Houston Texans plan to sign Jeff Okudah to one-year deal

The Houston Texans have made a move to bolster up their secondary ahead of the 2024 season, with NFL insider Tom Pelissero reporting Monday that the team plans to sign Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah ahead of free agency.

According to Pelissero, Okudah will be signing a one-year contract with the Texans worth up to $6 million, confirmed by Okudah’s agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown. With Aaron Wilson reporting that the contract is a $4.75 million deal with $2.5 million guaranteed and a $1.5 million signing bonus.

Houston will represent the third stop of Okudah’s young NFL career after being the No. 3 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions following a unanimous All-American season at Ohio State in 2019.

The start of Okudah’s NFL career was highlighted by injuries, appearing in just nine games in his rookie season with the Lions after suffering a hamstring injury during training camp and a core muscle injury that required surgery and put an early end to his first season in the NFL.

In the first game of the 2021 season Okudah ruptured his Achilles tendon and he would miss the entire year, bouncing back in 2022 where he’d play and start in a career-high 15 games for Detroit. With the 2022 season still representing the strongest of his career with 73 tackles, seven defended passes, a forced fumble, and an interception that he returned for a touchdown.

During the 2023 offseason Okudah was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Appearing in 13 games with nine starts last season for the Falcons where he’d record 44 tackles and three pass breakups.

Okudah returns to his home state of Texas after being ranked as the top cornerback in the nation out of South Grand Prairie High School in 2017 according to the On3 Industry Ranking. And will likely have the opportunity to be the No. 2 cornerback for the Texans playing opposite of another former first round pick Derek Stingley.

Houston’s defense greatly improved last season under new head coach DeMeco Ryans, allowing 24.7 points and 379.5 yards per game in 2022 and 20.8 points with 330.7 yards per game last season to help make their first playoff appearance since the 2019 season. As Okudah will look to help Houston maintain their recent success while also proving he can still live up to his high school and collegiate hype.