The Houston Texans have agreed to trade starting right tackle Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round draft pick, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Howard will receive a three-year, $63 million extension from the Browns, his agent told Schefter.
The trade, which cannot be finalized until the start of the new league year on March 11, marks the first move in what is expected to be a major offensive line overhaul this offseason for the Browns.
Only one Week 1 offensive line starter — tackle Dawand Jones, who is rehabbing from a serious leg injury — is under contract for the 2026 season.
Cleveland ranked 20th in pass block win rate and 24th in run block win rate in the 2025 season.
The Texans now have only two offensive line starters under contract in tackle Aireontae Ersery and center Jake Andrews. Right guard Ed Ingram and right tackle Trent Brown are free agents, so there’s a chance the Texans could have a completely revamped offensive line in 2026 after going through a massive changeup last offseason.
Howard, who turns 30 in May, has spent his entire seven-year career with the Texans, starting 93 games. This past season, he started games at right tackle, right guard and left guard. As a tackle, Howard ranked 52nd out of 68 qualifying tackles in pass block win rate and 49th in run block win rate.
This is the second straight year the Browns and Texans have agreed to a trade for an offensive tackle. Cleveland also made a midseason trade for Cam Robinson, who started 13 games but is an impending unrestricted free agent.
It also marks the second year in a row that Houston traded its best offensive lineman after sending left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders for draft picks in 2025. Howard had one of his better seasons as a pro after allowing a 4.8% pressure rate and a 1.1% quick pressure rate, according to Next Gen Stats.
Those were career-best marks, and only seven qualifying players (200+ pass blocks) allowed a lower pressure rate than Howard’s 5.8% mark on his 171 pass blocks at left guard, according to Next Gen Stats.
ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime contributed to this report.
