One Position Battle Texans Are Happy They Don't Have to Answer Today

The Houston Texans have a few position battles that they'll be sorting through across the next few weeks of training camp.

A few of those battles will be a bit more undetermined heading into camp than others. For example, the Texans' right tackle spot might be a bit easier to predict than their starting center battle.

However, there's one area on the Texans' depth chart that's not quite as ironed out heading into next week. It could take multiple weeks to truly decide how that position is going to fare, and will be a place on the roster that fans should keep an eye on leading up to Week 1.

That lies within the uncertainty in their linebacker room; specifically their LB3 spot on the depth chart in the wake of EJ Speed's season-ending quad injury. And how that pans out will have some pretty important implications for how this defense will look heading into the year.

Why the Texans' LB3 Battle Is Important

Now on the surface, the role that Speed played last year as the Texans' LB3 might not appear like much. After all, he was the primary backup for Henry To'oTo'o.

But Speed was still listed as a starter in nine of the games he played last season. And in the 16 games he was active, he was on the field for over 40% of the Texans' defensive snaps. He capitalized on that with over 60 combined tackles and three TFLs.

Nov 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans linebacker E.J. Speed (45) is introduced before playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Having a reliable linebacker able to both start and be worth a good share of playing time is important for any defense, even for a unit as good as Houston's is on the field. And if any other injuries pop up for someone like To'oTo'o, having that presence behind him becomes even more important.

So finding the best candidate to be an impactful player in coverage, able to be a supporting piece in defending the run game, and have solid size and athleticism will be ideal.

The good thing for Houston is that they've got several candidates in the room already who could be worthy of that call-up on the depth chart.

Who the Texans Have to Compete for Their LB3 Vacancy

When surveying the Texans' roster heading into camp, multiple interesting linebackers emerge as guys who could claim that role as LB3, and each bring a different skillset and pitch to the table.

Jamal Hill has been with the team for three seasons now and is smaller for the position, yet possesses great coverage skills as a former defensive back.
Wade Woodaz is a fourth-round rookie and has all of the right physical tools to be an impactful NFL linebacker, but how quickly can he adjust?
Marte Mapu has some of the most experience on the defensive side of the ball of the available candidates, and the Texans went out to trade for him this offseason.
Jake Hansen has the most experience on the Texans' roster of these four with four seasons under his belt, but has been mostly special teams-focused.

So the Texans certainly aren't without options to turn to while Speed is down. However, it does set the stage for a pretty unpredictable and competitive position battle in the weeks ahead.

And really, with how solid the top of the Texans' linebacker group looks, there's a real case for one of these four depth-level guys to inevitably be a victim of cutdown day once it arrives at the end of August. So they won't just be fighting for a bigger role; they could be fighting for their roster spots as well.

A lot is going to unfold in the Texans' training camp to truly see how this roster will look rolling into Week 1 of the regular season. But this linebacker room will be one of the more pressing matters to keep watch of as training camp progresses.

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