Banished Viking Somehow Grabs Starting Job in Houston
The Minnesota Vikings cut ties with offensive guard Ed Ingram in March, and after some summer uncertainty for the LSU alumnus, Ingram indeed won a starter’s job in Houston.
A jettisoned Viking has somehow earned a starting gig in Houston, surprising purple fans and causing conversation about his role in 2025.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah snagged a 6th-Round pick for Ingram six months ago, flipping that draft capital to the San Francisco 49ers for running back Jordan Mason.
But on the other side of the deal, Houston evidently found a starter.
The Texans Are Really Doing It with Ed Ingram
Ingram stands alone at right guard on the HOU depth chart.
Ed Ingram to Start at RG for the Texans
NFL teams published their formal depth charts on Monday and Tuesday. And when Houston got down to brass tacks, Ingram got the call at right guard.
The Texans representative at Sleeper.com tweeted Tuesday:
The Texans starting OL and how they ended up in Houston:
LT – Aireontae Ersery (25’ 2nd Rounder)
LG – Laken Tomlinson (25’ Free Agent)
C – Jake Andrews (25’ Waiver Claim)
RG – Ed Ingram (25’ Trade)
RT – Tytus HowardThis has to be one of the most uniquely built groups in the NFL.
Plain as day, there’s Ingram at right guard. There’s not much debate or ambiguity about it.
An Offensive Line Shift from Houston Compared to Preseason
A few weeks ago, former Vikings left tackle Cam Robinson was on tap to start for Houston. Instead, Aireontae Ersery, a rookie from the University of Minnesota, won the LT post. A 6th-Rounder from 2023, Jarrett Patterson, was supposed to be the primary center. Jake Andrews had other plans.
Tytus Howard, not Ed Ingram, was penciled in at right guard, but DeMeco Ryans and friends moved Howard to right tackle while promoting Ingram to RG, his organic position. Blake Fisher was the odd man out, originally pegged for RT1 at training camp but now listed as Howard’s backup.
To a degree, Ingram was the last man standing.
Ingram Failure to Launch in Minnesota
Minnesota drafted Ingram at the dawn of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell era. A 2nd-Round pick, fans had big plans for Ingram, as 2018 to 2021 involved pitiful offensive line combinations, especially at the guard spots.
But like nearly every member of Adofo-Mensah’s 2022 draft class, Ingram didn’t take off in the Twin Cities, despite over two seasons’ worth of games as a starter. Ingram’s Pro Football Focus marks always checked in below 60.0, and his development just never took off.
Correspondingly, Minnesota cut bait with Ingram this offseason, signing accomplished free agent Will Fries from the Indianapolis Colts.
A Fresh Start
Thankfully for his sake, Ingram has an opportunity to totally revitalize his career in Houston. Just because he struggled as a Viking doesn’t mean his woes will carry over to a new team.
Houston is starved for an offensive line turnaround — not unlike Minnesota four years ago — and perhaps a geographical cure will help fix Ingram.
After all, some NFLers are merely late bloomers. Stay tuned on Ingram. He’s only 26.
Texans-Themed Media on the Offensive Line
Texans general manager Nick Caserio spent the offseason changing his offensive line, one notorious for underwhelming performance.
SI.com‘s Ben Cooper wrote about the group last month: ‘General manager Nick Caserio was active in retooling the Houston Texans roster around quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Texans have won back-to-back AFC South titles with Stroud as their quarterback, but have fallen in the Divisional Round each year.”
“Caserio made some big moves to shake up the offensive line this offseason. They traded away five-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders, moving on from one of the best left tackles in the NFL. Houston signed Cam Robinson in free agency to replace Tunsil while adding tackle Aireontae Ersery in the second round of the draft. The Texans’ reworked offensive line will look to improve upon a disappointing 2024 season.”
Most NFL ranking outfits consider Houston’s offensive line the worst in the NFL or near the bottom — probably why the franchise is starting Ingram.
Cooper added, “Stroud was sacked 52 times in 2024, which was the second most in the NFL. For Houston to make a deep playoff run, they will need their offensive line to be more consistent and play at a higher level.”
“Caserio emphasized the importance of consistency and eliminating mental errors. If the offensive line can protect Stroud, it could lead to the Texans’ offense being one of the best in the league.”
Minnesota will play Houston again in 2028.
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