Brandon

Dunn

Dunn played a career-high 451 snaps in 2020 before a fractured hip ended his year. His recovery went well – he noted in July that his hip was back at 100% – but the Texans evidently decided to go in another direction. Still just 28 years old, the veteran defensive lineman will now have to look for a new team.

Dunn played only 12 healthy games in 2020 before fracturing his hip in Week 14. Dunn set a career high in snaps played with 451, but while he played a lot, he did not play particularly well. Dunn was PFF’s 207th graded interior defensive lineman out of the 217 who played a snap. Dunn is entering the second year of a three-year contract. Next year the soon to be 29 year-old will save the fully rebuilding Texans $3.75 million if released.

Signed to a new three-year deal in the offseason, Dunn started all 13 games and played 50% of the Texans’ snaps this season before leaving on a cart in Week 14 against the Bears. He was re-signed to help replace NT D.J. Reader, who left for the Bengals in free agency.

The deal includes $4 million guaranteed. Initially scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, Dunn’s agreement implies impending free agent DT D.J. Reader could have one foot out the door. Dunn’s counting stats (25 tackles and one sack) were lacking in ’19 but he did soak up the third-most snaps (399) among Houston’s defensive interior. The Texans would ultimately have more patchwork to do in their trenches if Reader is indeed on his way out.

Dunn played 376 rotational snaps along the Texans’ defensive front last season. He has zero career sacks through 47 career games with Chicago and Houston. Dunn was undrafted and will make $2.025 million in 2019.