HOUSTON — The Texans continue to redo their offensive line as they acquired Minnesota Vikings guard Ed Ingram in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick on Thursday.
Ingram, 26, was a second-round pick in 2022, chosen at No. 59 overall. The Vikings installed him as a starter early in his first training camp and were determined to give him a long runway to establish himself as a long-term starter. But Ingram struggled for large portions of the next two seasons.
The Vikings signed veteran Dalton Risner to compete with Ingram during training camp in 2024, but Risner suffered a back injury that cost him the first half of the season. But once he regained his health, Risner replaced Ingram as the starter at right guard for the final eight games of the season.
This is a continuation of moves to improve a unit that allowed quarterback C.J. Stroud to be pressured on 38.6% of his dropbacks, the third most, according to Next Gen Stats and sacked 52 times, second most in 2024.
Before the start of free agency, Houston released starting right guard Shaq Mason.
On Monday, Houston traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders for third- and seventh-rounders in 2025 and second- and fourth-rounders in 2026. The Commanders also will receive a fourth-round pick this spring from Houston.
On Tuesday, the Texans improved their secondary through the offensive line by trading left guard Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The same day Houston agreed to a deal with free agent left guard Laken Tomlinson after he spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks, extending his track record of durability by starting all 17 games at left guard and playing in over 99% of the team’s offensive snaps.
Tomlinson, 33, allowed the sixth-highest pressure rate (9.1%) and the most sacks (11) among left guards with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps last season according to Next Gen Stats.
And on Thursday, they added Ingram after he struggled throughout his tenure in Minnesota. As a rookie, he tripped then-Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins three times to scuttle plays. In the 2023 season opener, meanwhile, Ingram knocked the ball out of Cousins’ hands while pulling to make a block.
Before getting benched in 2024, Ingram allowed a pressure rate of 10% according to Next Gen Stats. He should have familiarity with the scheme the Texans are going to run since first year offensive coordinator Nick Caley and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell come from Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay’s tree.
