The Texans’ punter competition just took a sharp turn.
Houston is releasing rookie Jack Stonehouse, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle, leaving Kai Kroeger as the only punter on the roster for now. Stonehouse had been in the mix since right after the draft, but his time with the team ends a little more than a week into training camp.
Stonehouse entered the battle after spending two years as Syracuse’s punter, and he had been competing with Kroeger since OTAs for the job that opened when the Texans moved on from Tommy Townsend earlier this offseason. Townsend, who handled Houston’s punting duties for the past two seasons, signed a new two-year contract with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
For now, Kroeger has the inside track simply because he’s the lone punter standing. But this doesn’t read like a finished job by any stretch. The Texans have spent the early part of camp trying to sort through a position that clearly needs more answers, and neither Stonehouse nor Kroeger had done enough in their reps to create real confidence.
That’s the bigger story here: Houston is still searching.
The Texans relied heavily on Townsend in each of the last two seasons, with the offense forcing more than 70 punts in both 2024 and 2025. That made this competition more than just a footnote in camp. It’s a job the team has to get right.
Stonehouse, who improved every year he punted in college, now heads back to free agency looking for another landing spot. Houston, meanwhile, appears set to keep auditioning candidates. The team already worked out Jack Browning earlier in the week, when Stonehouse was still on the roster, and more punters are expected to get looks soon.
That could mean a free agent with more recent NFL experience, or another undrafted addition. Either way, the Texans are almost certain to keep turning over this spot, and whoever arrives next will have a real shot to seize the starting job before the month is over.
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