The Houston Texans don’t currently have a quarterback on the practice squad, and while that might not sit at the top of the to-do list, it’s still a spot worth filling. Given the recent run of health issues across the roster, Houston would be smart to add another arm as soon as possible.
There are a few free-agent options that could give the Texans something different, and three names stand out as possible QB3 additions for general manager Nick Caserio to consider as the regular season begins.
Joe Milton III is the most intriguing of the group. The former Dallas Cowboys backup brings a huge frame at 6-foot-5 and around 230 pounds, plus the kind of raw tools that jump off the page.
He can throw it 50-70 yards, and he offers a physical profile that few quarterbacks can match. The issue has always been the finer points of the position - accuracy, anticipation and consistent pocket play.
For Houston, though, that’s part of the appeal. Milton would be a developmental project with a totally different kind of physical upside, and at the very least, the Texans would know they have a quarterback who can challenge defenses deep to Nico Collins or Jaylin Noel.
Will Levis is cut from a similar cloth. The former Tennessee Titans quarterback has the kind of athletic traits teams chase, but his NFL resume explains why he’s available only three seasons after going 33rd overall in the 2023 draft, the same as Texans quarterback Stroud.
Levis burst onto the scene with a 238-yard, four-touchdown debut in a 28-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons in week eight of the 2023 season, but he couldn’t build on it. His struggles piled up, including a four-turnover outing against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 15 that led to him being benched by Brian Callahan in December of his sophomore season (2024) in favor of Mason Rudolph.
Still, he has flashed in bursts and plays with the kind of toughness and mobility that can matter in tight spots. In a limited role, he could be the kind of surprise element that steals a game or two.
Jake Browning would bring a different kind of value. He’s the most experienced quarterback on the list, with 17 games across six seasons with the Vikings and Bengals, and he’s already proven he can step in and win when needed.
His career numbers aren’t flashy, but he owns a 4-6 record as a starter and has shown he can handle pressure when the main quarterback is out for a short stretch. If Browning wound up on Houston’s practice squad in 2026, it wouldn’t be a surprise.
He’d also be a clear upgrade over both Graham Mertz, who has a torn ACL, and Brett Rypien, who was cut. At the very least, he’s been through NFL fire before.
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For Houston, the move fits the sort of calculated depth play teams make this time of year. Braswell is reuniting with former teammates while learning a different defensive scheme, and the Texans are betting that a change of scenery can help unlock some upside behind the players already in place. Even if the immediate role is modest, it is the kind of roster add that can become more interesting if the adjustment takes hold. [Read more 🡒]
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Now, Mason has been informed that he will not face discipline for the domestic assault allegations tied to an August 2025 arrest in Tennessee, a development that removes one layer of jeopardy from an already unsettled case. It does not answer the bigger question of whether a team will be willing to give him another chance, but it does mark a significant turning point in a saga that has kept his future in limbo. [Read more 🡒]