5 players not named Jakobi Meyers the Texans should sign in Free Agency

2. The Houston Texans should sign LB T.J. Edwards in free agency

The Houston Texans had one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2022 but their defense didn’t fare much better, ranking 27th in points allowed and 30th in total yards. The main reason was that then-head coach Lovie Smith, who moonlighted as the team’s defensive coordinator, didn’t have enough players to install his system.

The Texans’ defense could use an infusion of talent at all three levels. They could use some of their draft picks to fortify their defensive front and bolster their linebacker corps in free agency. Defensive coordinator Matt Burke will tentatively run a 4-3 defense, so it will be imperative for the front office to get him players that fit his scheme. One player they could target is T.J. Edwards, who was an important piece in the Philadelphia Eagles’ puzzle during their playoff run in 2022.

Edwards joined the Eagles after going undrafted in 2019 and went on to play in all 16 games in his rookie campaign. He joined the starting lineup in Week 8 of that year and never looked back.

Over the last four years, Edwards has appeared in 61 games with 47 starts. He started all 17 games last season and tallied 159 total tackles, 99 tackles for a loss, and seven passes defensed, all career bests. Furthermore, he earned a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 84.8.

Despite the fact that off-linebacker aren’t paid a premium in free agency, Edwards should have a strong market coming off the most productive season in his NFL career.