Pro Football Rumors
Denico Autry is likely calling it a career. The free agent veteran lineman is expected to retire, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston (and via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).
The Mississippi State product went undrafted in 2014 but managed to stick around the NFL for more than a decade. He started his career as a rotational defensive lineman with the Raiders, where he compiled 10.5 sacks across four seasons.
He earned his first significant contract from the Colts, signing a three-year, $17.8MM contract with the organization in 2018. He played out that contract in Indy, tallying 20 sacks in 40 appearances (38 starts). He parlayed that performance into a three-year, $21.5MM deal with the Titans, and he proceeded to add another 28.5 sacks to his resume across three years in Tennessee.
He most recently played for the Texans, where he spent the past two years. His first season with the franchise was delayed thanks to a six-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, and he was limited to 12 games this past year thanks to a knee injury. He ultimately started two of his 22 appearances for the organization but still managed to compile 6.5 sacks. He added another 1.5 sacks in four postseason games with the Texans.
If Autry is indeed hanging up his cleats, he’ll finish his career having compiled 331 tackles and 65.5 sacks in 164 games. He added another 17 stops and 5.5 sacks in nine playoff appearances.
