The Texans are still kicking the tires on veteran free agents as training camp approaches, and the latest name through the door is former Raiders wideout D.J. Turner.
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Houston recently worked out Turner, adding him to a growing list of offseason evaluations. Wilson also reported the Texans brought in safety Jordan Whitehead three weeks ago, and said there is “nothing imminent” on either front even though both players reportedly had good workouts.
Turner is heading into his fourth NFL season after spending his first four years with the Raiders. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022 after time at Maryland and Pittsburgh, and his pro résumé has been built more on special teams than on offense.
At 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, Turner has appeared in 32 games across four seasons. His most productive year on offense came in 2024, when he played 12 games and finished with 16 catches on 29 targets for 158 yards and a touchdown.
His biggest value has come away from the passing game. In both 2023 and 2024, Turner logged more than 330 special teams snaps and handled work as a kick and punt returner.
He is entering his age-29 season, and he played just one game in his most recent 2025 campaign. Still, the workout at least keeps the door cracked open for another NFL opportunity.
For Houston, though, the path to a roster spot looks narrow. The Texans already have 12 wide receivers on their 90-man roster, and the top of the depth chart appears set with Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel lined up as the likely top three. Xavier Hutchinson, a healthy Tank Dell, and sixth-round pick Lewis Bond are also in the mix, along with several other names in camp.
That means Turner’s best shot would almost certainly come on special teams, where he has done most of his damage in the league. At this stage, the workout looks like a look under the hood rather than a move on the verge of happening.
Even so, with camp set to open at the end of the month, Turner remains one of the late-offseason names worth watching if the Texans decide they want another veteran dart throw.
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