The Texans signed free agent tackle Tyson Clabo on Friday, adding some much needed depth on the offensive line. Clabo spent most of his career at right tackle but also has had experience at left tackle.
The nine-year NFL veteran Clabo will be reunited with Texans offensive-line coach Paul Dunn, his former position coach in Atlanta. In 2006 Clabo was signed as an undrafted free agent by Denver where Rick Smith served as the head of the pro personnel department. Clabo, signed by Miami as a free agent last offseason, also has ties to Texans pro personnel director Brian Gaine who served as the Dolphins assistant general manager.
Clabo joins undrafted rookie tackles Anthony Dima, Matt Feiler, Bryan Witzmann, as well as former teammate Will Yeatman to compete in training camp behind starters Duane Brown and Derek Newton. Yeatman, now in his fourth year in the NFL, spent the past three seasons in Miami.
The 32-year-old Clabo, who played nine seasons in the NFL, was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl under Dunn becoming the first offensive lineman to do so since 1998. The 6-6, 315-pound right tackle, was part of an offensive line that paved the way for Michael Turner to rush for an NFC-best 1,317 yards that season.
In 2012, Clabo's final season with Dunn, the offensive line produced two 1,000-yard receivers, Roddy White and Julio Jones. Quarterback Matt Ryan set personal and franchise bests in passing yards (4,719), completions (422), consecutive passes without an interception (272), completion percentage (68.6), touchdowns (32), and most 300-yard games in a season (seven).
With 116 games played in his NFL career, Clabo had not missed a start in Atlanta from 2008 to 2012 at right tackle.
This offseason, the Texans lost two offensive lineman from the 2013 draft. On Monday, the team waived Brennan Williams with a failed physical designation. In June, David Quessenberry, a promising second-year tackle was diagnosed with lymphoma during OTAs.
The Texans training camp practices begin Saturday at 8 am at the Houston Methodist Training Center. For the complete schedule, click here.
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