C.J. Stroud didn’t need long to put a marker down on Day 2 of Texans training camp. One throw to Jayden Higgins said plenty.
Working against tight boundary coverage from All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., Stroud dropped a perfectly placed ball a yard or two outside the sideline. Higgins, using his 6-foot-4 frame, reached out, secured it cleanly, tapped both feet in bounds, and then went out of bounds. It was the kind of rep that doesn’t just look good in camp - it hints at how Houston’s passing game may keep stretching upward.
That connection is worth watching because the Texans already know what they have in Nico Collins. The bigger question is who steps into the role on the other side and gives Stroud another dependable weapon when the windows shrink.
Higgins, the former 34th-overall pick, flashed that kind of boundary upside as a rookie. Now the second year is where the details start to sharpen, and the trust between quarterback and receiver starts to show up in real time.
“He’s taking that year 2 jump. A guy we’re able to move around the formation a little bit more.
Get him inside the formation. He’s making some plays, everywhere we put him.
First play of practice today, runs a great route, CJ gives he a great ball. Shows his growth.
Shows he’s a guy you can rely on, count on in those crunch situations & we’re gunna need him. We need a guy to step up opposite Nico & be a threat & Jayden can be that guy for us.”- Coach DeMeco Ryans
For Houston, the appeal is obvious. Higgins gives Stroud a big target who can matter in the red zone, especially on back-shoulder throws and fades where length wins.
He also offers a way to attack press coverage, something that matters when the games get tighter later in the season. And if plays break down, the combination of Stroud’s calm and Higgins’ growth gives the Texans another answer when the structure of the offense starts to fray.
On a day when camp reps are usually easy to overread, this one stood out because of who was involved and how cleanly it happened. Stroud trusted Higgins.
Higgins delivered. For Houston, that’s the kind of chemistry that can move beyond the box score.
In Other News...
Texans Suddenly Have A Bigger Linebacker Problem Than Expected
A day of team drills brought more bad news to an already fragile Texans linebacker room, with Jason Hansen leaving after suffering a foot injury. Houston had hoped to use camp to sort out the depth chart behind starters Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o, and Hansen was in line to compete for the No. 3 role. Instead, his setback only adds another layer of uncertainty to a position group that was already being watched closely.
E.J. Speeds quadriceps injury has further complicated the picture, with his status potentially stretching into the season. For a defense that needs dependable depth behind its top two linebackers, the timing could not be much worse, and it puts even more pressure on the Texans to find answers quickly as camp unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Get Big Validation For Braden Smith And David Montgomery
The Texans spent the 2026 offseason trying to make life easier for their offense, and the early returns on two of their biggest moves are getting noticed. Houston brought in offensive lineman Braden Smith from the Colts and running back David Montgomery from the Lions, two additions aimed squarely at shoring up pass protection and giving the ground game more punch.
ESPN analyst Matt Bowen included both players among the offseasons top 30 most impactful acquisitions, a useful bit of validation for a team trying to change its offensive identity. For Houston, the appeal is obvious: Smith is there to help stabilize the front, while Montgomery gives the Texans a dependable back who can help them stay on schedule and take pressure off the passing game. [Read more 🡒]