Texans' Training Camp Dates Announced: 5 Storylines to Keep an Eye On

With just a little under three months to go until the 2026 NFL season gets off and rolling, we now know when each of the league's 32 teams–– including the Houston Texans–– will be taking the field next for their training camp sessions starting towards the end of July.

According to an NFL announcement, the Texans' training camp will be kicking off on July 21st for the incoming rookies, while the veterans will come into the building on July 28th.

List of training camp sites and rookie and veteran reporting dates: pic.twitter.com/mQpeIvYTU7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 22, 2026

Texans to Start Training Camp on July 28th, Rookies Arrive on July 21st

While the Texans will be getting their veterans in the building at the same time as most of the other teams around the league, the first-year players will have a bit of a head start when compared to the rest of the field.

Only two teams will have their rookies in the building earlier than the Texans' July 21st date, those being a pair of teams from the NFC West in the San Francisco 49ers and the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks.

As for the veterans, 26 of the 32 teams around the league start their training camp practices on the 28th as well.

Jul 29, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Texans will also have a couple of joint practices to take on throughout their three-game preseason slate that'll kickstart in August.

Houston will be hosting the Las Vegas Raiders on August 18th ahead of their second preseason of three preseason games, and will then travel for a joint practice against the Carolina Panthers on August 26th.

It means there's still around a month to go before the action starts picking up for the Texans, and the rest of the league before next season. Right now, players and coaches are taking on their last major break following OTAs and minicamp that took place earlier in June.

So as we're stuck waiting for that time to arrive, let's sort through five of the biggest camp storylines to keep an eye on for Houston once hitting the next major checkpoint of the offseason:

Who Will Take Control of the EDGE3 Spot?

The Texans' top two stars off the edge, Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, will need a reliable piece to fill the top depth role to rotate behind them following the departure of Derek Barnett and Denico Autry. As to who that'll be remains up in the air.

Perhaps Logan Hall can transition to a role off the edge as opposed to playing inside, or maybe someone like Dylan Horton or Ali Gaye can cement their standing. A late veteran addition via free agency might not be an option to count out either.

How Is Tank Dell Going to Look?

There's some uncertainty as it relates to how the Texans' depth chart will look at receiver heading into the season. A lot of that relies on what Tank Dell could look like entering training camp, and how Houston decides to incorporate him into the offense both in camp and early into the season.

Dell and the Texans have both remained confident that he'll be ready to get back into the swing of things as a full participant in practice at camp next month. How quickly he reclaims his spot as a top target for C.J. Stroud remains to be seen.

What's Next After E.J. Speed's Injury?

The Texans were hit with a tough injury during their offseason program in the form of linebacker E.J. Speed going down for the season with a torn quad. That leaves the door open for several names in the room to elevate into the LB3 spot on the depth chart.

Houston will have veterans like Marte Mapu and Jamal Hill competing for that spot, and even rookies who could have a puncher's chance of rising up the ranks in Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher. It could turn out to be one of the most important battles to determine coming into camp.

Finding the Best 5-Man Combination on the OL

Entering the offseason, how this offensive line would be refined and tweaked was a key talking point surrounding the Texans, and that's exactly what they did throughout the past few months. Now comes time to sort out what their starting five-man combination will be upfront for Week One.

Aireontae Ersery and Ed Ingram feel like the only guys who are truly locked into their spots at left tackle and right guard, respectively. Any other spot feels widely undetermined.

How Does C.J. Stroud Look to Start Year 4?

There's one player on the Texans' roster this season bound to have the biggest spotlight on him: that's quarterback C.J. Stroud, who's looking to not only bounce back from an ugly end to last postseason, but also gunning for a big payday, considering the front office has held off from inking him to an extension this summer.

Beginning on the right foot in training camp would be a strong start to proving the doubters wrong. So far this offseason, Stroud seems to have taken major strides in his physique and has shown all the right signs to be wired mentally. We'll see if that holds up heading into the season.

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