Adrian Amos cleared waivers Monday but did not last long in free agency. Shortly after the Jets’ decision to cut the veteran safety, which was described over the weekend as a mutual separation, he will land with a fourth NFL team.
The Texans and Amos agreed to terms Tuesday, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. The 10th-year veteran will check in as a depth piece in Houston, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds. Amos spent the first nine seasons of his career as a full-time starter, working in that capacity in Chicago and Green Bay. The Jets cut Amos loose after using him as a backup this year.
During his age-30 season, Amos has played 265 defensive snaps. Although the Jets added him as mid-offseason insurance after Chuck Clark‘s season-ending injury, Tony Adams ended up playing as the team’s full-timer alongside Jordan Whitehead. Amos started three games this season, but his run of 900-snap campaigns came to a stop this year. Prior to 2023, Amos had logged more than 970 snaps in five consecutive seasons.
After grading Amos as one of the NFL’s worst safety regulars last season, Pro Football Focus slots the 2023 part-timer 20th overall at the position. Against the run, Amos ranks fourth overall. The advanced metrics site has long been high on the former Bears' fifth-rounder, 2022 notwithstanding; he drew a top-30 mark at the position from 2015-21. Amos also made a career-high 102 tackles in 2022, registering a career-most seven tackles for loss as well.
Houston has Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward in place at safety, though the latter has once again toggled between safety and the slot due to injuries. Ward has also missed extensive time this season, suiting up for only seven games during his first slate in Houston. The former first-round pick came through with a game-ending end-zone interception to stave off a Broncos rally. Ward’s shoulder injury checked out OK after the game, according to Wilson. The 10th-year veteran sustained only a bruise.
Amos joins Pitre, Ward and veteran special-teamer DeAndre Houston-Carson among the Texans’ safety corps. The team placed Eric Murray on IR earlier this season. Between Ward and Amos, Houston now has a combined 250 games of experience.
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