Texans' Winners and Losers After Staying Quiet at Trade Deadline

The Houston Texans' trade deadline was a quiet one.

While the Texans were involved in a slight bit of trade chatter before Tuesday's deadline, the 3 p.m. cutoff inevitably came and went without Houston shaking up their roster at all.

And with that decision from the Texans, a couple of names around the existing roster tend to come out on the other side of the deadline, seeing their stock trending in the right directions. Others, who might've benefitted from a move one way or another, might not be feeling the same way right about now.

Knowing that, let's sort through a couple of the Texans' biggest winners and losers from their lack of trade deadline activity, and what it may mean for those same guys moving forward:

Winner: RB Woody Marks

Nov 8, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (4) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans had been linked to rumors surrounding potential interest to add onto two positions of need on their roster: running back and safety. And after the 3 PM buzzer sounded, Houston wound up adding neither onboard.

And that seems like it should be a vote of confidence in not only this Texans' run game to at least remain afloat for the remainder of the season, but also in Woody Marks (and perhaps a slight bit of David Montgomery) being strong enough to help sustain and build on their current production in the backfield.

Will Marks and Montgomery be able to help lead the Texans to a top-15 rushing attack in the NFL? Probably not. But if they can stay within the middle of the pack while still boasting a strong passing offense and overall defense, Houston will be in good shape.

Loser: OL Wyatt Teller & Braden Smith

Jul 31, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans guard Wyatt Teller (75) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

These two offensive linemen feel like an easy package to put together here, because each found themselves in a pretty similar spot at the trade deadline.

The Texans signed both Teller and Smith in free agency. They haven't cemented themselves as starters since then and could've been dealt at the deadline for a small return to find that next opportunity elsewhere.

Those potential deals to send them out, though, did not end up coming to fruition.

So now, both Teller and Smith are stuck on the Texans' bench until further notice for the remainder of the season. While the Texans' offensive line has been stable without either of them claiming a big role, it's certainly not the ideal vision that either had for their time in Houston upon signing here this past offseason.

Winner: S Reed Blankenship

Sep 27, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans safety Reed Blankenship (6) reacts with safety Kamari Ramsey (27) in the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another similar case to the Texans' running back situation at the deadline here: Houston was rumored to add a safety via trade, and ultimately decided not to. Instead, they'll be moving forward with their current safety unit led by Calen Bullock, and likely when healthy, Reed Blankenship.

And that's some big news for someone like Blankenship; someone who's struggled to adjust within the defensive scheme with some inconsistent performances, and has recently suffered from a hand injury and concussion during his early time with the Texans.

Clearly, though, Houston didn't feel the need to upgrade the back-end of their secondary, and is confident to roll with Blankenship––or perhaps his backup, M.J. Stewart––for the rest of the year. Time will tell if that bet ends up paying off for them.

Loser: TE Marlin Klein

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans tight end Marlin Klein (83) warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans walked into the trade deadline with five tight ends on their roster––just as they did to kick off Week 1 of the season. And there seemed to be a slim possibility that Houston would shed one of those names, and thus open up a roster spot and, more importantly, expanded opportunities for rookie Marlin Klein.

Houston didn't take that approach, however. They still have five tight ends on the roster, likely for the remainder of the season, and that leaves Klein in a bigger uphill battle to get consistent playing time within the Texans' offense.

The good news is that Klein did manage to finally be activated to the gameday roster against the LA Chargers for the first time since Week 4.

He played over 20 snaps for zero recorded stats, but seeing him on the field in a bigger capacity is a good sign for his stuck. Things might just look better had someone like Brevin Jordan or Cade Stover gotten dealt.

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