Houston Texans pass rusher Azeez Al-Shaair could suffer unintended consequences from his three-game suspension. The league suspended the six-year veteran following his late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, costing him three game checks and quite a bit of guaranteed money. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Al-Shaair’s suspension voids the $9 million guaranteed base salary for the upcoming season.
Prior to the suspension, Al-Shaair’s contract ensured that he would remain with the organization for at least one more season. However, this report gives Houston a way out of the contract if they so desire. By cutting him in the offseason, the Texans could save $9 million in cap space while taking a dead hit of just $2.2 million. While General Manager Nick Caserio has supported Azeez Al-Shaair throughout the suspension process, it will be difficult to ignore the potential savings.
Seeing as Houston is projected to have just $12.9 million in 2025 cap space, the team might decide to part ways with the veteran. Through 10 games, the veteran recorded two sacks, 68 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, seven quarterback hits, and a 73.9 PFF grade. He’s a good player, but the cash-strapped Texans might decide they need the money more than another linebacker. If he leaves, he could land with the Carolina Panthers or Baltimore Ravens.
Azeez Al-Shaair Suspension Could Lead to Texans Departure
First-year head coach Dave Canales and General Manager Dan Morgan entered the offseason with the monumental task of trying to fix the Carolina Panthers. Knowing they couldn’t fix everything in just one offseason, the two prioritized the offense, signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis while acquiring pass-catching weapons in Diontae Johnson, first-round pick Xavier Legette, fourth-round pick Ja’Tavion Sanders, and undrafted free agent Jalen Coker. Most of these moves worked out, as Carolina has a few foundational pieces on the offensive side of the ball. Now, it’s time to turn the attention to the defense.
After losing Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu in the offseason, the Panthers defense ranks at or near the bottom of just about every meaningful statistic. Former first-overall pick Bryce Young is showing signs of life, but the Alabama product isn’t ready to compensate for a terrible defense. Signing Azeez Al-Shaair won’t fix everything, but he’d be a good first step in solidifying the front seven. Seeing as they play in a weak division, perhaps the Panthers could make a run at the postseason if they sign the right players during free agency.
Fixing A Contender
The Baltimore Ravens will make the playoffs, but they’re not as dominant as the 2023 iteration of the team. While Derrick Henry’s presence improved the run game and overall offense, the defense took a major step back in 2024. Losing more free agents than they could replace, Baltimore must spend the offseason adding reinforcements to a unit that isn’t carrying their share of the weight. While the team could use another defensive back and pass rusher, they will probably target another linebacker.
This team misses Patrick Queen, as Roquan Smith and third-round pick Trenton Simpson aren’t the same without him. Azeez Al-Shaair isn’t the same player as Queen, but he’s an above-average starter who could fit well into this scheme. Nobody gets more out of linebackers than the Ravens, so Al-Shaair should welcome the opportunity to play on this defense.
Main Photo: Corey Perrine – USA Today Sports
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