Latest news with #LakenTomlinson
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Poll: Which offensive line position still needs help?
Last week's poll brought the expected response in a landslide of votes. Most Houston Texans fans are still concerned about the state of the 2025 offensive line. Despite very promising showings at OTAs this week from the wide receivers, defensive backs, linebackers and quarterback C.J. Stroud, questions remain. Maybe, the biggest difference for the 2025 season is new offensive coordinator Nick Calley. Well, maybe more than maybe. Advertisement Regardless, we're talking big men in the trenches today. 2025 Houston Texans offensive line depth chart - OTA Edition LT - Cam Robinson LG - Laken Tomlinson C - Jake Andrews RG - Tytus Howard RT - Blake Fisher That's what you call new places for new, and old, faces. And, quite honestly, none of them chase away all doubt. But, it's only May, so the next few months will provide the coaching staff a chance to make alterations as necessary. It should also provide valuable snaps as a unit. As the mighty Matt Weston would tell us, the strength of the o-line is working together, not individually. If this depth chart changes dramatically for minicamps, then again for training camps, it might be a solid expectation that the o-line will struggle for the first half of the season. Advertisement But, leader of men Demeco Ryans is on the job. If he and Calley can get this group of big ballers acting as one, the sky is the limit for this offense. It is the off-season, as we all know, where hope springs eternal. So, let's just assume this is unit that hits the field in week one. Cam Robinson will likely get every chance to succeed before the hook happens. Laken Tomlinson, the former pro bowl guard, is an immediate upgrade. Jake Andrews, former New England Patriots lineman, has allegedly supplanted Juice Scruggs in the anchor spot. Time will tell. Tytus Howard at right guard is a little surprising, although he's moved around the line more than any Texan in recent memory. Advertisement Blake Fisher at right tackle could pay huge dividends. The former Notre Dame monster has been waiting for his chance to grab the brass ring since the Texans took him with the 59th overall pick in 2024. Behind these men we have rookie Aireontae Ersery, the aforementioned Scruggs, Trent 'been playing pro football since before you were born' Brown, Austin Deculus, Eli Cox, Ed Ingram and a few others. Aside from Ersery, who is hopefully a solid backup as he percolates on the bench for 2026, there's not much there. Which brings us to the poll for the week: More from
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Houston Texans offseason program: Updated 2025 roster
Houston Texans offseason program: Updated 2025 roster The Houston Texans are gearing up for the beginning of their offseason program later this week. Third-year coach DeMeco Ryans will meet with his team and welcome in the new faces, hoping to build the same chemistry after securing back-to-back AFC South division titles. General manager Nick Caserio took some big swings during free agency, especially when it came to overhauling the offensive line. The Texans traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders in exchange for four future draft picks. They also released veteran Shaq Mason and shipped former first-round bust Kenyon Green off to Philadelphia in exchange for defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. In their place, Houston inked short-term deal with Cam Robinson and Laken Tomlinson before trading for Ed Ingram from the Minnesota Vikings. The work is far from done. There are still some roster holes that need to be filled heading into the 2025 NFL draft. With the slew of new names entering the fold — from signings to cuts to trades — the roster looks a little different this year. Here's a look at where the Texans roster stands as they kick off their 2025 offseason program. Quarterback (2) QB1: C.J. Stroud QB2: Davis Mills