WELCOME TO HOUSTON
DeMeco Ryans finds the Texans answer up the middle by adding a familiar face
Mar 13, 2024, 5:21 pm
The Texans' new linebacker played for DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco. Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images.
The Houston Texans still have spots to fill, as we're only three days into free agency. But they have addressed linebacker with the signing of former Titan and 49er, Azeez Al-Shaair.
Al-Shaair played for DeMeco in San Francisco, and was a target of the Texans in free agency last season. Al-Shaair opted to sign a 1-year deal with the Titans instead of coming to Houston.
This year, DeMeco got his man signing Al-Shaair to a 3-year, $34 million deal, per KPRC 2's Aaron Wilson.
#Texans three-year, $34M deal for Azeez Al-Shaair: $21.5M gtd, $11 million signing bonus, salaries $1.5M (gtd), $9M (gtd), $11M; $29,412 per game active roster bonus annual up to $500K
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 12, 2024
Just two years ago, Al-Shaair was a member of the best linebacker trio in the NFL. Playing alongside 49ers' Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. But with his contract expiring with the 49ers after the 2022 season, it was time for Al-Shaair to go be the main guy on a new team. And after one season with Tennessee, it's time for him to do it in Houston.
With Denzel Perryman and Blake Cashman leaving in free agency, Houston needed to add to the position group. Al-Shaair will join Christian Harris in the Texans' linebacker room. Who will fill the third role is yet to be determined. But that's a great duo at linebacker, and the Texans play a ton of nickel coverage, with only 2 linebackers on the field.
What does Al-Shaair bring to the table?
Al-Shaair isn't quite as good in coverage as Cashman or Harris, per PFF. But he's great against the run, recording over 150 tackles last season.
The 26-year-old Al-Shaair should be an immediate upgrade at linebacker, or DeMeco wouldn't have given him a bigger contract than Cashman received. And don't be surprised if we see Christian Harris taking over some coverage duties left behind by Cashman.
In the video above, Craig from Sports Talk Extra uses some numbers from PFF to illustrate how DeMeco Ryans could deploy his new handpicked linebacker.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.