Offensive Tackle Braden Smith Signs 2-Year Deal With Houston Texans
Eight years. One hundred and seven games. Countless pancake blocks. And now, just like that, Braden Smith is a Houston Texan.
Smith, the right tackle who spent his entire NFL career protecting quarterbacks in Indianapolis, officially agreed to a two-year, $25 million deal with the Houston Texans — $13.5 million of it fully guaranteed. The news dropped Tuesday courtesy of NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, and it hit Colts Country right in the feelings.
This isn’t just a free agency departure. This is a player Indianapolis drafted in the second round back in 2018, a guy who became a starter from Day 1, earned a contract extension in 2021 that made him the highest-paid right tackle in the entire league at the time, and was a cornerstone of that offensive line for nearly a decade. Now he’s suiting up for a division rival.
What Made Smith So Special In Indianapolis
To understand why this stings, you have to understand what Smith brought to the table when he was healthy and rolling. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz put it plainly before free agency kicked off: Smith ranked 34th out of 68 qualifying players in pass block win rate last season, sitting at a solid 90.6%. That might not scream “elite” at first glance, but in a league where offensive linemen are constantly getting torched by speed rushers, 90.6% is genuinely good football.
And the run blocking? That was where Smith really made his money. He was physical, nasty, and exactly the kind of right tackle you want when you’re trying to hammer the football down a defense’s throat. Jonathan Taylor had a massive stretch of dominance last season, and Smith’s work at right tackle was a quiet but significant piece of that puzzle.
Over 107 career games, 105 starts, he built himself a legitimate NFL legacy in blue and white.
The Injury Factor That Changed Everything
Of course, it wasn’t all clean pockets and highlight reels. Smith has dealt with a real and serious journey over the past couple of years that goes well beyond football. He missed the final five games of the 2024 season for the Colts due to what was listed as a non-football illness. He later revealed publicly that he had been battling a debilitating case of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Smith fought back. He returned last season, started 13 games, and showed he still had the tools to compete at a high level in this league. That comeback story is genuinely one of the more inspiring arcs in recent NFL memory. The guy walked away, got healthy, and came back and performed. That’s not easy. That’s not something you just gloss over.
Why the Colts Let Smith Walk
As much as losing Smith hurts emotionally, the Colts’ decision to move on actually makes a fair amount of football sense. When he went down with injury last season, Indianapolis turned to rookie Jalen Travis at right tackle. Over 175 pass blocking snaps, Travis allowed just 12 pressures and 1 sack. He also graded out well as a run blocker by PFF’s metrics. That is not bad. That is a rookie holding his own in a starting role on a real NFL offensive line.
The Colts just did the same thing a year earlier, moving on from veterans Ryan Kelly and Will Fries in favor of second-year players Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves. That youth movement worked. Indianapolis may be betting that it works again here.
Smith Heads To Houston With Plenty Left in the Tank
For his part, Smith lands in a solid situation with the Texans. Houston has been actively reshaping its offensive line this offseason, re-signing Trent Brown and Ed Ingram while also moving on from Tytus Howard and Juice Scruggs via trade. Smith slides in as a proven veteran presence, a run blocker who can help clear lanes for whatever the Texans run game shapes up to be.
At 29 years old, Smith has enough left to be a real contributor. And with $13.5 million fully guaranteed, the Texans clearly believe in what he brings.
For Colts fans, the hard part isn’t watching Smith sign a contract. It’s watching him sign with Houston. Smith knows those secondaries. He knows those defenses. He knows exactly what it means to compete in that division.
