Biggest Winners and Losers From Texans' Keylan Rutledge Pick

There's no question that the biggest winner of the entire equation of Houston adding an offensive lineman in round one is the quarterback that he'll be protecting: C.J. Stroud.

After a pair of seasons facing disarray in the trenches, many have been clamoring across the offseason (and even dating back to 2025) about the Texans' desperate need to rework their offensive line in a major way.

For who could now set up for their third new starter upfront for next season in Rutledge, alongside Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith, that turnover certainly offers a breath of fresh air for Stroud, and might just help facilitate a bounce-back year four.

Loser: Evan Brown

The Texans had brought in Evan Brown earlier this offseason as one of their multiple free agent additions upfront as someone who could provide depth and competition at guard and center, having previously been a starter on the Arizona Cardinals' line before arriving.

Now, Brown's route to getting notable playing time becomes significantly dwarfed with the presence of Rutledge in the mix, who Houston is bound to be eager to find extra opportunities for wherever possible, and certainly into Brown's share of reps in the process.

Winner: David Montgomery

The Texans' run blocking is certainly able to take a nice step forward by bringing a mauler like Rutledge into the equation.

That effort to prioritize the run game ultimately helps the best interests of the Texans' newest face in the backfield, David Montgomery, who's sure to have a renewed sense of confidence with another offensive line option to place ahead of him.

Houston's made it clear they want a further emphasis on the ground offensively next season by investing in both offensive linemen with run-blocking upside and, of course, their push for Montgomery from the Lions. Rutledge's presence takes their potential in the run game a step further.

Loser: Jake Andrews

Some may argue that Wyatt Teller is the name at the biggest risk of losing his potential starting spot in 2026 because of Houston's selection on Thursday. That'd be a rough wake up call for the veteran guard less than two months from being signed onto the Texans' roster.

Instead, 2025's starter at center, Jake Andrews, could be the one with a much more likely chance of seeing his role shift with Rutledge's addition.

The Texans have long been a fan of what Andrews brings to the table as a starting option at center. But he needed competition to cement his standing in that role once again next season. That's exactly what Rutledge brings.

Rutledge primarily played right guard in college, though it's hard to imagine Houston not testing him at multiple different spots on the line––such as center––in training camp and preseason to see if there’s a day one starting spot for him.

And if he shows up in those opportunities, Andrews' future in the lineup starts to become a real question mark.

Winner: Buffalo Bills

It's not to say the Texans lost their trade to go up and get Rutledge in the first place. They did fine. But the Bills definitely did cash in nicely with their trade down the board that equated to just a two-spot shift.

The Bills moved their third-round pick from the 90s into a top 70 selection, and landed an extra day-three pick in the process that the Texans had on hand to sweeten the pot.

Buffalo followed that up by making two more draft trades with the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans, coming out of it with three selections in the top 101, and two more early day three picks from where they started the day with.

Not adding a first round pick into the fold at the end of day one is never the sexy option. But the Bills added a nice chunk of value down the board for the next couple of days, which woudn't have been possible without their initial move with Houston.