A week into Texans training camp, the roster picture is already starting to sharpen - and in a few spots, it’s changing fast.
The clearest stock-up story belongs to Jayden Higgins. The second-year wideout has been one of the loudest standouts in camp, stacking big plays and building real trust with C.J.
Stroud. At this point, he looks like the overwhelming favorite to become the second-most targeted receiver in the room behind Nico Collins.
Collins even called Higgins a future face of the franchise, which only adds to the buzz around the receiver’s leap from year one to year two.
On the other side of the ledger, Jake Hansen’s week started with opportunity and turned into uncertainty. Houston’s linebacker group entered camp with plenty unresolved, especially with the LB3 spot open after EJ Speed’s season-ending quad injury.
Hansen looked like a logical candidate to seize that chance, but he went down with an ankle injury in the second practice of camp and has since been labeled week-to-week by DeMeco Ryans. The Texans also added Sione Takitaki, so Hansen’s role now feels much less secure than it did a few days ago.
Another player making a real case for himself is Collin Wright. The Stanford cornerback has been one of the Texans’ top UDFA performers, and the praise has come from the right places.
Ryans said Wright keeps getting his hands on the ball, and All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr. echoed that kind of approval. That doesn’t make Wright a lock, but it does put him in a far better spot than he was in at the start of camp.
If he keeps it going, the 53-man roster becomes a much more realistic target.
Brevin Jordan, meanwhile, hasn’t generated the kind of momentum he needed in a crowded tight end battle. He had been one of the hotter names coming out of OTAs and minicamp while working back from back-to-back season-ending knee injuries, but that energy hasn’t carried over cleanly into camp.
As of Friday, he was reportedly missing his second straight practice, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. With the room looking like it could force a surprise cut unless the Texans carry five tight ends, Jordan has to get moving soon or risk getting buried.
The running back depth chart has also started to clarify. David Montgomery was already set as the RB1 after Houston’s trade for him earlier this offseason, with Woody Marks positioned as the complementary piece.
The bigger question was who would follow. Jawhar Jordan has answered that so far by emerging as the RB3, and that matters even more with British Brooks dealing with a broken hand.
For Jordan, it’s a notable rise.
Up front, Keylan Rutledge has made a strong early impression. The Texans’ first-round pick has shown the toughness and edge they wanted, and he’s gotten work at both left guard and center through the opening practices. His Week 1 role on the offensive line still isn’t locked in, but it would be a surprise if he isn’t among the five starters when the dust settles.
Not every competition has produced a clear winner yet. The punting battle between Kroeger and Stonehouse, left behind after Tommy Townsend’s departure earlier this offseason, hasn’t produced a front-runner through the first week. Houston’s recent workouts with multiple punters suggest the team may still be looking for more competition, and it’s possible the Week 1 starter isn’t even on the roster yet.
The biggest roster shakeup on the defensive line came with the arrival of Jadeveon Clowney on a one-year deal. That move strengthens an already elite unit and gives Houston even more punch off the edge.
But it also changes the math for everyone fighting for snaps behind him. Dylan Horton was in the mix for the DE3 job, and now he may be on the bubble after the Texans added that extra depth.
In Other News...
Jaguars Face A Big 2026 Decision With Travis Hunter And Brian Thomas Jr
The AFC South has already spent much of camp sorting out depth charts, health updates and role questions, and the Texans have a couple of their own worth monitoring. DeMeco Ryans said Tank Dell is back at camp, but Houston is handling his comeback carefully after the knee injury, with the wideout being brought along day by day. The running back room took another hit when British Brooks broke his hand in practice, and he is expected to miss about three weeks.
For a team trying to keep pace in a division where every roster wrinkle matters, those are the kinds of updates that can shape how the early season feels before anyone takes a regular-season snap. Dells availability remains the bigger long-view issue for Houston, while Brooks absence trims some depth from the backfield at a time when teams are still setting roles and building toward opening day. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Could Be Getting A Key Piece Back At Perfect Time
A small but notable camp development gave the Texans another name to track in their receiver room, as Jaylin Noel has been cleared to practice after a minor finger injury. The rookie was briefly sidelined on the Non-Football Injury list, but his return to drills comes at a time when Houston is sorting out roles and trying to figure out who can carve out real snaps in the offense.
Noels timing matters because the slot opening looks far more available now than it did a little while ago. With Christian Kirk gone, the Texans have a clearer path for someone to step into that interior receiver role, and Noel is suddenly positioned to make his case while camp is still young and the depth chart is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]