A potential wrinkle has just been introduced into the NFL playoffs.
The Houston Texans are releasing former Seattle Seahawks pass rusher Darrell Taylor, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Monday.
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The Texans are cutting Taylor to make room for safety Jaylen Reed to be activated from injured reserve ahead of Monday’s playoff game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Taylor becomes available on waivers and is eligible to be claimed by teams still alive in the postseason, per Schefter.
The 28-year-old Taylor came off of IR himself recently following his recovery from an ankle injury. He played just four games this season, his first with Houston, and it was a quiet campaign as he registered only three tackles.
Taylor was a second-round NFL Draft pick by the Seahawks in 2020 out of Tennessee. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end missed his rookie season due to injury but had 21.5 sacks over three seasons with Seattle, including a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2022. He never started more than five games while with the Seahawks, but did not miss any time due to injury from 2021 through 2023.
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Taylor went to Chicago in a trade ahead of the 2024 season and played 16 games for the Bears, making three sacks.
It’s possible the Seahawks could find themselves matched up against Taylor. Their opponent Saturday in the NFC Divisional Round, the San Francisco 49ers, have not only been banged up but could use defensive reinforcements, particularly for a pass rush that was last in the NFL with just 20 sacks during the regular season. Niners Nation, the SB Nation blog that covers the 49ers, has even called for San Francisco to sign Taylor.
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