Texans Shore Up Left Tackle Spot With Long-Time Veteran

Cam Robinson has emerged as one of the premier players available in the current market for left tackles. His talent has drawn the attention of multiple teams eager to secure his services. After much deliberation, Robinson ultimately decided to reach a pivotal agreement with the Houston Texans on a one-year, $14.5 million deal. In the wake of Houston's struggles along the offensive line during the 2024 season, addressing these issues became a top priority heading into 2025. Instead of aggressively pursuing new talent in free agency, however, the Texans made a series of surprising moves. They traded away cornerstone left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington for a valuable package of draft picks, and they dealt the underperforming guard Kenyon Green to Philadelphia—leaving many to question their strategy. These two moves left multiple heads spinning, questioning Houston's approach to the offseason.

Robinson's journey in the NFL over the past year has been tumultuous, spending 2024 with two different teams. He began the season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but midway through, he was acquired by the Minnesota Vikings in an in-season trade to fill the void left by their injured starter, Christian Darrisaw. This transition was not for the faint of heart; it required Robinson to quickly adapt to a new offensive scheme while assuming the critical role of blindside protector for quarterback Sam Darnold.

Selected as a second-round pick by the Jaguars in 2017, Robinson has consistently shown his mettle as a reliable tackle throughout his career. His performance was commendable enough for Jacksonville to franchise tag him twice—in both 2021 and 2022—a testament to their recognition of his abilities. Unfortunately, as the team fell to one of the lowest tiers in the NFL by 2024, it became clear that new directions were necessary, prompting them to part ways with a player who had once been a cornerstone of their offensive line. Now, Robinson will have the job of protecting quarterback C.J. Stroud as Houston looks to compete for a title yet again this season.