There’s a new “Agent Zero” taking over the Houston Texans‘ defense in 2024.
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will change from No. 2 to No. 0 as the new man up the middle for the Texans, the team announced Wednesday. He will become the fourth Texans player in franchise history to don the number since teams were allowed to assign the jersey last season.
Three different players wore No. 0 in 2023. Desmond King initially grabbed the jersey during training camp but was waived during the final roster cuts last season. Shaquill Griffin switched numbers before the start of the regular season but was cut following a Week 12 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The newest 0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/NTsyd5s99Q
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) April 10, 2024
Adrian Amos, who was picked up off waivers from the New York Jets, wore the number for the remainder of the season as Houston clinched its first division title in four years, but rarely saw action on defense. In five games, he recorded five tackles, four of which were on kickoffs and punts.
Signed a three-year, $34 million deal this offseason, Al-Shaair should don the persona for at least the entirety of the 2024 campaign. He’s coming off a career season where he finished fifth in tackles with 163 stops.
A standout No. 3 linebacker in San Francisco under now-Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, Al-Shaair considered reuniting with his former defensive coordinator last season, but elected to ink a one-year deal worth $5 million with AFC South rival Tennessee.
In Houston, Al-Shaair should take over as the full-time MIKE linebacker in place of Denzel Perryman and Blake Chasman. Both were stable options for an improved run defense, but the Texans felt comfortable watching both walk in free agency last month.
Perryman, a former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers, returned out west on a one-year deal. Cashman, who led the Texans with 104 tackles, returned to his home state of Minnesota, inking a three-year contract with the Vikings.
That time when the newest Texans, Azeez Al-Shaair and Denico Autry, combined to force Deshaun Watson into the stupidest play in NFL history.
— Jeremy Branham (@JeremyBranham) March 12, 2024
Entering draft weekend, Houston should feel content with two of its three linebacker spots. Al-Shaair can play all three spots, but started up the middle last season under Mike Vrabel’s 3-4 defensive look.
Third-year pro Christian Harris should command the WILL backer spot after recording career-highs in tackles (102), sacks (2) and pass breakups (7).
The Texans still could target another linebacker prospect to split reps with second-year standout Henry To’oTo’o during the mid-rounds of this month’s draft. Houston owns nine picks, including two selections in the second and fourth round.
