The Houston Texans remade their offensive line this offseason and, with the preseason over and the regular season fast approaching, they are tweaking it even further. In their latest surprising decision, the Texans released veteran offensive tackle Trent Brown.
“More line changes in Houston: Texans are releasing veteran offensive lineman Trent Brown,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X on August 26.
The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander said he “did not think this would happen.”
Brown, 32, was a seventh-round draft pick (No. 244 overall) of the San Francisco 49ers in 2015, and he started all 16 regular-season games (and all three playoff tilts) for the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in 2018.
Brown also had stops with the Las Vegas Raiders and spent the 2024 campaign with the Cincinnati Bengals before signing with the Texans in March.
All may not be lost for Brown and his future with the Texans, though.
Trent Brown Gets Encouraging Update After Texans Cut
After the initial reports caught him off guard, Alexander noted a follow-up report about the Texans’ plans for Brown made “a little more sense.”
“#Texans OT Trent Brown, who was released today, will likely head to the Houston practice squad to get healthy and ready,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on X on August 26. “He’ll be available for the 53-man roster soon.”
The Texans signed Brown, who has earned $69.1 million in his career, to a one-year, $2.3 million contract in free agency this offseason.
He was only guaranteed $550,000 of that deal, per Over The Cap and has battled injuries.
Brown was in line to compete for a swing tackle role, with the Texans settling on a combination of (from LT to RT) rookie second-round pick Aireontae Ersery, Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, Ed Ingram, and Tytus Howard as their starting five.
Brown’s fellow veteran free agent signing, Cam Robinson, is in a similar situation as the Texans explore trade opportunities with him.
Brown gets to choose his next destination, which is good news for the current ex-Texans OT.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud absorbed 53 sacks during the 2024 regular season. That was the second-most in the league and further underscores how sure the Texans must be that they have the right OL combination to risk losing Brown to another team.
Texans Trim Roster Before Deadline
GettyHouston Texans general manager Nick Caserio looks on before a game against the Chicago Bears.
Teams have until 4 PM ET on Tuesday, August 26, to finalize their 53-player rosters for the regular season. Brown was one of many noteworthy players Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio decided to move on from on the day.
Among the most noteworthy were veteran linebacker Nick Niemann and safety Jalen Mills, and 2024 seventh-round offensive lineman LeDarius Henderson.
The Texans also cut rookie undrafted free agent QB Kedon Slovis.
Veterans Casey Toohill, Jakob Johnson, and Solomon Byrd also hit the market as the Texans work to get in compliance with league rules and, potentially, make room for Brown’s return once he is fully healthy.
Brown’s release is a sign of how deep the Texans believe their remade offensive line is, and their other cuts reflect similarly on the rest of their roster.
Of course, with attrition a given in the NFL, the Texans would be wise to keep Brown close.
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