Settle and the Commanders agreed to a three-year contract worth up to $25.5 million Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Settle will reunite with Washington, where he spent the first four years of his NFL career after being selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The Virginia Tech product spent the last two years in Houston and enjoyed a productive 2024 campaign, but his 2025 season was cut short in early December by a foot injury that required season-ending surgery. Settle will join Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw on the Commanders' defensive line while flanked by edge rushers Odafe Oweh and Dorance Armstrong (knee).
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Texans' Sheldon Rankins: Re-ups with Texans for two years
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Rankins agreed to a two-year extension with the Texans on Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Rankins' new contract includes $12 million in guaranteed money. The veteran defensive tackle had been scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent but will instead remain in Houston, where he contributed 3.0 sacks among his 35 tackles (15 solo) while appearing in all 17 regular-season games.
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Texans' Naquan Jones: Re-ups with Houston
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The Texans re-signed Jones to a one-year, $2 million contract Sunday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Jones can earn an additional $500K via incentives. Houston claimed the 28-year-old defensive lineman off waivers from the Chargers back in December, and Jones appeared in the final four regular-season games in addition to both of the Texans' playoff contests. Jones figures to fill a rotational role along the defensive line.
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Texans' E.J. Speed: Staying in Houston
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Speed and the Texans agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract Saturday that includes $7.5 million guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Speed joined the Texans on a one-year deal in March of 2025 after spending the first six years of his NFL career with the Colts. His new deal Saturday includes a $4 million signing bonus and ensures that he'll stick around in Houston for the foreseeable future. Speed finished the 2025 regular season with 62 tackles (33 solo) and one pass defense over 16 games, which broke his streak of 100-tackle seasons at two.
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Texans' Jalen Pitre: Contract restructured
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Pitre had $9 million of his salary converted into a signing bonus by the Texans on Friday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
The restructuring of Pitre's contract adds two void years and creates additional cap space for the Texans ahead of the 2026 season. Pitre is one of Houston's most impactful defenders, recording 74 total tackles and 12 passes defensed, including four interceptions, across just 14 regular-season games while operating as the team's top nickel cornerback last year. The Baylor product is expected to remain a key piece on the Texans' defense, starting alongside Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter.
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Texans' M.J. Stewart: Likely remaining in Houston
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Stewart (quadriceps) plans on signing a one-year deal to remain in Houston, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Stewart missed Houston's final eight regular-season games in 2025 due to a quadriceps injury, but it now appears he's moved past the issue. The veteran safety from North Carolina has appeared in 24 regular-season games over the past two seasons, tallying 37 total tackles, two passes defensed and one forced fumble while contributing both on defense (316 snaps) and special teams (447 snaps). If the 30-year-old signs a one-year deal with Houston as expected, he'll likely maintain a similar role during the 2026 season.
Hunter and the Texans agreed on a one-year, $40.1 million contract extension Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Hunter -- who is now under contract with Houston through 2027 -- is coming off of a 2025 campaign during which he compiled 54 total tackles (28 solo), including 15.0 sacks, while also recording three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 17 regular-season games. The defensive lineman has combined to produced 27.0 sacks over two years with the Texans, and his new extension certainly reflects his value to the franchise. Look for Hunter to have another productive season in 2026 while starting opposite of Will Anderson on Houston's defensive line.
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Texans' Derek Stingley: Has contract restructured
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Stingley had $20.38 million of his $21.59 million salary-cap figure converted to a signing bonus Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
The move allows the Texans to save $16 million in cap space, per Wilson. Stingley signed a three-year, $90-million extension with Houston in March of last year and then finished the 2025 regular season with 15 pass breakups, including four interceptions. He was targeted just 65 times during the regular season, down from 95 the year before.
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Jimmie Ward: Let go by Texans
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The Texans released Ward (foot) on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Ward didn't play during the 2025 season, as he began the campaign on the Commissioner's Exempt List before moving to the reserve/PUP list due to a foot injury. The 2014 first-round pick is contemplating retirement.
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Jimmie Ward: Slated for release
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The Texans plan to release Ward (foot), Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Ward didn't play at all last season, as he opened the campaign on the Commissioner Exempt List and was later moved to the reserve/PUP list while rehabbing from foot surgery he underwent in December 2024. By releasing the veteran safety, Houston will save $750,000 in cap room, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. It's unclear where Ward is in his recovery or what his prospects are for next season. He'll turn 35 years old in July.
