The Texans’ roster picture changed fast, and the latest twist came with Jayden Higgins’ season-ending ACL injury. That loss pushed Houston into a move that sent draft capital and safety Jayden Reed to New England for receiver Kayshon Boutte, a deal designed to steady a wideout room that suddenly had a hole in it. With cuts coming in days, the 53-man projection is starting to come into focus.
At quarterback, there’s no suspense. C.J.
Stroud is still the starter, and Davis Mills is set as the backup after Graham Mertz’s ACL injury sent him to injured reserve. In the backfield, David Montgomery is projected to carry the load, with Woody Marks and Jawhar Jordan behind him and British Brooks offering depth.
The biggest change lands at receiver. Nico Collins stays put as the top target, but Boutte is now slotted right into the No. 2 job after arriving from New England, where he was the Patriots’ No. 2 receiver and their best big-play threat before the trade. Jaylin Noel, Tank Dell, and Xavier Hutchinson fill out the rest of the group, giving Houston a mix of size and speed even without Higgins for the year.
Tight end remains a steady part of the offense, with Dalton Schultz in line to start and Brevin Jordan, Foster Moreau, and Cade Stover supplying Stroud with underneath options. Up front, Aireontae Ersery and Braden Smith are projected to handle the tackle spots, while Evan Brown, Wyatt Teller, and Ed Ingram work the interior. Jake Andrews and Jarrett Kingston are listed as the versatile reserves.
On defense, the Texans’ front is as deep as it looks on paper. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter headline what may be the league’s best edge-rushing duo, with Jadeveon Clowney back in Houston to add veteran pass-rush help.
Logan Hall and Dylan Horton are in the rotation, and Sheldon Rankins along with rookie Kayden McDonald anchor the middle with Tommy Togiai. Naquan Jones is also part of the projected defensive line group.
Linebacker starts with Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o. E.J. Speed is working through a questionable Week 1 designation, while Jake Hummel is in position to provide solid depth and Jamal Hill rounds out the unit.
The secondary is loaded. Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter are projected to man the outside corner spots, Jalen Pitre handles the nickel role, and Reed Blankenship plus Calen Bullock are the starting safeties.
Behind them, M.J. Stewart, Jaylen Reed, and Kaevon Merriweather give Houston more depth.
Special teams is straightforward. Ka’imi Fairbairn remains the kicker and kickoff man, Kai Kroeger takes over punting and holding, and Austin Brinkman is the long snapper.
Jaylin Noel is projected to handle both punt and kick returns, with Brandon Codrington joining him as return depth. Tremon Smith also factors into that mix.
That adds up to 53 players, though the receiver room and interior defensive line still look like the spots most likely to move before Week 1, depending on how the Boutte paperwork and the final camp battles shake out.
In Other News...
J.J. Watt Just Gave Texans Fans Another Reason To Believe
J.J. Watts return to the Texans orbit came at a fitting moment, with Houston getting set for its final practice before heading to Charlotte. The franchise icon spent time around the team and came away talking about how far the organization has come under DeMeco Ryans, pointing to a defense that has become the center of the Texans identity.
Watt singled out Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter and Jadeveon Clowney as part of a group that gives Houston real reason to feel good about what comes next. He also made clear that the culture Ryans has built is part of the equation, and when a player who helped define the Texans standard starts talking about a Super Bowl ceiling, it carries a little extra weight around here. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Just Added A New Receiver Fans Will Want To Watch
The Texans added another receiver to their mix on Tuesday, acquiring Kayshon Boutte from the Patriots in a deal that sent safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick to New England. It is the kind of low-risk swap that can quietly reshape a receiver room, especially for a team always looking for more ways to find production on the outside.
Boutte arrives in Houston with a chance to carve out a role after the Patriots chose to move him while focusing on their secondary for the 2026-27 season. For Texans fans, the appeal is straightforward: a fresh name, a new opportunity, and one more pass-catcher worth tracking as the roster continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Just Made A WR Move That Could Help C.J. Stroud
The Texans moved quickly to address a thin spot at receiver, sending Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick to New England in exchange for Kayshon Boutte after Jayden Higgins went down with an ACL injury. Houston needed another body in the passing game, and the deal gives C.J. Stroud another option as the offense tries to stay afloat through an injury-plagued stretch.
Boutte arrives with the kind of immediate depth value the Texans were looking for, while the Patriots get a safety in Reed who appeared in seven games last season and figures to be more of a developmental piece. For Houston, the trade is less about splash and more about keeping the receiver room functional, and it hints that the team is willing to keep shopping if the injury situation gets any worse. [Read more 🡒]