Texans Backfield Battle Just Took A Hit At The Wrong Time

With running back Jawhar Jordan sidelined due to injury, the Texans are reshuffling their roster and looking to free agency for reinforcements ahead of their first preseason game.

The Houston Texans will be without Jawhar Jordan for about a week after the running back suffered a hip flexor strain at training camp, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Jordan’s injury opened the door for Houston to make a quick addition, with the team signing free-agent running back Owen Wright to help shore up the position while Jordan is sidelined. Depending on how long the Texans keep him active in the mix, Wright could wind up taking preseason reps for Houston.

It’s an untimely pause for Jordan, who has been one of the more notable performers early in camp. After a limited first two seasons in Houston, he appears to be pushing for the biggest role he’s had since arriving.

The 2024 sixth-round pick flashed late in the 2025 season when he was elevated from the practice squad to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14. In that game, he carried the ball 15 times for 101 yards. He finished the season as a depth option at running back and stayed on the 90-man roster through a series of offseason changes at the position.

That room has changed plenty since last year. Nick Chubb is out, Dare Ogunbowale is out, Joe Mixon is out if you want to count him, and David Montgomery has been brought in to lead the group as RB1. Woody Marks, who led the Texans’ backfield in yards last season, is positioned as the complementary option at RB2, while Jordan had been trending as the favorite to lock down the RB3 spot.

Now, though, Jordan is set to miss a week, and the Texans are dealing with another setback behind him. British Brooks, who could serve as an RB4 and special teams piece, broke his hand last week and is expected to miss around three weeks.

With the lower end of the running back depth chart banged up, Houston’s next few practices should give other players a chance to stand out. The Texans have two UDFAs on the roster in Noah Whittington and Joshua Pitsenberger, and Wright is healthy and available for reps behind Montgomery and Marks.

Houston’s first preseason game is Thursday, August 13th in Houston against the Los Angeles Chargers at Reliant Stadium, and that could be the first real chance for some of these backs to make their case.

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