Texans offered Saquon Barkley more than $11 million per year; Team chased Tony Pollard, D’Andre Swift

Of C.J. Stroud The Texans, stuck in rookie deal money until at least 2025, have a rare opportunity. They can build around a cheap quarterback who showed star potential as a rookie. The team took some steps to capitalize this offseason, deviating from the conservative first three years – with regard to free agency – under Nick Caserio.

The Texans added likes Stefon Diggs, Danielle Hunter, Azeez Al-Shair And Denico Autry. Houston also hoped to land a higher salary target at running back, but there was mutual interest between the team and the other players Saquon Barkley no deal delivered. Despite roasting Jalen hurts on a $51 million per year contract, the Eagles signed Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million deal that includes $26 million guaranteed at signing. Barkley is the NFL’s fourth-highest paid RB, cashing in after Giants negotiations last summer yielded a lower offer and a franchise tag.

Houston was willing to move into this area for Barkley, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who reports that the team has offered the two-time Pro Bowler a three-year deal worth just over $33 million. The AAV checks in here just south of Barkley’s $12.58 million Philly number, but given the Eagles’ signing guarantee, it’s not surprising that the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year made the pick he did did.

The wave of RB contracts approved in the early 1920s led to a number of high-profile releases, pay cuts or trades. Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones, Joe Mixon And Dirk Hendrik are no longer tied to eight-digit chords. The Browns went down Nick Chubb‘s wages last month, as the perennial Pro Bowler is coming off two knee surgeries, and Jos JacobsThe Packers deal includes just $12.5 million guaranteed at signing. Considering the state of the RB position, Barkley did well to get the guaranteed score entering his seventh season.

Barkley, 27, said he was attracted to the Texans before considering the Eagles. But the Penn State alum certainly has ties to Pennsylvania; a large part of his family comes from the area. Although the Texans had beaten the Eagles for cap space, they fell short of Barkley. The team quickly gave Hunter a nearly fully guaranteed contract and made an interesting deal with Mixon. Just before the Bengals were set to release their seven-year starter, the Texans agreed to return a seventh-round pick for the veteran. Mixon quickly agreed to new terms with the Texans – two years, $19.75 million ($13 million guaranteed).

The Texans ultimately gave Mixon a better deal than they proposed Devin Singletair, said Wilson, who added that the team offered its primary 2023 starter a contract averaging $4 million per year. Singletary agreed to a three-year, $16.5 million deal (with $9.5 million fully guaranteed) to reunite with Brian Daboll in New York City.

As a pre-free agency report from Wilson suggested, the Texans discussed terms with Tony Pollard And D’Andre Swift. Pollard ended up with the Titans (three years, $21.75 million) and Swift became the first UFA from this year’s class to commit to a team, signing a three-year, $24 million deal with the Bears.

Only Barkley and Swift ($14 million) scored more fully guaranteed money among this year’s free agent RBs than Mixon, who is coming off his fourth 1,000-yard rushing season but has 1,854 career touches — third-most among active backs. Tasked with elevating a Texans rushing attack that ranked 22nd last season, Mixon is entering his 28th year.

The Texans will count on Mixon, but Caserio said (via Coty M. Davis of SI.com) Dameon Pierce – who followed up an impressive rookie season with a bounce-back in 2023 – remains a “big part” of the team’s plan for 2024. The 2022 fourth-rounder averaged just 2.9 yards per carry last season, with Singletary taking over for him when the Texans took the lead back down the stretch. The younger defender will be given a chance to recover, albeit in a backfield now led by Mixon.