Mills returns as Stroud's backup. Expect the Texans to add a fourth-string behind practice squad player Kedon Slovis following the draft for training camp purposes. Running back (4) RB1: Joe Mixon RB2: Dameon Pierce RB3: Dare Ogunbowale RB4: J.J. Taylor It's the Mixon show for another year. Houston could be interested in targeting a Day 3 running back for the long haul since Pierce, Taylor and Ogunbowale will all be free agents after the season. Fullback (2) FB1: Jakob Johnson FB2: British Brooks Johnson has special teams experience and a previous relationship with new Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley. There is a legitimate chance for him to make the final 53-man roster. Wide receiver (10) WR1: Nico Collins WR2: Christian Kirk WR3: John Metchie III WR4: Justin Watson WR5: Xavier Hutchinson WR6: Jared Wayne WR7: Xavier Johnson WR8: Johnny Johnson III ST: Braxton Berrios Injured Reserve: Tank Dell With Dell missing most of the season, Houston needs at least one target in the draft to take pressure off Stroud. Kirk joining the fold should serve as the No. 2 option over the departed Stefon Diggs. Tight end (3) TE1: Dalton Schultz TE2: Brevin Jordan TE3: Cade Stover There's a chance for Jordan and Stover to pass up Schultz after a down season, but all three should be on the active roster. It wouldn't be surprising to see Houston take a flyer on one of the later-round tight ends for depth purposes. Offensive Line (15) LT: Tytus Howard , Trent Brown, Austin Deculus , Trent Brown, Austin Deculus LG: Laken Tomlinson , Nick Broeker, LaDarius Henderson , Nick Broeker, LaDarius Henderson C: Jarrett Patterson , Juice Scruggs, Jerome Carvin , Juice Scruggs, Jerome Carvin RG: Tytus Howard , Ed Ingram, Tremayne Anchrum Jr. , Ed Ingram, Tremayne Anchrum Jr. RT: Blake Fisher, Zach Thomas, Jaylon Thomas Robinson might be the best fit for left tackle entering the draft, but Houston best be walking out of the first three rounds with at least two potential starters. Look for a new left guard, tackle and potential center to come during the seven rounds next month to be at training camp in August. Defensive line (15) DE: Will Anderson Jr. , Darrell Taylor, Dylan Horton, Casey Toolhill , Darrell Taylor, Dylan Horton, Casey Toolhill DT: Sheldon Rankins , Mario Edwards Jr., Jayden Peevy , Mario Edwards Jr., Jayden Peevy DT: Tim Settle, Kurt Hinish, Tommy Togiai Kurt Hinish, Tommy Togiai DE: Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry, Derek Barnett, Solomon Byrd, Kingsley Jonathan Maybe the Texans shore up the interior pass rush with an early-round pick, but they're set on the edge for years to come with nine different options, including three backups who could start for most teams. Linebacker (7) LB1: Azeez Al-Shaair , Jamal Hill , Jamal Hill LB2: Christian Harris , Jake Hansen , Jake Hansen LB3: Henry To'oTo'o , E.J. Speed , E.J. Speed ST: Nick Niemann Houston added another linebacker with the arrival of Speed, but they need a long-term plan as Harris enters a contract year. Al-Shaair and To'oTo'o should be good through 2026, while Niemann is taking over for Neville Hewitt as the star special teams player. Cornerback (6) CB1: Derek Stingley Jr. CB2: Kamari Lassiter Slot: Jalen Pitre CB4: Ronald Darby ST: Tremon Smith Depth: D'Angelo Ross After getting paid $90 million, Stingley is locked in for the long haul as Houston's top defensive player. If Lassiter and Pire improve off promising 2024 campaigns, the Texans might have the best defense in the league. Safety (5) S1: C.J. Gardner-Johnson S2: Calen Bullock Dime: Jimmie Ward S4: Russ Yeast ST: M.J. Stewart Landing a talent in Gardner-Johnson to shore up the back end of the defense could be a game-changer in the playoffs. He's exactly the type of player that was missing once Pitre went out with a chest injury. Special teams (3) K: Ka'imi Fairbairn P: Tommy Townsend LS: Tucker Addington For the first time in 15 years, someone else besides Jon Weeks will be snapping a football. It truly is the end of an era.
