The Houston Texans face an offseason ripe with opportunities to upgrade the roster through free agency. First, though, they’ll have the opportunity to retain some of their own.
No pending free agent fared as well in Houston as edge rusher Jonathan Greenard did in 2023. His breakout season saw him lead the team in sacks just in time to secure a lofty raise.
Greenard was integral to the pass rush, and his departure would leave yet another hole for general manager Nick Caserio to fill.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, head coach DeMeco Ryans praised his veteran edge rusher.
“JG did a great job for us this year. He’s very productive, plays physical, did the things we asked him to do,” Ryans said. “We’ll see how free agency plays out, but love JG, love what he did for us this year.”
Soon after, DJ Bien-Aime added to a tweet with Ryans’ comments, saying that an NFC executive suggested Greenard could command “22-24 million” in free agency.
Perhaps that speaks to the potential inflation of edge rushers in free agency. In a passing league, protecting and disrupting the passer frequently take precedence. Talented pass rushers aren’t often on the open market, and throwing cash at a veteran means a team doesn’t have to spend high-end draft capital on a rookie edge rusher.
Greenard surpassing $20 million per season would be notably more than his projection via Pro Football Focus: three years, $16 million per season.
It’s safe to say Greenard has his share of support. Houston left tackle Laremy Tunsil replied to Bien-Aime’s tweet with two words: “Pay him!”
Greenard’s 2023 was complete with 12.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and 22 quarterback hits. Each of those marks was career highs, and he’ll be playing in his age-27 next year. No free-agent signing is a guarantee, but that brand of production with ample years ahead of him should only help his market.
Houston has been linked to plenty of interior defensive linemen this offseason but will be forced into the edge rusher market if they are unable to retain Greenard. There seems to be interest from both sides, inspiring optimism that a deal gets done before free agency opens.
More must-reads: