The Texans may finally be getting some help back at the right time.
As Houston turns the page to Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver Nico Collins and offensive guard Ed Ingram are both in play to return, while veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney is looking at a longer wait because of a knee injury.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans laid out the injury picture Monday after Houston’s 0-3 start.
“Nico and Ed we're hopeful to get them back this week. JD is week to week,” Ryans said.
Collins has been working through a Grade 1 hamstring injury, and Ingram is dealing with a groin strain. Both were out for Sunday’s 19-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, leaving the Texans short-handed on offense.
Collins’ possible return is the biggest one. He has become a central part of Houston’s passing game and C.J.
Stroud’s top target. Against Indianapolis, without Collins stretching the field, the Texans had trouble creating the kind of explosive plays they need through the air.
Stroud finished 16 of 27 for 167 yards and a touchdown in the loss, and Houston scored just 17 points. Afterward, Stroud said the offense needs to attack more and create more explosive plays.
Ingram’s situation matters too, especially with Houston trying to steady an offensive line that has been under pressure early in the season. His return would give the Texans another experienced body up front and a chance to settle things down along the interior.
Clowney’s injury is a different story. The defensive end is dealing with a bone bruise in his knee and is considered week to week.
Even with the rough start, Houston’s defense has done enough to keep the Texans in games. Sunday was another example, with the Colts held to 19 points and turnovers helping set up a fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
The problem has been finishing those chances on offense.
For now, the Texans are waiting to see how the week unfolds. Ryans’ update leaves open the possibility of Collins and Ingram getting back on the field, while Clowney appears headed for more time on the sideline as Houston tries to pick up its first win of the 2026 season.
In Other News...
Texans Wideout Depth Suddenly Back In Focus After Another Change
The Texans dipped back into a familiar pool for a little more receiver depth, signing TreyVHon Saunders to the practice squad after Mitchell Tinsley was taken off Houstons practice squad by the Bengals. Saunders, an undrafted rookie out of Colgate, had already spent the offseason and preseason with the Texans, so his return gives the team another developmental pass catcher who knows the system and the building.
For Houston, these are the kinds of small roster moves that can matter over the long haul, especially at a position where depth can change quickly. Saunders now gets another chance to continue his development in-house, while the Texans sort through the ripple effects of losing Tinsley and keeping the wideout room stocked behind the players already on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Suddenly Face A Linebacker Crisis Ahead Of Dallas
Houstons linebacker room is suddenly a problem heading into the rivalry game with Dallas, and the timing could hardly be worse. E.J. Speed is out for the season, Henry TooToo is on injured reserve, and Azeez Al-Shaair is dealing with the groin injury he picked up in Week 3, leaving the Texans thin at a spot that usually has to do a lot of the dirty work in the middle of the defense.
If Al-Shaair cannot go, the Texans would be leaning on veteran Jake Hansen and rookie Wade Woodaz to absorb a much bigger load. It is the kind of depth test that can change the shape of a game plan in a hurry, especially against a Dallas offense that will be paying close attention to every weak spot Houston has left in front of it. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Johnson Weighed In On Houstons 0-3 Mess
The Texans 0-3 start has already turned up the pressure in Houston, but Andre Johnson wasnt willing to put the blame on C.J. Stroud alone when he spoke at the teams Forever H-Town event. The former star receiver, now a trusted voice around the franchise, said Stroud has looked generally solid even as the results have gone sideways, and he framed the opening month as a broader team issue rather than a quarterback-only problem.
Houstons early struggles have been tied to a shaky offensive line, a running game that has not found much traction and the absence of top target Nico Collins because of injury. Johnsons read is a reminder that the Texans fix is going to have to be more comprehensive than one quick change at quarterback, and the longer the losing continues, the more every part of the offense will stay under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]