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Laken Tomlinson dubbed Texans' worst free agent signing
Laken Tomlinson dubbed Texans' worst free agent signing The Houston Texans prioritized overhauling the trenches this offseason, including moving off former first-round pick Kenyon Green in exchange for Philadelphia Eagles defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. While the Texans plan on adding another guard during the draft, veteran offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson inked a one-year deal to serve as a stop gap at left guard to begin offseason workouts. Pro Football Focus shared their favorite and least free agent signings for every NFL team. For Tomlinson, he falls in the latter category for Houston after struggling to build a rapport in Seattle. In fact, based on his numbers from the website, he was a bottom-five guard among pressure rates, ranking only three spots higher than the departed Shaq Mason. The expectation was that Houston would look to overhaul their interior offensive line through free agency, but after dealing away Laremy Tunsil and Kenyon Green, as well as releasing Shaq Mason, this unit appears to be in worse shape. Over the past three seasons, Tomlinson has ranked in the 52nd percentile in PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets and in the 37th percentile in positively graded play rate on run blocks. Tomlinson earned a 62.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 66th overall from guard play in 2024. Now, he'll have to serve as an anchor next to veteran Cam Robinson, who is expected to replace Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Combined, the two new members of the left side of the line allowed 15 sacks and 41 pressures in 2024. With the additions of Tomlinson, Robinson, Trent Brown and whichever rookie comes into the crew, the Texans completed an overhaul of the interior offensive line in an effort to protect quarterback C.J. Stroud as head coach DeMeco Ryans continues to shake things up to make a run to the conference title for the first time in franchise history. The Texans had a couple of other notable free-agent additions, including wide receiver Christian Kirk and defensive tackle Sheldon, but Tomlinson's impact along the interior offensive line could be either a death sentence or a stable source to help Stroud improve.
USA Today
22-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Texans salary cap update after two weeks of NFL free agency
Texans salary cap update after two weeks of NFL free agency It's been a busy start to the offseason for the Houston Texans, who altered their path after trading away five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil for multiple draft picks. Yes, the Texans remain the favorites to win the AFC South. They should be one of the league's top defenses after securing defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Houston also will at least have options on the offensive line after inking one-year deals with Laken Tomlinson, Cam Robinson and veteran Trent Brown. Building for the long term shouldn't be a concern, either. Houston agreed to extensions with All-Pro defensive end Danielle Hunter and All-Pro defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. Add that with C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, Joe Mixon and Will Anderson Jr. under contract through 2026, the Texans should remain a playoff force in the AFC over the next several seasons. But where do the Texans stand financially after all these moves? Texans salary cap space Here's an update on the team's salary cap situation. Since several contracts have yet to be finalized, the total is unofficial. According to Over The Cap, the Texans have $23.7 million in cap space entering the draft. It is worth noting that Sha Mason was designated a post-June 1 cut, so the Texans won't see the savings from that move until June. Over The Cap lists Mason's dead cap charge as $5.1 million. By moving off Tunsil's contract, Houston also added over $40 million for the two seasons. That money was used to pay for Stingley's new deal, which technically won't kick in at $30 million annually until 2026. Notable cap hits Derek Barnett: $5 million Darrell Taylor: $4.9 million Christian Kirk: $4.8 million Laken Tomlinson: $4.25 million Mario Edwards Jr.: $3.88 million Tremon Smith: $3 million Unverified cap hits Below is a list of the contracts and cap hits that are still unreported officially.
USA Today
11-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans shore up interior offensive line with signing of Seahawks OL Laken Tomlinson
Texans shore up interior offensive line with signing of Seahawks OL Laken Tomlinson A fomer Pro Bowler heads to Houston A new force is coming to the Houston Texans' offensive line. According to reports, the Texans have agreed to terms with Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson on a one-year deal worth $4.25 million. The veteran interior lineman should serve as a gap-holder at either left or right guard for a majority of the 2025 season. Tomlinson, who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2021 during his breakout season with the San Francisco 49ers, started 17 games for the Seahawks last season at right guard. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed six sacks and 11 pressures, but did post a 65.1 pass blocking grade. While Tomlinson isn't considered elite, he's a durable option that should enhance a depleted Texans offensive line that's changing its identity after allowing 52 sacks in 2024. He has primarily played left guard throughout his career, and will likely start there for the Texans next season. Since being drafted out of Duke in 2015, Tomlinson has yet to miss a game because of injury. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans should know what he's getting in Tomlinson from their time together in San Francisco. The upside is a talented lineman who will work to prove there's more left in the tank under the direction of new offensive line coach Cole Popovich. After being traded from Detroit in 2017, Tomlinson found a new spark. He started 80 games over five seasons, earning multiple internal accolades. Tomlinson was also an anchor to an offensive line that guided the Niners to two NFC championship game appearances and Super Bowl LIV. Tomlinson's arrival only alleviates pressure off of selecting a guard with the No. 25 overall pick in next month's draft. Houston still must fill the void left at right guard following the release of Shaq Mason. The Texans have seven picks in the upcoming NFL draft, including four in the top 100.
