Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud enjoyed stronger offensive line protection last season with 23 sacks, and he can expect similar results in 2026.
That’s because the Texans improved the offensive line on Tuesday with the addition of former Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Braden Smith. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Smith “reached an agreement” for a two-year, $25 million contract, which will include $13.5 million fully guaranteed.
Smith played for the Colts from 2018 to 2025 after the team took him in the second round of the 2018 draft out of Auburn. He has 105 career starts, and he has played in at least 10 games every season in his career.
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Last season, Smith started 13 games and helped the Colts offense thrive in both run and pass protection. Colts running back Jonathan Taylor cut loose again with 1,585 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns. Quarterbacks only took 29 sacks overall, and most of those were Daniel Jones getting sacked during the first 13 games of the season.
Pro Football Focus gave Smith a 65.3 overall grade, which is 50th among offensive tackles. Smith’s pass blocking grade of 71.9 was 36th in the league, and his run blocking grade of 58 was 64th in the league.
Houston will need a stronger season from Smith in run blocking to help running back Woody Marks build on a solid 2025 season. Marks had 703 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 196 carries.
Smith will be asked to step up big for the offense, as the Texans want to win now after a 12-5 season and a Divisional Round appearance. Last season, Houston’s passing game ranked No. 14 for total yards at 3,120 and No. 22 for rushing at 1,593 yards.
Stroud fared well with last season’s offensive line as he threw for 3,041 yards and 19 touchdowns versus eight interceptions. He also rushed for 209 yards and a touchdown on 48 carries last year.
Smith can help Stroud improve on both with better blocking in 2026.
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