The Houston Texans shuffled their practice squad ahead of Sunday’s Week 2 meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals, and the biggest move came at quarterback.
According to the NFL transaction log, Houston released quarterback Mark Gronkowski from the practice squad and replaced him by signing wide receiver Bryce Oliver.
Gronowski’s stay in Houston was short. After the Texans moved on from veteran Brett Rypien, he had been slotted in as the team’s third quarterback behind C.J.
Stroud and Davis Mills. The UDFA rookie out of Iowa had spent preseason with the Miami Dolphins before joining Houston earlier this month, but his brief run with the Texans is over for now.
Oliver gives Houston another receiver option on the practice squad, and he arrives with some familiarity with the AFC South. The 26-year-old is entering his third NFL season after spending the last two years with the Tennessee Titans.
A 6-foot-1, 214-pound undrafted product from Youngstown State, Oliver has appeared in 13 games in his career, logging more than 200 combined offensive and special teams snaps for Tennessee. He has seven catches on 10 targets for 103 yards.
This move also lines up with concern around Nico Collins. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reported that Collins has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain and did not practice Thursday. He was limited on Wednesday as well.
A Grade 1 strain is better news than a Grade 2, and Collins dealt with that more serious version in 2024, when it sent him to Injured Reserve for five games. Even so, the signs are trending the wrong way for his availability against Cincinnati.
With Collins missing Thursday and the Texans adding another receiver to the practice squad, Houston appears to be bracing for at least one game without its top offensive threat. If Collins sits in Week 2, the Texans are expected to elevate one of their five practice-squad receivers for game day and try to keep the passing game moving.
In Other News...
Andre Johnson's C.J. Stroud Criticism Suddenly Looks Much Different
Andre Johnsons comments about C.J. Strouds body language and leadership landed like a pointed reminder from one of the franchises most respected voices, especially for a quarterback still learning how to carry a team through the grind of an NFL season. Stroud responded the way a young starter usually does when a legend speaks up: he acknowledged the critique, said he was working to manage his emotions better, and made it clear he was trying to keep his mindset positive as the Texans navigated the fallout.
What makes the whole exchange more interesting is how Stroud answered on the field in Houstons recent game against the Bills. The performance gave the Texans a different kind of evidence to weigh, since the criticism was aimed less at numbers than at presence, poise and leadership. For a team trying to build around a quarterback who already has the talent, the question now is whether the public message from Johnson becomes a useful push or just another layer of pressure on a player still defining his voice. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Johnson Just Turned Up The Pressure On C.J. Stroud
Andre Johnson is not the kind of voice the Texans can ignore. The Pro Football Hall of Famer and Ring of Honor member has long been one of the franchises most respected figures, which is why his recent comments about C.J. Stroud carry extra weight as Houston heads toward the 2026 season. On a podcast appearance, Johnson pointed to Strouds body language as a concern, arguing that it can ripple through a locker room and influence how a team performs.
It is another layer of scrutiny for Stroud, who is already under the microscope as he tries to reset the tone around the offense. Johnson specifically referenced Strouds struggles in a recent postseason game against the New England Patriots, turning what might have been a routine critique into a broader conversation about leadership and poise. For a Texans team trying to keep moving forward, the question now is whether its young quarterback can quiet the noise and answer a Hall of Fame alums challenge. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Stroud Is Already Fueling A Texans Receiver Storyline
C.J. Stroud did not need much time to start building momentum around one of the Texans newest pass-catchers. After Kayshon Boutte made his debut in Houston following a trade from the New England Patriots, Stroud publicly praised the receiver, a small but notable sign that the quarterback is already helping shape the conversation around the teams offense.
Bouttes first game with Houston was modest, but the timing matters with Week 2 coming against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Texans are preparing for a bigger role for the receiver, and if Stroud is already making sure his arrival is noticed, the next step will be seeing whether that early belief turns into production on the field. [Read more 🡒]