Free agent offensive tackle Braden Smith reached agreement with the Houston Texans on a two-year, $25 million contract that includes $13.5 million fully guaranteed, agent Michael Perrett of Priority Sports told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
It's the latest move made by the Texans this offseason to address their offensive line, following the agreements to re-sign Trent Brown and Ed Ingram. Houston also traded offensive tackle Tytus Howard (to the Cleveland Browns) and interior lineman Juice Scruggs (to the Detroit Lions) last week.
Smith, 29, made a successful return to the NFL last season after missing the final five games of 2024 for the Indianapolis Colts because of mental health challenges. Smith ended that season on the non-football illness list, revealing later that he was dealing with a debilitating case of obsessive compulsive disorder.
But he came back last season after a breakthrough and started 13 games for the Colts at right tackle. Known for his powerful run blocking, Smith was part of an offensive line that helped running back Jonathan Taylor dominate most of the season before a late fall off following the team's quarterback injuries.
Smith is a 2018 second-round pick of the Colts who became a starter from Day 1 in his career. That success helped him earn a lucrative contract extension in 2021 that made him the league's highest-paid right tackle at the time.
He has appeared in 107 games, starting 105, during his eight NFL seasons.
ESPN's Stephen Holder contributed to this report.
