CJ Stroud’s offense has just been blessed with a “German Tank” in the latest round of moves in free agency. Yep, the Texans have an international gift for their former Offensive Rookie of the Year as he enters his 3rd season in the NFL. They are bringing a Stuttgart native to Houston to add a bit of German flair to their offense. At first glance, this move could seem like a surprise, but once you look closely, it is a well-planned gamble.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has just announced that the Texans are signing free-agent FB Jakob Johnson on a 1-year deal. Johnson’s arrival in Houston reunites him with former Patriots TE and FB coach Nick Caley. Caley, who is now the new Texans’ offensive coordinator, may have pushed for Johnson’s signing as he is a fan of the German Native.

Once, Caley described the 6-foot-3, 255-pound German as “Any time you can see the big guy get out in the open field. He got to use the stiff arm there.” Johnson comes into the Texans offense having racked up 19 career receptions for 105 yards and only 1 TD with 11 career tackles. Last season, he only played 3 games with the Giants after they decided to cut him off in November for their final roster cuts. Before his brief stint in the Big Apple, Johnson was with the Raiders, where he spent two seasons playing both on offense and special teams.

In his first year for Black and Silver, Johnson appeared in all 17 games, which earned him a $1.6M contract extension. However, in his final year in Vegas, Johnson only started 5 games while appearing in 13. But his career in the NFL started with the Patriots, who scooped him up via the International Player Pathway Program. Yep, after graduating from Tennessee, Johnson went back to his hometown to play for Stuttgart Scorpions in the German Football League.

After spending a year that saw him catch 43 passes for 474 yards and 4 TDs, the Patriots got him in 2019. He even etched his name in the NFL record books as the first offensive player from Germany to score a TD. A one-yard TD reception from then-Patriots QB Cam Newton in 2020 helped Johnson leave a lasting German impression in New England.

Staying on the offensive side of things. Who knows? Johnson’s arrival wouldn’t have been possible if the Texans hadn’t taken away a key member of CJ Stroud’s offensive line.

Texans 5-time Pro Bowler’s exit—A sacrifice for the greater good

The Texans’ offensive line was the 3rd worst in the NFL last season, allowing 54 sacks. However, their 5-time Pro Bowler left tackle Laremy Tunsil only allowed 2 sacks from his side. So, wasn’t he supposed to stay and help the Texans sort out their pass protection to CJ Stroud? Well, to everyone’s surprise, the answer turned out to be a—No. After the Texans decided to fire offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and OL coach Chris Strausser. They also decided to cash in on Tunsil while he is still a hot prospect in the market.

In exchange for a 4-round pick and Tunsil, the Texans got a 2025 3rd-round pick, a 2025 7th-round pick and a 2026 4th-round pick from the Commanders. Serving as a cornerstone to the Texans offensive line for almost 6 seasons, Tunsil’s departure was bound to raise questions. However, the answers to those questions were pretty simple. The move was strictly financial, nothing else. Tunsil still had two years left on his 3-year, $75M extension in 2023. And he was almost certain to ask for an extension soon after the Texans had already made him one of the highest-paid OL in the league two times.

But they weren’t willing to do it this time around. Tunsil is already on the wrong side of 30, and moving him saves the Texans $14M in cap space. So, it was a no-brainer for the Texans, considering the financial ramifications involved with keeping him. Maybe it was their bold move with Tunsil that eventually allowed them to bring Jakob Jackson to the fold. Now, only time will tell whether this decision to choose money over a 5-time Pro Bowler’s services ends up being a boon or a bane. What do you think?