Houston Texans rumored as possible spot for Chase Young and Brian Burns
The Texans might be a landing site for edge rushers Brian Burns of the Carolina Panthers or Chase Young of the San Francisco 49ers, according to Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus. A number of well-known players may be available on the free market this spring.
If Burns and the Panthers are unable to come to an agreement on a long-term extension, Burns will be among the top defensive free agents this offseason. Before receiving the franchise tag prior to the 2023 season, he apparently requested a contract worth at least $30 million a year, according to ESPN’s David Newton. This was after he recorded 12.5 sacks the year before. Burns has nine sacks this season.
Paying that much for an edge rusher seems excessive, especially considering that Greenard is unlikely to fetch a deal of that magnitude. However, Burns, who turns 26 in April, has a larger build and has produced regularly throughout his NFL career.
In addition, he is less prone to injuries than Greenard, who has never missed a whole season’s worth of games despite missing two this past season.The other well-known Spielberger connected to Houston was Young. The 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year was won by the Washington Commanders No. 2 overall selection, although he did not live up to the fanfare in the years following his debut.
Young had 7.5 sacks in 2020, but in the last three seasons, he has only totaled nine sacks. In addition, he only participated in 12 games between 2021 and 2022 while recovering from an Achilles injury.Young, who turns 25 in April, played for the 49ers for the last nine games of the 2023 campaign, although he only recorded 2.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits. Although he did manage to sack Patrick Mahomes during the Super Bowl, he was unable to have a significant effect on the San Francisco defense. Although it’s unclear exactly what kind of contract Young would prefer, maybe a one-year prove-it deal might encourage him to demonstrate that he is still a skilled NFL pass rusher.
Romeo Okwara of the Detroit Lions and Za’Darius Smith of the Cleveland Browns were both mentioned as potential choices for the Texans. Smith, who turned 32 in October, finished the previous season with 5.5 sacks. In 2023, Okwara will be 29 years old and weigh only 2.0 sacks.
Spielberger conjectured that the AFC South rivals, the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears, might pick up Greenard.