Texans Make Flurry of Roster Moves Ahead of Week 5 vs. Titans

The Houston Texans have made a handful of roster moves on the cusp of their Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

And no, none of those moves have involved a trade for Marvin Harrison Jr. At least, not yet.

It's a share of minor transactions for the Texans, all things considered. However, with two injured reserve activations, practice squad elevations, and even a couple of players waived, there were a few noteworthy dominoes in Houston before facing their AFC South rivals in Nashville come Sunday afternoon.

Let's break down every move the Texans made right around the corner from their Week 5 battle against the Titans:

IR Activation

Jul 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive tackle Kayden McDonald (93) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

DT Kayden McDonald

The Texans' first of two second-round picks from this year's draft is officially good to go for his NFL debut against the Titans this weekend.

McDonald had been on the injured reserve since the start of the season for an ankle injury he sustained before the year kicked off, but will now get his first chance to be a depth piece on Houston's interior behind Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai.

S M.J. Stewart

Stewart joins back into the Texans' lineup after he had missed extended time with a quad injury sustained during the 2025 season.

It's been nearly a year since we last saw the veteran safety on the field for an NFL game, but he'll make a return this weekend, likely as depth behind Reed Blankenship and as a special teams contributor.

Waived

August 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Bryce Oliver (80) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

QB Mark Gronowski

The Texans had just signed Gronowski back to the active roster this week after he had been released back in September. Now, just a few days later, Houston will be releasing him from the 53-man roster.

Gronowski will be expected to return to Houston's practice squad if he clears waivers upon his release, so this likely won't be the end of his time in the building.

WR Bryce Oliver

The Texans added Oliver to the 53-man roster earlier this week as a depth piece in their receiver room, yet they'll be releasing him on the eve when Houston will be up against his former team in Tennessee.

Like Gronowski, Oliver will also be expected to return to Houston's practice squad if he clears waivers upon his release. So barring any unforeseen changes, he'll be here to stay too.

Practice Squad Elevation

May 1, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jr. Kenneth Murray (59) walks off the field after practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CB Bryce Hall

Hall will be making his season debut for the Texans on Sunday as the team will officially be using one of his three practice squad elevations for this year. Hall was a former starting cornerback for the New York Jets before his arrival in Houston, as he's played 40 career NFL games with over 20 starts.

Hall could bring some depth to the Texans' secondary unit in a pinch, but he'll most likely find his spot on the special teams side of things this weekend.

LB Kenneth Murray

Murray is back for a second week on the Texans' 53-man roster, as he'll look to continue getting more work on Houston's defense following the 64 total snaps seen against the Dallas Cowboys.

There's also a good chance Murray could find his way back into the Texans' defense as a starter this week, as he was in Week 4. Azeez Al-Shaair will be returning from his groin injury that sidelined him for a game, but Murray could uproot Jake Hansen, depending on where the coaching staff stands.

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