The Texans may not have to sweat Braden Smith’s status for long, but his injury still puts Week 1 in the spotlight.
Smith, Houston’s newly signed right tackle, was carted off during a joint practice with the Panthers earlier this week. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the veteran suffered a foot injury and is not expected to be out long-term.
That’s a relief for a Texans team that has spent the last two seasons aggressively trying to remake its offensive line. Smith’s arrival this offseason was part of that effort, and Houston gave him a two-year, $20 million deal after he turned 30 in March.
There’s plenty of reason for optimism if the Texans do get him back soon. Smith has 110 games of NFL experience, and since entering the league as a second-round pick by the Colts in 2018 out of Auburn, he has settled in quickly as a dependable pro. Injuries have cost him time in every one of his eight NFL seasons, but he has still managed to appear in double-digit games each year.
He also brings a rugged edge to the position. Smith is known as a gritty, ultra-physical blocker, and he has allowed more than 30 pressures in a regular season only once, back in 2019.
For now, the key number is the timeline. The foot injury is being described as a “few weeks” issue, which keeps Smith in play for Houston’s Week 1 matchup with the Bills. That game comes 18 days after the injury.
If he can’t go, the Texans would likely turn to either 33-year-old Trent Brown or third-year lineman Blake Fisher. Fisher has logged 855 snaps across his first two seasons and has mostly struggled in pass protection.
In Other News...
Bills Secondary Has A New Wild Card In The Post Hyde-Poyer Era
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The fit, as always, comes down to health and usage. Gardner-Johnson spent parts of 2025 with the Texans and Bears, and his recent offseason has included leg injuries, which makes his availability the key question as the Bills sort through a secondary in transition. If he gets right, he brings the kind of flexibility Buffalo can lean on while deciding how the next version of its back end comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Receiver Battle Just Took Another Turn Before Final Cuts
The Bills made another small but telling roster move ahead of the preseason finale, parting ways with receiver Mac Dalena to open a spot for center Sincere Haynesworth. Dalena had been with Buffalo since June 1 after previous stops with the Jets and Seahawks, and his release comes at a time when every final-look practice and game snap matters for players trying to survive cutdown week.
For Buffalo, the move only adds to the sense that the wide receiver spot is still unsettled as the roster deadline approaches. The group has been under a microscope throughout camp, and trimming one name off the depth chart now is a reminder that the Bills are still sorting through their options while the clock ticks toward the leagues cutdown deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Have A New Stadium Collectible To Chase This Week
Bills fans who like a keepsake with their game-day memories will have a new one to chase Thursday, when M&T Bank begins handing out 50,000 commemorative team magnets at branches across Western New York. The giveaway is tied to the inaugural season of the new Highmark Stadium, and the magnets feature artwork inspired by the new building, which now seats 60,108 and includes a 360-degree canopy among its modern design touches.
The offer is first-come, first-served during business hours at participating branches, so the timing matters for anyone hoping to snag one before they run out. For a fan base that treats every detail of the stadium experience like part of the seasons ritual, the magnet is a small but fitting marker of a new era, even before the full story of what this place will mean on Sundays is written. [Read more 🡒]