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Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair: Undergoes thumb surgery
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Al-Shaair had thumb surgery Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
The linebacker is expected to make a full recovery, but it remains to be seen if the surgery will impact Al-Shaair's availability for OTAs. He recorded 103 tackles and a career-high nine passes defended, including two interceptions, over 16 regular-season games in 2025.
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Texans' Folorunso Fatukasi: Ends 2025 season on IR
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Fatukasi (IR, shoulder) tallied eight tackles (five solo), including 1.5 sacks, across four regular-season games for the Texans in 2025.
Fatukasi served in a rotational role on the Texans' defensive line to open the regular season, and he logged at least 0.5 sacks in two of four games before landing on injured reserve in early October due to a shoulder injury. The injury was severe enough that the 31-year-old wasn't cleared to return to practice, and it remains to be seen how his shoulder issue will impact his availability for offseason activities like OTAs and minicamp. Fatukasi is an unrestricted free agent, and as long as he passes his physicals, he should garner interest from teams looking to add veteran depth to the interior defensive line.
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Texans' Myles Bryant: More work in second half of 2025
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Bryant appeared in 11 regular-season games for the Texans in 2025 and finished with 40 tackles (22 solo).
Bryant opened the 2025 regular season on the Texans' practice squad and was signed to the active roster in mid-November after being elevated the maximum three games. He served in a rotational role in the secondary while also contributing on special teams, and he had five games in which he logged at least five tackles. Bryant enters the offseason as an undrafted free agent, and he'll look to join a team where he will have a better opportunity at more consistent playing time.
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Texans' Tommy Togiai: Bigger role down stretch
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Togiai registered 59 tackles (27 solo), including 1.5 sacks, four pass defenses and a fumble recovery for a touchdown across 15 regular-season games for the Texans in 2025.
Togiai served in a rotational role on the Texans' defensive line for the majority of the 2025 campaign, but he stepped into a starting role toward the tail end of the season due to injuries to Folorunso Fatukasi (shoulder), Tim Settle (foot) and Mario Edwards (pectoral). Togiai responded by logging at least four tackles in six of his last seven games (including in both of Houston's playoff games), highlighted by his performance in Week 14 against the Chiefs, when he recorded a season-high 10 tackles, including 1.0 sacks. The 2026 season is currently the last year that Togiai is under contract with the Texans.
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Texans' Kamari Lassiter: Increases production in second year
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Lassiter registered 91 tackles (62 solo) and 17 pass defenses (four interceptions) across 16 regular-season games with the Texans in 2025.
The second-year cornerback played every single defensive snap in 12 of his 16 games in 2025. He finished as the Texans' third-leading tackler behind Azeez Al-Shaair (103) and Henry To'oTo'o (95), and Lassiter finished sixth and eighth in the NFL in pass defenses and interceptions, respectively. Lassiter and Derek Stingley figure to be the Texans' starting outside corners for the 2026 campaign.
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Texans' Ajani Carter: Won't play in wild-card round
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Carter (hamstring) has been ruled out for Monday's wild-card matchup versus the Steelers.
The 25-year-old was designated to return from IR on Dec. 23rd, but he's now been ruled out for the third game in a row. If the Texans advance, they will need to activate Carter by Tuesday or else he'll revert to injured reserve for the remainder of the postseason.
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Texans' Ajani Carter: Draws questionable tag
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Carter (hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's wild-card matchup against the Steelers, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Carter has appeared in only two games this season, most recently due to the hamstring injury. He logged full practices throughout the week, so he appears to have a realistic chance to return. However, Carter will need to be activated from injured reserve Sunday to have the chance to suit up.
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Texans' Jaylen Reed: Full participant in practice
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Reed (forearm) was a full participant in Houston's practice Saturday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Reed is trending toward making his return after having been designated to return from injured reserve earlier in the week. The 22-year-old has been sidelined for the last five weeks but should resume his role as a special teamer and depth defender if he manages to suit up for Monday's wild-card matchup versus the Steelers.
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Texans' Kamari Lassiter: Full go in practice
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Lassiter (ankle/knee) was a full participant in Houston's practice Saturday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Lassiter is seemingly healthy again after missing the team's Week 18 win over the Colts due to ankle and knee injuries. The 22-year-old is expected to resume his role as one of the team's starting cornerbacks alongside Derek Stingley for Monday's wild-card matchup versus the Steelers.
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Texans' Denico Autry: Full participant in practice
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Autry (knee) was a full participant in Houston's practice Saturday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Autry was absent from practice earlier in the week but won't carry an injury designation into Monday's wild-card matchup versus the Steelers. The 35-year-old compiled eight tackles (five solo), including 3.5 sacks, across 12 games during the regular season.
