Ed Ingram’s Free Agency Plan Takes Shape
Former Minnesota Vikings guard Ed Ingram will be eligible for free agency in six weeks, but he’s trending to return to Houston. Ingram played quite well in his first season with the Texans, enough to perhaps fetch a second act.
Ingram’s Houston production has boosted his standing in the NFL, putting a meaningful deal within reach when free agency opens.
The Texans didn’t rank near the absolute bottom of the NFL per offensive line performance for once, and they’ll make the trenches a priority this offseason, increasing Ingram’s chances of sticking around.
Texans Plan to Keep Ingram
Ingram may not hit the open market at all.
Texans GM Wants Ingram Back
Ingram’s return to Houston might be elementary. ProFootballRumors.com‘s Ben Levin wrote Monday, “The Texans are expected to make offensive line a priority this offseason, and their efforts could start with re-signing one of their own. GM Nick Caserio told reporters (including Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston) that he expects to have talks with impending free agent lineman Ed Ingram.”
“A former second-round pick by the Vikings, Ingram was dealt to the Texans for a sixth-round pick last offseason. After serving as a rotational lineman during his final season in Minnesota, he returned to a full-time starter role during the 2025 campaign. He graded out as a middling lineman throughout his tenure with the Vikings, but Ingram finished this season 12th among 80 qualifying guards on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings.”
Before the 2025 campaign, Ingram had largely been considered a 2nd-Round draft bust. That reputation has vanished in Houston.
Turning His Career All the Way Around
Ingram quietly finished the season graded as the 12th-best guard in the NFL. That’s not a typo. Minnesota moved him last March for a sixth-round pick, then flipped that pick to San Francisco for Jordan Mason.
At the time, it felt like a Vikings masterclass. Texans fans are the ones gloating now. Ingram looks like a hidden asset who slipped through Minnesota’s cracks, and the league has noticed. His next deal is tracking toward $10–15 million annually.
SI.com‘s Jared Koch on Ingram: “As Ingram hits free agency after his one year with Houston, it feels more than likely that the Texans will be hoping to bring him back for a second season, and possibly more. Having been on a $3.4 million deal for the last season of his rookie contract, Ingram will be bound to get a bit of a pay raise heading into next season.”
“Based on his performance throughout perhaps his best year pro yet, he’ll be bound to get a bit of interest around the market as an appealing starting guard for offensive line-needy teams. Regardless, the Texans will be in talks with his reps for the chance to get an agreement for next season in place, and thus retain a bit more continuity upfront compared to their approach from last offseason.”
A Sequel Just Makes Sense
While Ingram could, in theory, hit the open market in 40 days, it just makes sense for the Texans to re-sign him. They lifted him from the Vikings for a measly 6th-Round pick, and he proceeded to transform into one of the league’s best guards. He’s a former 2nd-Rounder, so he has the talent to remain consistent and not regress to his 2022-2024 form. Houston should keep Ingram if only to capitalize on the trade win over Minnesota.
Too, Ingram won’t totally break the bank. He’s not an elite guard just yet, meaning his next contract won’t tip the scales out of Houston’s range.
The Texans should approach Ingram and free agency this way: if he leaves, they’ll need a replacement guard anyway. Why not retain the in-house commodity that the general manager unearthed from the Vikings for cheap?
The Looming C.J. Stroud Question in Houston
Meanwhile, Houston might have a quarterback problem, which is a bigger fish to fry than Ingram’s free agency. These are C.J. Stroud’s numbers:
C.J. Stroud,
NFL EPA+CPOE Ranking,
Since 2023:
2023: 12th
2024: 28th
2025: 13th
The performance profile is scattered, and the 2025 postseason exposed it. Over the last five postseasons, he ranks 24th of 32 qualifying quarterbacks on 120 dropbacks. The regular season has been survivable, occasionally promising. January has not. Stroud has floundered with the lights brightest.
Of course, the timing couldn’t be worse. Extension talks are approaching for Stroud, and his market trajectory has him circling the $60 million-per-year neighborhood after his rookie surge. Paying Stroud $60 million feels comical at the moment. Houston now has to decide whether an extension even makes sense. A four-year, $240 million deal landing this offseason after the playoff loss to New England would be stunning.
Assuming the Texans exercise patience with Stroud, they’ll need the best offensive line imaginable to enable his success, further lending support to re-upping with Ingram.
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