Texans Address Decision to Cut Punter Jack Stonehouse

The Houston Texans made a notable move to their special teams unit over the weekend with the decision to move on from punter Jack Stonehouse.

It's the first big shift the Texans have made at their punter position since right after the draft in April. Stonehouse, one of many UDFA signings, was right within the mix with former New Orleans Saints punter Kai Kroeger competing for Houston's starting punter job over the past three-plus months.

But now, the Texans have just one punter on the roster: Kai Kroeger. Perhaps the team makes another move to the position in the days ahead. Yet the team has made a clear decision in who they favor between Kroeger and Stonehouse.

Texans' Special Teams Coordinator Talks About Stonehouse Cut

Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross spoke about the team's decision to move off Stonehouse following Houston's Saturday night practice.

"Every position on our roster always–– and hopefully, for as long as I'm here–– always will be a strong competition," Ross said. "So we moved on from Jack Stonehouse. Doesn't matter who's out there, we're always there to prove ourselves every day."

"It's always tough, it's a tough business. It's a hard business, and decisions are tough. But, it's important for the continuity of our group to make sure that specialists are working together, and we can really devote our attention to some specific people.

Jul 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans punter Jack Stonehouse (36) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The one word that Ross emphasized when it came to the Texans' decision between the two was "consistency." It's something that he's seen thus far out of Kroeger, and seemingly favored a bit more from what Stonehouse has showcased throughout the offseason.

"Big word: consistency. Our job in the operation is to be consistent every time we walk out on the field," Ross said. "He's done a good job of taking strides forward from where he started with him, and we just believe that time on task will only continue to improve that... Excited to see where he goes, really thrilled about it so far."

Could Texans Bring In Another Punter?

When asked about the Texans opting to bring in another punter to compete with Kroeger in the weeks ahead, Ross didn't shoot the idea down. However, he also made it clear that the team is always looking to work out and bring in players to make the roster better, no matter the position.

"We're always looking. It doesn't matter what position you are really... We're always working players out. We're always working to upgrade, and that part of the game will never change. So it doesn't really matter," Ross said. "But again, that word continuity is very important this time of year."

The Texans did reportedly bring in a couple of punters for a workout earlier this week, including free agent Jack Browning, but have yet to come to a deal for anyone to compete next to Kroeger.

Time will tell what's next for the Texans' punting spot, and whether or not Kroeger remains the one and only punter on the roster heading into Week 1. But for now, that's the case, and Ross seems to feel confident about it.

Sign up for our free Houston Texans On SI newsletter, and get breaking Texans news delivered to your inbox daily!

Add us as a preferred source on Google