2022 NFL Free Agency: Houston Texans Sign Ogbo Okoronkwo to a One-Year Contract

The Houston Texans need pass rushers. Aside from Jonathan Greenard, whose production quieted down the stretch, the Texans had zero source of exterior pass rush. Jordan Jenkins and Demarcus Walker ran around a lot. Jacob Martin usually strikes out, and rarely connects, on his continuous chop-rip, undersized and devoured by enormous offensive tackles. The Texans found themselves a bargain option in Ogbo Okoronkwo to help their edge rush.

Pass rush win rate is a fake stat, but Okoronkwo fares well in this regard. He has a nifty spin move and has devoured some of the worst offensive tackles in the league thanks to it. He’s produced some despite playing an average of a quarter of the defensive snaps, turning 29% of the Rams snaps into 2 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, and 2 hurries last year.

The Texans are hoping a larger role for Okoronkwo will lead to greater production. Unlike Jenkins and Walker a year before, at the age of 26, and the scant role he’s played, Okoronkwo has upside. Maybe he can turn into a consistent pass rush threat, or maybe he’ll just be a three sack a year guy, but there’s at least youth, flashes, and unknown here. Okoronkwo is something Houston desperately needs.