Texans Place WR on IR Following Jadeveon Clowney Signing

The Houston Texans made one minor roster move alongside their signing of Jadeveon Clowney.

Jul 31, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Houston Texans have made it official. They've brought back Jadeveon Clowney to the roster after reports of the move initially surfaced over the weekend.

And in doing so, the Texans have also made another corresponding, minor roster move in order to make space for Clowney, which inevitably shifts the dynamic of the 90-man roster just a tad.

Texans Sign Jadeveon Clowney, Place DJ Turner on IR

According to an annoucement from the Texans, in the process of signing Clowney, they've also placed recently-signed wide receiver DJ Turner on the reserve/injured list.

We have signed Jadeveon Clowney and made other roster moves. pic.twitter.com/iEOYLTd5tP

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 4, 2026

The Texans had signed Turner earlier last week following a successful workout before their flurry of signings had come in for Clowney, alongside linebacker Sione Takitaki and defensive tackle Mario Edwards.

However, the Texans had to make one cut from their current roster in order to bring on Clowney, considering his signing puts them above the 90-man roster limit. 

Therefore, the Texans decided to make a move on Turner, placing him on the IR before cutdown day, which effectively ends his season before it even starts.

How DJ Turner's IR Designation Shifts Texans' WR Room

In terms of the outlook in the Texans' wide receiver room, things don't shift much at all even without Turner in the fold.

The four-year NFL veteran, when joining the roster, was faced with a highly competitive position group that left him on the outside looking in to make the 53-man roster.

Not only do the Texans have six to seven clear favorites to make it past cutdown day in the room, but the 90-man roster also holds a dozen players at the position. So if anything, Turner was due to find his way onto the practice squad in any event that he emerged as a pleasant surprise over the next few weeks.

Nov 3, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner (19) runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The last time that Turner broke out as a noteworthy piece in an NFL offense came in 2024, where he played 12 games for the Raiders to put together 16 receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown; good for just a bit under 10 yards per reception.

In three of the four seasons that he's played since coming out as a UDFA in 2022, though, it's been a bit tougher for Turner to find traction as a piece on the offensive end.

Within the 20 games he's played through 2022, 2023, and 2025, he's been left with zero receiving snaps, and mostly just a player on special teams. In 2025, Turner was left to play just one game, where he played in four special teams snaps.

And now, it looks like his 2026 campaign might just end prematurely.

The Texans will be able to retain his rights on the roster with a reserve/injured designation, but he won't count against their 90-man roster total, as opposed to guys like Jaylin Noel or M.J. Stewart, who are on the NFI and PUP list, respectively.

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