3 Texans Players Entering Their Final Season With Houston in 2026

The Houston Texans have done a good job this offseason of cementing their key cornerstones on the roster to new extensions that are bound to keep them in town for the next few seasons. Guys like Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, and Azeez Al-Shaair are great examples of just that.

There's also a handful of names around the roster who don't have quite as secure of a future in Houston. Multiple prominent players from last season are set to enter the last year of their contracts for 2026 without any clear determination of whether or not they'll be back on board past the year to come.

And for a select few, the writing might just be on the wall for what to expect when next offseason rolls around.

Let's sort through three players around the Texans roster who might just be entering their final year in Houston, and why that might be:

Xavier Hutchinson | WR

Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (19) reacts after a play during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

In a 2025 season where the Texans' wide receiver group was finding a bit of its identity without Tank Dell and while Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel were developing, it was Xavier Hutchinson who stepped up to the occasion as a major player in that unit.

But fast forward one year, and now the landscape at the position looks vastly different from when Hutchinson saw some extensive snaps his way. Higgins and Noel look primed to take a step forward, Dell is trending back to 100% health, and now Hutchinson is almost destined to see a decline in usage for 2026.

That could be the lead-up to what ends up being an inevitable departure from Houston following the season.

Hutchinson is a free agent during the 2027 offseason that might leave him to search for a payday from a wide receiver-needy team, while the Texans might be looking to save a few bucks from a position they already have enough depth to lean on without him.

Henry To'oTo'o | LB

Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Henry To'oto'o arrives for the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

A consistent starter in the Texans' linebacker unit for the past three seasons, To'oTo'o's presence as an off-the-ball linebacker and complement to Azeez Al-Shaair has been felt each and every year he's been in the building.

But with that impact in mind, he'll probably be looking for a nice pay day to come his way as he hits free agency next offseason.

And considering how much money Houston has already dished out to keep the core of this defense together, combined with new deals that still need to be negotiated for Kamari Lassiter and potentially Calen Bullock, To'oTo'o might be viewed as an expendable piece of this roster to this front office.

The Texans also made it a priority to invest in the depth of their linebacker unit this offseason with draft picks like Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher, signing E.J. Speed to a two-year deal, and trading for Marte Mapu. Doing so might be a hint of what their intentions might be regarding To'oTo'o after the season.

Tremon Smith | CB

Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Tremon Smith arrives for the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Smith jumped into the role of Houston's primary backup on the boundary at corner last season with the season-ending injury that third-round rookie Jaylin Smith had suffered. And in that process, he held his own throughout the season as a reliable and serviceable veteran.

But now, Jaylin Smith is back healthy and ready to take on a bigger role. On the other hand, Tremon Smith will be 30 years old once starting the 2026 season, will likely see a bit less than 17% of the defensive snaps he saw last year, and that might just lead Houston to turning in a different direction entirely once he hits free agency next offseason.

There's even a slim chance that the Texans make that call on the veteran before this season kicks off, depending on how the room shakes out in training camp. He feels like he's warranted enough respect to make it past cutdown day, though. Next season might be a different story.

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