Former New England Patriots starting defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale continued his search for his next NFL opportunity to begin this week. On Monday, he tried out for the Houston Texans.
According to the NFL transaction wire, Ekuale was one of two defensive tackles to try out for Houston. The other was fellow veteran Benito Jones.
Ekuale has spent eight years in the league as an undrafted free agent. Last season, he appeared in seven games for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From 2021-24, Ekuale played for the Patriots. In 2024, Ekuale started 16 games for the Patriots, posting 52 combined tackles, including two for loss. He also had three quarterback hits and one sack.
Ex-Patriots DT Daniel Ekuale Tries Out for Houston Texans
Ekuale has played more seasons and snaps for New England than any other club. He joined the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and debuted with the club the following season.
During 2019, Ekuale posted four combined tackles while playing in seven games. He then played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 before joining the Patriots in 2021.
Over his four seasons with New England, Ekuale played for both head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo. He started every game but one during Mayo’s lone season as head coach. But Ekuale didn’t return to New England after the organization hired Mike Vrabel.
In four seasons with the Patriots, Ekuale posted 74 combined tackles, including six for loss. He also had eight quarterback hits, five sacks, one pass defense and one forced fumble in 41 games. All 16 starts he made with New England came in 2024 under Mayo.
The 32-year-old joined the Steelers in March 2025. He played in seven games before landing on injured reserve in the middle of October. Ekuale posted six combined tackles and one quarterback hit in those seven contests.
Ekuale never started for the Browns or Steelers. He started five games for the Jaguars in 2020. That’s his only other starting NFL experience outside of the 2024 campaign.
Ekuale Has Received 2 NFL Suspensions in His Career
Ekuale’s tenure with the Steelers ended with an injury but also with a suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. It was a five-game suspension and the second one of his career.
In 2018, the league suspended the defensive tackle four games for PEDs when he was with the Browns practice squad.
There’s no indication that history is the reason why Ekuale is still a free agent. But it’s obviously a blemish on the defensive tackle’s record.
The Texans are potentially in the market for a veteran defensive tackle after an 0-2 start. But last season, the Texans began the season 0-3 and rallied to earn a wild card berth with a 12-5 record.
The Patriots defeated the Texans in the AFC divisional round on their way to the Super Bowl last season. The two teams will not meet during the 2026 regular season.
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