NOTE: This article was written before the Reed Blankenship signing. Blankenship signed a three-year $24.75M contract with Houston.
I get it, you’re sick and tired of reading about offensive lineman. If you’re a film junkie like myself, the past half-decade has been an arduous slog of watching kick-slides and trench warfare.
However, this offseason isn’t just about gap schemes and pulling guards for Houston. Thanks to several inept free-agent decisions, the Texans have a glaring hole at starting strong
safety.
It all began last offseason when starting safety Eric Murray signed with Jacksonville. Houston subsequently traded for C.J. Gardner-Johnson to start next to a young Calen Bullock. They were also counting on veteran Jimmie Ward to play a significant role on the defense.
In the months that followed, Jimmie Ward was arrested and underwent surgery, which landed him on the Physically Unable to Play (PUP) list the entire 2025 season. Once the campaign began, CJGJ fell out of favor with the locker room and was subsequently released due to “friction behind the scenes with him complaining about his role, wanting to blitz more” per Aaron Wilson.
Those events forced M.J. Stewart into the spotlight. He performed valiantly, but is not the athlete Houston needs at the position. Houston did re-signed M.J. Stewart to a one-year, $2.7M contract yesterday, but that contract reflects the short-term tenure with which they see Stewart.
Given that Houston employs five defensive back formations as much as anyone in the league, sourcing a reliable starting safety option to round out the defense is essential. They don’t need an ultra-impactful starter; they have enough stars in the defensive back room to form a constellation. What they need is a lunch-pail safety who will be a consummate pro, cover with tenacity, and rally to the football. (And they got that in Reed Blankenship)
Unfortunately, the top three free-agent safeties are already off the board. Bryan Cook, Coby Bryant, and Jalen Thompson all signed with new teams today, each commanding salaries between $11 million and $13.4 million annually. The best remaining options include Kyle Dugger (PIT), Jaquan Brisker (CHI), Geno Stone (CIN), and Jaylinn Hawkins (NE). Each is expected to cost between $7 million and $10 million per year, a fair market value for a starting-caliber safety.
As for rookie options, this year’s class features the strongest group of safety prospects in the past five years, with three projected first-round selections and another three to five expected to come off the board on Day Two. Unless Houston selects a safety in the first round, something extremely a-typical for General Manager Nick Caserio, the two best options are A.J. Haulcy (UH transfer to LSU) and Zakee Wheatley out of Penn State. Both are deep safeties who play downhill and have a knack for creating turnovers. Haulcy is projected to go early in the second round while Wheatley may go late second to early third.
Whether through the draft or free agency, Houston desperately needs to fill the glaring hole at safety.
