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Folorunso Fatukasi's return to the Houston Texans is an ominous sign for some of his current teammates.
The Houston Texans boasted the 11th-ranked run defense during the 2024 regular season, and they are bringing back a key part of that in defensive lineman Folorunso “Foley” Fatukasi, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on X on May 7.
He spent the 2024 season with the Texans after four seasons with the New York Jets to start his career and two more with the Jacksonville Jaguars after that.
Fatukasi’s return is an ominous sign for players lower on the Texans’ depth chart.
“The terms were not immediately available. His signing will likely bring the Texans roster back to 91, meaning they’ll need to release or waive another player to make room,” the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander wrote on May 7.
“Fatukasi was a late signing because he finished the year with a shoulder injury that kept him in and out of the lineup. He is presumably healthy now.”
NFL teams are permitted to keep 90 players throughout the preseason.
Teams must whittle their rosters down to 53 players by the end of the final week of the preseason. However, a move to reach the 90-man limit should be forthcoming once Fatukasi’s return to the Texans is made official.
Per Spotrac, the Texans have 16 players whom they could cut without incurring a dead salary cap penalty.
Foley Fatukasi a Difference-Maker for the Texans
GettyFolorunso Fatukasi made a big difference in the run game for the Houston Texans.
The Texans allowed 114 rushing yards per game in 2024. Alexander points out there was a “noticeable” difference when Fatukasi was on the field for the Texans.
“In the games Fatukasi did not play, opposing teams averaged 125.5 rushing yards per game against the Texans,” Alexander wrote. “In the games he did play, opposing teams rushed for 107.7 rushing yards per game against them.”
Will Anderson Jr. sets the edge
Folorunso Fatukasi uses great lateral movement while engaged with his block
Tim Settle Jr. gets reached, but uses the blocker’s body to plug the run lane
Danielle Hunter works flat down the LOS to get in on the tackle! #StopTheRun #HTownMade
Alexander noted the Texans’ interior defensive line group now stands at eight players.
Notably, none of those players are in that group that would not leave the Texans with dead money if cut. The Texans released defensive tackle Jayden Peevy last week.
Fatukasi finished ranked third among the Texans’ defensive tackle group in snap share in 2024 behind Tim Settle (57%) and Mario Edwards ($42.5%), posting a 28% share, per Pro Football Reference.
Injuries Folorunso Fatukasi’s Red Flag
GettyFolorunso Fatukasi’s injury history marred his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fatukasi has earned more than $30.9 million in his career, per Over The Cap. However, his previous deal with the Texans was a one-year, $5.1 million pact. If there is any reason for hesitancy, it would be his injury history.
That is what hindered and ultimately led to the end of his time with the Jaguars.
“The club restructured his deal last offseason to free cap space — saving the team nearly $6 million,” The Florida Times-Union’s Juston Lewis wrote after the Jaguars released Fatukasi in March 2024. “Despite dealing with injury issues, he played an average of 43% of snaps for Jacksonville over the last two years.
“Ultimately, Fatukasi and the interior defensive line were seen as underperformers for the Jaguars.”
Foley Fatukasi is back with the Texans! Stacked DL in Hou, especially stopping the run.
Fatukasi has never played a full regular-season schedule in his career.
