Texans Updated 53-Man Roster Projection Following OTAs

The Houston Texans have officially wrapped up their two-week OTAs period.

And with that checkpoint of the offseason now passed, we now have a little bit of a better understanding of how this 53-man roster could be shaking out in the months ahead of the 2026 regular season.

There's only so much you can unpack through a two weeks of OTAs. Without padded practices and only six days in the facility, there's still much work to do before this Texans roster truly begins to finalize ahead of Week 1.

But based on the intel we know now, let's take our best crack at predicting how this 53-man roster could end up looking at the opening of the 2026 campaign.

QB (3): C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills, Graham Mertz

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Not much of a surprise of what the Texans could have in store at quarterback. C.J. Stroud will be the starter, Davis Mills will be the QB2, and Graham Mertz will be in the mix to be Houston's emergency QB3 for his second season.

The bigger question around this Texans quarterback room will be the potential contract discussions that could be in place between now and the season starting. Stroud's still left without a rookie extension, and Mills is on an expiring contract for the 2026 season. Time will tell if either situation changes in the weeks ahead.

RB (4): David Montgomery, Woody Marks, Jawhar Jordan, British Brooks

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Texans' top two runners are locked into a roster spot. How the bottom of their depth chart at running back will shake out, though, is still up in the air.

As things currently stand, though, Jordan feels primed to claim Houston's RB3 role, while Brooks' experience and special teams value could give him an edge for one of the final 53-man roster spots. However, don't count out UDFAs Joshua Pitsenberger or Noah Whittington from having an outside shot.

WR (6): Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, Tank Dell, Lewis Bond

Sep 13, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal general manager Andrew Luck (left) greets Boston College Eagles wide receiver Lewis Bond (11) after the game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The top of the Texans' wide receiver depth chart is pretty well defined, so the top five names feel pretty locked in place. Throughout OTAs, though, sixth-round rookie Lewis Bond has been the name in the mix landing the most hype his way.

He may not see a ton of regular season reps his way when factoring in the depth Houston has throughout the position. But as a backup slot who could be a developmental piece in the room, he could build enough traction between now and cutdown day to give him a good shot to be WR6.

TE (4): Dalton Schultz, Marlin Klein, Foster Moreau, Brevin Jordan

Jul 27, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz (86) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Schultz, Klein, and Moreau feel like easy picks to slot into the Texans' 53-man roster picture. As to who that last TE4 spot goes to between Cade Stover and Brevin Jordan remains a more intriguing question.

But it could be Jordan's upside as a vertical weapon in the offense that gives him a slight edge to make the cut. Perhaps Stover's versatility to contribute at both tight end and fullback boosts his chances of remaining onboard, but having five tight ends on a roster would be pretty unorthodox.

OT (4): Aireontae Ersery, Braden Smith, Trent Brown, Blake Fisher

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans tackle Blake Fisher (57) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

This offensive tackle room is becoming a bit more clearly defined as the offseason progresses. Ersery and Smith have always been the front-runners to start on the left and right side, respectively, while Brown and Fisher man the depth spots behind them.

If there were to be an odd man out in this four-man core, Fisher would be the obvious one to circle. But because of the second-round stock the Texans invested in him just a couple of years ago, combined with his nine starts in 2025, could be just enough for Houston to feel confident in keeping him around.

IOL: (6): Wyatt Teller, Keylan Rutledge, Ed Ingram, Jake Andrews, Febechi Nwaiwu, Evan Brown

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans center Jake Andrews (60) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Texans' interior of the offensive line has stuck out as one of the more unpredictable roster battles on either side of the ball, but this feels like a pretty solid guess of who could be the lucky six to get the nod in the end.

Teller, Rutledge, and Ingram can be the three starters upfront from left to right. Andrews can be a backup center who might even start to kick the year off. Nwaiwu and Brown can be versatile depth options who can play at multiple spots on the outside. It's an ideal mix of versatility, experience, and upside.

IDL (4): Sheldon Rankins, Kayden McDonald, Tommy Togiai, Logan Hall

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive tackle Tommy Togiai (72) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Texans' defensive interior roster cuts feel much easier to sort out when compared to their offensive interior. Rankins, McDonald, Togiai, and Hall are all almost certain to get the 53-man nod heading into next year and should make for a strong collective to rotate in between their dominant edge rush.

As to who might be named the starters of the bunch, that's a whole different question. Sheldon Rankins feels pretty locked into a starting role, but beyond his placement, training camp and preseason production will likely be what decides the rest.

EDGE (4): Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Dylan Horton, Dominique Robinson

Jul 29, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

If there were any spot on the Texans' roster that could be in need of adding another depth piece, their edge rusher room sticks out as the most likely. Horton and Robinson look like the most likely candidates to fill in as Houston's EDGE3, while Logan Hall could also rotate to the outside in due time.

The top of Houston's depth chart at the position certainly helps though. Anderson and Hunter showed no signs of slowing down in 2025, and could have an even better season on the horizon for 2026.

LB (5): Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To'oTo'o, Jamal Hill, Wade Woodaz, Jake Hummel

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

How the Texans' linebacker depth looks by the time the season starts is widely up in the air since E.J. Speed was deemed out for significant time due to quad surgery. Al-Shaair, To'oTo'o, and Woodaz are virtual roster locks, but what about the rest of the room?

When deciding those final linebacker spots, I could see the Texans leaning with a bit more experience in the room instead of banking on projections and development. That makes third-year linebacker Jamal Hill and free agent pickup Jake Hummel emerge as two candidates that could have the inside track to eventually getting that nod.

CB (5): Derek Stingley, Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre, Jaylin Smith, Tremon Smith

Jul 27, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

This cornerback room could be one player short of what the depth chart looks like in actuality, but this is certain to still be one of the best collective secondaries in the league when factoring in both starting talent and depth.

Stingley and Lassiter should be even better than they were last year. Pitre will be the versatile chess piece he always is, and the duo of Smiths can be a nice tandem of depth to bank on behind the three elite names ahead of them.

S (5): Reed Blankenship, Calen Bullock, M.J. Stewart, Jaylen Reed, Kamari Ramsey

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans safety Jaylen Reed (34) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Houston has a ton of talent in the safety room, so it wouldn't be totally shocking to see them roll into next year with five total names rostered at the position.

Blankenship, Bullock, and Ramsey are easy locks to pin in, so the biggest battle then comes between Stewart and Reed. Both played well in their limited, injury-shortened campaigns last year, so why not give both a chance to run it back for another season?

ST (3): Ka'imi Fairbairn, Jack Stonehouse, Austin Brinkman

Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn (15) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The biggest question in the Texans' special teams unit will be what lies ahead for the punter competition. Fairbairn just got extended as Houston's long-term kicker, and Brinkman has no one else on the roster competing to be this team's long snapper.

It's tough to tell how that battle could eventually shake out by the time Week 1 rolls around, but Stonehouse's production and gradual improvement in college certainly make him an intriguing bet to win over Kai Kroeger.

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