Duane Brown returns to Texans after nearly 3-month holdout

Despite not getting the new contract he wanted, Houston Texans left tackle Duane Brown reported to the team after holding out for nearly three months, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Texans didn’t budge on a new deal, so Brown eventually came back after missing seven games. Rapoport also reported that Brown is ready to practice.

Guaranteed money, or the lack thereof, was likely the biggest reason that spurred Brown’s holdout. In 2012, he signed a seven-year deal worth up to $56.2 million, with $22.08 million in guarantees. Although Brown is owed $9.4 million in 2017 and $9.75 million in 2018, none of that money is guaranteed, which means the Texans could release him at any time without eating any dead money on their salary cap.

For a 32-year-old offensive lineman with a recent injury history, it’s easy to see why Brown would be anxious about guaranteed money. Getting paid what he felt he was worth, while ensuring that he actually saw some of that money, was no doubt a big motivating factor in Brown skipping training camp and the preseason. His holdout extended into the regular season while teammates like DeAndre Hopkins and C.J. Fiedorowicz got lucrative extensions.

Where do the Texans go from here?

In the short term, Brown is back as an important anchor on the Texans line. He’ll go to work right away protecting the blind side of rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson, while opening up holes for Lamar Miller on the ground. Even at age 32, Brown is a top-tier left tackle and the Texans offense couldn’t afford to miss him for long.

Brown has been with the team his entire career, arriving as a first-round pick in the 2008 NFL draft. He’s long been one of the better left tackles in football, but Brown’s future is something of a question mark as he starts aging out of his prime, and at some point the Texans need to start thinking about life after him. For now, though, they’re just happy to have him back.