The Texans head into Week 1 with a roster that looks far stronger than it did a year ago, but that doesn’t mean the work is finished.
Houston has its 53-man roster set, and with the Buffalo Bills coming to Reliant Stadium next weekend to open the season, the front office still has time to keep tweaking the edges. The team is in a solid spot overall, and by the look of it, this may be the best balance the Texans have had on both sides of the ball since C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans arrived in 2023.
Still, the league’s latest round of cuts opened the door for some available help, and the Texans have never been shy about looking for ways to upgrade. A few spots stand out as possible places where Houston could make a move before the opener.
Quarterback is one of them, even if it probably won’t involve the 53-man roster. Brett Rypien was Houston’s QB3 before he was cut last week, and for now the Texans appear comfortable rolling with C.J.
Stroud and Davis Mills in the room. The more realistic play would be adding a quarterback to the practice squad so the team can keep another passer around, get him up to speed with the offense, and have an emergency option ready without using an active roster spot.
Running back is another area worth watching. Right now, Houston has three backs on the active roster: David Montgomery, Woody Marks, and British Brooks.
Jawhar Jordan and Noah Whittington are still around too, but only on practice squad deals. That leaves the Texans in a spot where they may not need an immediate addition, but could still benefit from bringing in another back who can compete for a future elevation as an RB4, or even push Brooks for the RB3 job.
The team already took a swing at this idea last week when it added Deuce Vaughn to the backfield, though he was part of the roster-wide cuts. With the rest of the league trimming down, Houston could find a better fit now that more options are available.
Safety may be the clearest position to monitor. The group came into camp as one of the deepest on the roster, but that changed quickly after M.J.
Stewart was placed on PUP and Jaylen Reed was traded to the New England Patriots. That left the Texans with four safeties on the 53-man roster, including Jalen Pitre, who is listed as the team’s primary nickel.
The talent is still there in the safety room, but the numbers have thinned enough that another body could make sense, especially one who can help on special teams while Stewart is sidelined. Of the positions that still could use a little extra support, safety looks like the one most worth circling.
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C.J. Stroud remains the center of the whole operation, and his development will tell the rest of the story. Houston has put itself in position to enter the season with real expectations again, but the next step is proving the gains are sustainable and that the roster can handle the pressure that comes with being taken seriously. [Read more 🡒]