Texans Make First Notable Cut in WR Room as Roster Decisions Begin

The Houston Texans have begun to slowly trim down their 90-man training camp roster into 53 players in the hours ahead of the NFL roster cutdown at 5 p.m. CT on Sunday.

And after a few cuts around the edges of the roster have taken place since Sunday has kicked off, one of the bigger names in the Texans' wide receiver room is the latest to have received the boot.

According to KPRC2's Aaron Wilson, the Texans are releasing veteran wide receiver Justin Watson.

#Texans releasing veteran receiver Justin Watson, per league source
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 30, 2026

Watson's release marks one of the first real decisions the Texans have had to make within their deep wide receiver room.

Heading into the weekend of roster cuts, the Texans had over a dozen wide receivers on the roster looking to compete for a 53-man spot. Watson was one of those names, but falls just short of making the onboard for Week 1.

What the Texans' Release of Justin Watson Means for WR Room

The Texans had initially brought on Watson to their roster back during the 2025 offseason. The veteran wide receiver had come fresh off of two productive years with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he found his way to two Super Bowl wins throughout his tenure.

But Watson's time with the Texans would be disrupted rather quickly. Just three games into the 2025 campaign, the veteran wideout would suffer a season-ending Achilles injury that disrupted his year after three games.

Jul 24, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Justin Watson (84) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In those three games with Houston back in 2025, Watson logged three receptions for 30 yards. Most of his duties were designed for special teams, as he played 31 snaps (38% of the Texans' total) in those appearances.

If Watson were to make the Texans roster this year, he'd likely be placed into a similar role as he was starting last year: a depth piece in the wide receiver room who contributed more on the special teams end.

Instead, Watson now gets released from the Texans' roster, takes this receiver room down to one less name, and in turn, opens up an opportunity for one or two other pass-catchers on the roster looking to make it past the 53-man cut.

Who to Watch in Texans' WR Room as Cuts Continue

The Texans have two wide receivers currently on the roster bubble who will be looking to hear some good news on Sunday: sixth-round rookie Lewis Bond, and third-year UDFA Jared Wayne.

Each has shown out in their opportunities through preseason and training camp across the past couple of weeks, and both bring a different set of skills to the table: Bond works better in the slot, while Wayne can be someone who lines up outside.

If the Texans were to roster either of Bond or Wayne, they'd become one of the final five or six receivers to make it on the 53-man roster. Nico Collins, Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, and Kayshon Boutte are all locks, with a verdict to be determined on Tank Dell and his Injured Reserve status.

If Dell is indeed placed on injured reserve, don't be shocked to see both Bond and Wayne on the roster for Week 1, especially now that one of their key competitors––Justin Watson––is now out of the mix.

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