The Houston Texans had a rough Wednesday in their joint practice with the Carolina Panthers, with both right tackle Braden Smith and defensive end Ali Gaye leaving early after injuries that required carts.
Smith and Gaye went down on separate fields at nearly the same time, each on the first play of practice. Smith was down on field one, while Gaye was hurt on the second field, and both were taken off afterward.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reported that both players suffered leg injuries and neither could put weight on the affected leg.
Both are leg injuries for #Texans Braden Smith, Ali Gaye as they share a cart inside to be examined further. Both couldn't put weight on leg
Smith’s injury is especially notable because he’s in his first season with Houston after arriving as one of the team’s bigger offseason additions. The Texans signed him away from the Indianapolis Colts on a two-year, $20 million contract, with the plan of plugging him in as a new starting right tackle. He was brought in for his experience and his run-blocking ability on a revamped offensive line.
That makes the timing especially tricky. Smith has dealt with availability issues in recent seasons, playing 13 or fewer games in each year since 2023, and now his status is up in the air less than three weeks before Week 1.
If Smith has to miss time, veteran Trent Brown would be the most likely option to step into the starting right tackle job. Brown has been battling Smith for that role over the past few weeks, and this injury could open the door for him to start the year in that spot, depending on the diagnosis.
Houston’s defensive line depth has already been a concern in recent days. Jadeveon Clowney, Dominique Robinson, and Dylan Horton have all dealt with injuries either in practice or in the Texans’ recent preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Gaye’s injury only adds to that list. The Texans claimed him off waivers from the Tennessee Titans earlier this offseason, and he has been working to secure a 53-man roster spot as a depth piece since joining the team in May.
Over his NFL career, Gaye has appeared in 18 games and recorded nine total tackles, three TFLs and one sack across two seasons and nearly 300 snaps with Tennessee.
If he’s sidelined, Houston’s defensive end group gets even thinner heading into Friday night’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. That would leave Solomon Byrd, Sabastian Harsh, and newly signed Derek Parish as the main depth options.
In Other News...
Texans Just Added A New Receiver Fans Will Want To Watch
The Texans added a new name to their receiver room on Tuesday, acquiring Kayshon Boutte from the Patriots in a swap that sent safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick back to New England. It is the kind of low-cost move that can matter later, especially for a team still looking to keep adding options around its passing game.
Boutte arrives in Houston after the Patriots chose to use the deal to help their secondary ahead of the 2026-27 season, but for Texans fans the focus is squarely on what he might bring to the offense. A fresh receiver addition does not guarantee a major role, yet it does give Houston another player to watch as the roster takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
Brevin Jordans Texans Future Suddenly Looks Far More Uncertain
Brevin Jordans grip on a roster spot has become one of the quieter questions in Texans camp, and the reason is simple enough: he has been sidelined for multiple weeks with injuries while the rest of the tight end group keeps moving forward. Jordan entered camp with a familiar place in Houstons rotation, but availability matters this time of year, especially at a position where the Texans have several bodies competing for limited jobs.
ESPNs DJ Bien-Aime recently adjusted his 53-man projection to leave Jordan off the team, a telling sign of how far the competition has shifted. Dalton Schultz remains the established piece, while Cade Stover, Marlin Klein and Foster Moreau have all gained ground in the race for depth spots, leaving Jordan to fight not just for snaps but for any path back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Face A Pricey C.J. Stroud Decision Fans Can Debate
A shaky rumor about C.J. Stroud wanting a $70 million-a-year extension briefly got the conversation around the Texans' franchise quarterback moving in the wrong direction, but the reality is more grounded than the headline suggested. Stroud still sits in the tier of young passers who can command a massive deal, and the Texans have to navigate that market knowing how quickly quarterback prices can jump once a player looks like a long-term answer.
The real debate is where that number lands, and there is plenty of room between the sides. A range in the $50 million to $57 million neighborhood looks far more realistic than the inflated report, while Houston could push back with a lower figure closer to $48 million a year before the two sides find some middle ground. For the Texans, the challenge is not whether Stroud gets paid, but how much flexibility they are willing to give up to keep their roster built around him. [Read more 🡒]