A majority of starters from the Houston Texans roster in 2025 will be back at NRG Stadium next fall when the AFC South franchise breaks camp. As for those who won't, they could command a reasonable price on the market, depending on who needs to add depth at a certain position.
If one were to poll the fans who call NRG Stadium home on Sundays, there'd be no question as to who is the Texans' top pending free agent entering the offseason. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins picked up where he left off in 2023 after spending a year with the Cincinnati Bengals and remained a stalwart up the middle of the trenches.
Some could argue that the potential loss of offensive lineman Ed Ingram is a concern, especially since he was the Texans' most consistent player in both run blocking and pass protection. Then again, Ingram struggled before he arrived in Houston last offseason, so he could be a one-year wonder who becomes an overpay on other rosters.
Of the two, NFL.com would tend to lean toward the latter being the bigger name to replace. Gregg Rosenthal recently ranked his 101 best free agents of 2026 and placed Ingram as the Texans' only representative at No. 56.
"The Texans acquired a gaggle of reclamation projects last offseason, hoping one would stick," Rosenthal wrote. "It turned out to be Ingram, who now might leave for more money."
Ingram did have a career season for the Texans in 2025, mostly showing growth as a run blocker. While he was a hit-and-miss at times in pass protection, Ingram graded out in the top 10 by Pro Football Focus among all interior linemen in run blocking with an 81.1.
As Rosenthal pointed out, it’s logical that the Texans might let him since the initial salary rate skyrocketed from somewhere around $6 million to over $13 million annually. Yes, keeping stability on the offensive line is key for the Texans, but the market price also must play a factor, too.
Ingram could be in line for another Pro Bowl-caliber year, but if the asking price is too high, general manager Nick Caserio might not be afraid to let him test the waters of free agency while he calls up another franchise to find a third reclamation project on a cheap, expiring contract.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans: OL Ed Ingram only name on NFL,com's top 101 free agents