Markus Golden
Aside from Clowney, it’s surprising to see Markus Golden still available in free agency. In his first season starting in all 16 games, Golden was able to notch 10 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and a career-best 27 quarterback knockdowns with the New York Giants in 2019.
Before joining the Giants, Golden was inconsistent in his first four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. However, this past season showed that Golden can be a disruptive force off of the edge when given a larger role.
Golden, who turned 29 years old earlier this month, is one of the younger, sensible options that the Texans have in free agency. Even if Houston is hesitant on signing Golden long-term, they could bring him in on a one-year, prove-it deal like the Giants did last offseason.
Instead of taking a shot in the dark at a rookie edge defender, the Texans should at least kick the tires on Golden this offseason. In the event that Golden can be had on a team-friendly deal, Houston shouldn’t hesitate to get a deal done with him in the near future.