In my last article, I mentioned three players from the NFL that the Houston Texans should hope become cap casualties. However, you can’t sign players without having to cut somebody to make room, so let’s discuss three players we should hope the Houston Texans release in June. The Texans are deep at a handful of positions and can afford to release a player or two at said positions. On the offensive line, for example, the Texans have Tytus Howard already on the roster who can play inside and outside. Then the Texans drafted Blake Fisher this year. That roster situation could force a surprise cut to be made between right now and Week 1 of the season.
Finding good veteran talent used to be a challenge for the Texans, and they had to overpay to bring some players in. Well now that they’re good, they can afford to cut some of those contracts and not have them on the books anymore. After the draft concluded, the team and the fans got a clearer picture of who would make the team and who wouldn’t. Will we see them make a decision soon, though? Only time will tell, but if they decide to add any “cap casualties” we discussed earlier, making some roster room will be needed.
Finding notable players who are worth releasing isn’t easy for the Texans. They have a lot of depth, and they’re all productive. While saying that, there are a few players that are at risk of losing their job. Let’s take a look at three of them here.
Andrew Beck, fullback
We touched on this a little bit when Ben Skowronek was acquired earlier in May, but the need for a fullback on this Texans roster isn’t as pressing as it once was. Ben Skowronek is a very capable blocking wide receiver, along with Cade Stover who was known for his pass-blocking in college. After adding those two, Andrew Beck’s job is in serious jeopardy and he could be playing elsewhere in 2024.
The fullback position isn’t what it once was 10+ years ago, and finding a team that consistently uses one is rare. In today’s game, teams will use wide receivers, tight ends, and even an extra offensive lineman rather than keeping a fullback on the roster, and the Texans may be going that way this season. Freeing up an extra roster spot by releasing Andrew Beck allows them to go heavy at another position, like at wide receiver. That way, they can keep a player like Skowronek for his blocking and pass-catching versatility.
If you’re going to be a fullback in today’s day and age, you need to offer the team something extra. Play special teams or go the Kyle Juszczyk route and become a versatile pass catcher. Unfortunately for Beck, there are too many dominant players on this offense that are demanding the ball and CJ Stroud has to make them happy.
Shaq Mason, offensive guard![Shaq Mason]()
This may come as a shocker, but the Houston Texans have the depth to make this work without losing an ounce of sleep. I mentioned earlier they drafted Blake Fisher, allowing Tytus Howard to move inside. They have Kenyon Green as a backup guard, whom they drafted in the first round of the 2022 draft. Green has a great chance to win a starting job over fellow guard Shaq Mason, thus sending the 30-year-old to the bench. According to Over The Cap, releasing Mason saves the team $6.8M after the June 1st period.
This isn’t the most ideal outcome for the veteran guard to who they just gave a three-year extension, but their young linemen are deserving of a chance to start, and would come at a much cheaper cost. In Mason’s first year with the team in 2023, he started in all 17 games and allowed three sacks, according to PFF.
The Texans have a lot of high draft picks waiting in the wings and will need to do something with them soon. Clearing Mason’s contract allows them to get started in that process and look towards the future a bit. If Demeco Ryans came out and said tomorrow that they will be starting Kenyon Green at right guard moving forward, would anyone be upset? I wouldn’t think so. They drafted him with a premium pick for a reason, and his time is coming soon.
Davis Mills, quarterback
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Hear me out with this one before you stop reading the article. Davis Mills started in 26 games in his first two seasons, throwing for 5,782 yards and 33 touchdowns in those games. He was a capable starter over that period, but the Texans found their franchise quarterback nevertheless. Mills wanting to go somewhere where he has a chance to become a starting quarterback shouldn’t shock anybody, and learning from Case Keenum this past season should have helped him in his development.
The Texans only have room/need on their roster for two quarterbacks, so the backup job will solely depend on who they prefer after training camp. The veteran experience of Case Keenum should he need to start any games, or the youth of Davis Mills, who’s started many games for Houston and played well in them. With Mills becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, a release now seems unlikely unless the quarterback asks the team for one, and given the situation they’re in, Houston may give him a head start on finding a new team.
Davis Mills was Nick Caserio’s first draft pick in 2021, and while it may be hard for general managers to move on from their first-ever draft pick, a new team will be better for Mills, while Houston gets an extra roster spot for a position they’re thin at.
