Braden Smith’s move to Houston was supposed to give the Texans a steady answer at right tackle. Instead, it has quickly turned into a battle just to get on the field.
Smith signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Texans this offseason after leaving the Indianapolis Colts, the team that had long built around its offensive line. Indianapolis had an up-and-coming option waiting in Jalen Travis, so the Colts didn’t exactly stand in the way when Smith moved on to join what looked like the hottest team in the AFC South.
But the plan hasn’t played out cleanly. Smith’s injury issues, the same ones that have followed him in 2023 and 2024, surfaced again during the offseason program. That opened the door for Trent Brown to take most of the first-team work, and Brown has kept that momentum going through training camp.
Brown’s case is stronger than just camp buzz, too. He started eight games for Houston last season, seven in the regular season and one in the playoffs, and the Texans won all eight.
Even while dealing with injuries, he gave up only one sack. According to the reporting, he has picked up right where he left off, putting together strong first two weeks of camp.
That has led Houston to list Smith and Brown as “or” on the unofficial depth chart, which leaves the situation basically unresolved. Smith was expected to be DeMeco Ryans’ starter at right tackle the moment he arrived, but now that job looks far from secure.
The Texans still chose to bring Brown back on a $5.5 million deal, even with the injury concerns that came with him. The twist is that Smith, despite more than 100 career games, may not offer much more certainty at this point.
For the Colts, the fallout is favorable. The Texans’ offensive line shuffle is good news for Indianapolis and its new-look pass rush.
C.J. Stroud, as the source notes, is not known for efficient decision-making when he has a clean pocket, so the pressure only increases if he’s forced to move under duress on every dropback.
For Smith, it’s a reminder that the grass isn’t always greener. He may have landed on a team with a better overall outlook, but he also might not play much at all. Meanwhile, the Colts appear set with a younger, cheaper, and healthier replacement.
In pro sports, loyalty rarely lasts long. Players make business decisions, and teams do the same. But in this case, Smith’s decision is looking a lot less like a fresh start and a lot more like instant karma.
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