Before the season began, it was clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers might not keep veteran guard James Daniels, who is in the penultimate year of his contract, following the 2024 season.
Daniels signed a three-year, $26 million contract with the Steelers in 2022 and has been an excellent starter for the team during that time. However, that was insufficient for Pittsburgh to extend him over the offseason, which was especially difficult for Daniels after sustaining a season-ending ruptured Achilles injury in Week 4.
The Steelers have watched rookie guard Mason McCormick step up big time in Daniels’ absence, increasing the likelihood that he will be gone next year. The 2024 fourth-round pick has excelled in pass protection, where he has yet to allow a sack in 307 pass-block snaps this season. With Daniels likely to leave Pittsburgh next year, Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes the 27-year-old could end up with the Houston Texans in 2025.
The Texans’ offensive line has been a complete catastrophe this season, allowing 40 sacks in 12 games, the fourth-highest total in the NFL. If Houston wants C.J. Stroud to succeed, things must change. Assuming he can fully recover from his injury, Daniels would be a significant boost for the Texans on the interior, and he is unlikely to cost a lot of money, given his recent serious injury.
That’s great news for a Texans team that won’t have a lot to work with in 2025. Per Over the Cap, the Texans are projected to have $15.7 million in cap space next offseason.
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