The Texans’ linebacker depth chart just took another hit, and this one could shuffle the whole picture before Week 1.
Fourth-round rookie Wade Woodaz is expected to have surgery after breaking his thumb in Houston’s preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. His return timeline is still unclear, and placing him on injured reserve before the season is still on the table.
That matters because Woodaz had started to look like the front-runner for Houston’s LB3 job. Through training camp and the first two preseason games, he had separated himself in a spot that opened up when E.J.
Speed first went down with a quad injury earlier this summer. Then Woodaz made an even louder case with his 80-yard pick-six off Fernando Mendoza against the Raiders.
Now the Texans may be right back where they started: a linebacker battle with no obvious answer, at least for the beginning of the 2026 season if Woodaz is sidelined. Houston could fill the role with someone already in the building, or it could look outside the roster and make a trade to plug the hole.
The most obvious names to benefit are veteran Marte Mapu and seventh-round rookie Aiden Fisher. Both have put together solid stretches since the Texans returned to work, and Woodaz’s injury only gives them more chances to push for snaps. If Woodaz ends up on injured reserve, the door opens even wider.
There are also a couple more players who suddenly have a real path to more. Fourth-year linebacker Jamal Hill and free-agent pickup Jake Hummel have looked more like special teams pieces, but a thinner room can change that quickly. With fewer bodies available, both have a better shot at making the 53-man roster and maybe carving out a larger defensive role than expected.
Houston has already responded by adding another veteran to the mix, reportedly signing Caleb Johnson after a successful workout. Johnson, who is entering his sixth NFL season, spent his career as a special teams-heavy depth piece with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Miami Dolphins. The undrafted Houston Christian product has 40 career tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Johnson has more than 1,100 special teams snaps on his resume. His most recent stop in Miami was brief - just two games and 22 snaps last season before a shoulder injury cut into his 2025 campaign.
He may not be a lock to stick with the Texans with cutdown day just a week away, but he’ll be worth watching when Houston closes out the preseason against the Carolina Panthers on Friday, August 28th.
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