season, if injuries hit.
Grade: B
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Cornerbacks (10)
- Derek Stingley Jr.
- Kamari Lassiter
- Jeff Okudah
- Myles Bryant
- C.J. Henderson
- Desmond King II
- Mike Ford
- D'Angelo Ross
- Kris Boyd
- Troy Pride
The cornerback position is less than desirable as it’s made up of one elite talent (Stingley Jr.) who has struggled to stay on the field, followed by a rookie slot cornerback (Lassiter) as possibly the next-best corner on the roster. The competition for outside cornerback opposite of Stingley Jr., as it’s currently set up would be between two former top-10 picks from the 2020 NFL draft in Okudah and Henderson. Despite the draft status, Okudah and Henderson are both on their third team in five seasons.
Lassiter has the talent to contribute immediately and if the Texans get desperate enough could force the issue and play him on the outside but he lacks the ideal long speed and length for the position in the pros. The Texans then have two more cornerbacks with talent that’s best utilized on the interior of the defense in Bryant and King II.
If going into the season and hoping to play for an AFC South title, this cornerback group may suffice. If hoping to play for a Super Bowl or even make it out of the AFC with this as the front-line group before even getting to camp or being hit by one injury seems questionable.
Grade: D
Safeties (7)
- Jimmie Ward
- Jalen Pitre
- Calen Bullock
- Lonnie Johnson Jr.
- Eric Murray
- M.J. Stewart
- Brandon Hill
The safety position is similar to the cornerback position with its top-end talent struggling to stay on the field. Ward is a versatile, talented leader but just like with Stingley Jr., he’s more likely to miss five games or so than he is to play a full season. In Stingley Jr.'s case, he’s still young enough that you can hope that he gets the right training and can reverse course with his availability. In Ward’s case, he’ll be 33 years old before the start of the season and has been missing time consistently for the majority of his career.
Behind Ward is Pitre who has the talent but hasn’t put it all together through his first two seasons. He’s still young and things could click for him in Year 2 with head coach DeMeco Ryans and Year 3 in the NFL. Behind the top duo is rookie third-rounder Bullock. Bullock has exciting potential but he’s not a finished product and shouldn’t be relied on in a pivotal role as a rookie.
Behind the top trio are aging special teamers returning from injuries in Stewart and Murray as well as Johnson Jr. returning for a second tour in Houston. The Texans also have last year’s seventh-round pick Hill at the position as well. One of those quartets of backups would be competing for the fourth safety spot and possibly even third as Bullock gets ready for NFL action.
Considering the worst-case scenario and if Ward misses his typical five games or so and Pitre doesn’t show growth and consistency, then who does Houston turn to? In the current state of the position, it would mean forcing Bullock into action as a starter or choosing between one of the veteran special teamers to man down the position.
Grade: C-
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Overall assessment of defense
If just looking at the starters on the defense before camp starts, this unit is ready to go. If you look at it with the thought of how it may change over the entirety of a season as injuries hit and players disappoint with their play, then problem areas start to arise.
The defensive line is stacked with top-end talent and depth. The starting linebackers are dynamic but it's thin behind them.
The secondary could be the Texans' "Jenga" block. It could cause not only the defense to collapse but also the team's aspirations as a whole. If Stingley Jr. and Ward miss their typical five games this year, the Texans' next core of five defensive backs to step up would be Lassiter, Pitre, Bullock, Okudah and Henderson. It's not far-fetched to imagine that scenario. It is far-fetched to view that unit as one that could hold off elite passing attacks.
Grade: C+