Cam Robinson, a free-agent offensive tackle, is reportedly set to join the Houston Texans on a one-year contract, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Sources say the deal has the potential to be worth up to $14.5 million next season, as per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
This move by the Texans comes hot on the heels of their recent trade of All-Pro tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders, a deal that saw them receive a collection of draft picks for 2025 and 2026. Now, Robinson will bolster an offensive line that has already seen the addition of guard Laken Tomlinson. Other key figures on this line include tackles Tytus Howard and Blake Fisher, guard Juice Scruggs, and center Jarrett Patterson. Last year, even with Tunsil on board, the line struggled, allowing Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud to be sacked 52 times, a figure tied for third-most in the league.
At 29, Robinson brings with him a wealth of experience, having spent the majority of his career, 7½ seasons to be precise, with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He made a mid-season move to the Minnesota Vikings last year, stepping in for the injured Christian Darrisaw.
Robinson quickly adapted, making his debut start for the Vikings merely five days post-trade. During his stint, he started 11 games, including those in the postseason, and was part of an impressive nine-game winning streak. However, the Vikings’ run was eventually halted with defeats by the Detroit Lions in the regular season finale and the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs’ wild-card round.
Though he filled an urgent need for the Vikings, the comparisons to Darrisaw were inevitable, and the gap in performance was apparent. Robinson ranked 25th in pass block win rate and 45th in run block win rate among all tackles after joining the team.
Statistically, according to Next Gen Stats, Robinson allowed a concerning pressure rate of 12.1% among left tackles with 500 or more pass blocking snaps, positioning him with the third-highest pressure rate, coupled with being responsible for the fourth-most sacks (nine).
A second-round draft pick by the Jaguars in 2017, Robinson has only completed two full seasons—2020 and 2024. His career has been punctuated by injuries and a notable four-game suspension in 2023 due to a breach of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, which sidelined him in multiple seasons.
This report was supported by contributions from ESPN’s Kevin Seifert and DJ Bien-Aime.
