The Texans are about to open camp on Wednesday, and that’s when the real sorting begins. Houston kept a lot of the same core from last season, especially on defense, but there are still a few jobs that won’t be handed out quietly.
Some of these battles are straightforward. Others are a little more layered than they look on paper.
One of the more interesting fights is at tight end, even if the top spot is already spoken for. Dalton Schultz is locked in as TE1, but Houston is expected to lean on multiple-tight-end packages much more often than it did in 2025 under Nick Caley.
That makes the second tight end spot more than just a depth issue. It could end up carrying real weight in the offense.
And that job is open. Brevin Jordan, Foster Moreau, Cade Stover and Marlin Klein are all in the mix, with three of them not on the active roster last season.
Jordan, of course, missed the entire year with a torn ACL. However this plays out, it’s going to shape the Texans’ tight end picture and could even decide whether one of those names survives the cut to 53.
There’s also a center competition that hinges on how fast Keylan Rutledge can handle the transition. The Texans used a first-round pick on him, but he wasn’t exactly a natural fit at center during his college days at Georgia Tech. If he picks it up quickly, Houston can plug him into the starting line right away and hope the investment pays off immediately.
If not, Jake Andrews is there waiting. Andrews started all 17 games at center in 2025 and held up reasonably well, aside from a rough playoff stretch. This one could go either way, and the Texans still haven’t had enough full-speed work to know which direction it’s leaning.
Right tackle looks a little more settled, but it’s not fully decided. Houston gave Braden Smith $20 million in free agency with the expectation that he’d start on the right side if his neck surgery recovery allowed it. He’s off the PUP list and ready for camp, so health doesn’t appear to be the obstacle.
Still, Trent Brown is in the picture. He started the second half of last season, went 8-0 as a starter on Houston’s line, and signed a one-year, $7 million deal.
Brown was also the Texans’ first-team right tackle throughout the offseason program. Smith has the salary edge and remains the favorite for Week 1, but Houston won’t ignore Brown if he proves to be the better answer.
On the defensive line, Sheldon Rankins looks set as the Texans’ top defensive tackle, but the spot next to him is up for grabs between Tommy Togiai and Kayden McDonald. Togiai was one of last season’s quieter success stories, going from the practice squad to a weekly role and finishing with more than 60 combined tackles.
McDonald, meanwhile, was Houston’s second pick in this year’s draft after the team traded up for him on day two. The Texans clearly see him as part of the future and will give him every chance to show why he was worth a top-40 pick.
That battle feels a lot like the one at center: if McDonald comes on quickly, he’ll climb the depth chart fast. If he needs more time, Togiai could be the safer option to open the year.
And then there’s punter, where the Texans are replacing Tommy Townsend after he signed with the Tennessee Titans. That leaves Kai Kroeger and UDFA Jack Stonehouse fighting for the job.
Right now, neither has separated. Kroeger brings more NFL experience, while Stonehouse showed steady improvement in college and may offer more upside.
It may take preseason games before Houston knows which way to go.
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The ripple effect goes beyond the wideouts, too, because the Texans are sorting through a tight end group that has real competition behind Dalton Schultz. Brevin Jordan is back in the mix after a rough run of leg injuries, Marlin Klein is pushing for attention, and the staff still has to figure out how to balance the rest of the roster while E.J. Speeds quad injury leaves a hole at linebacker. Add in the reported interest in former No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney, and camp already has the feel of a roster that could change quickly if one of these openings turns into a move. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Camp Scare Puts More Pressure On Thin Linebacker Room
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Now the Texans have another question in a room that did not have much margin to begin with, and Hansens absence would only sharpen the pressure on the younger names trying to earn trust. Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher are among the rookies who could feel the ripple effect, as Houston continues sorting out a linebacker group that suddenly looks even thinner than it did before practice started. [Read more 🡒]