In case the hype train hasn’t stopped by your house just yet, the Houston Texans training camp just kicked off yesterday and will entail one of the most competitive races to the final 53-man roster in franchise history. Benefiting from three great drafts in a row and a few savvy moves in free agency, the Texans are now loaded to the gills with talent. General manager Nick Caserio responded to Houston’s deficiencies at tight end and offensive line that spelled their demise in the divisional round
last season by rattling off a litany of signings at each position group both in free agency and through the NFL draft. On defense, he brought in four new linebackers and five new defensive backs for a team that already had established starters, and the now the whole roster is practically bursting at the seems with talented players. There will be so much ankle-biting and clawing for even the backup positions that I wouldn’t blame other teams for sending a few of their own representatives down to Houston in hopes of poaching a few Texans players on the roster’s bubble.
At some positions, making a decision on who to cut is nearly impossible, and whoever does receive that hard knock on their door come cut-day (August 30th) will surely not deserve it. Let’s take a look at a few of those highly contested positions, shall we?
Position groups to watch this training camp:
4. Offensive line
Projected Depth Chart:
LT: Aireontae Ersery, Blake Fisher
LG: Wyatt Teller, Evan Brown, Febechi Nwaiwu
C: Jake Andrews, Keylan Rutledge, Evan Brown
RG: Ed Ingram, Keylan Rutledge, Febechi Nwaiwu
RT: Braden Smith, Trent Brown
Practice Squad: Jarrett Patterson, Eli Cox, Jarrett Kingston, James Neal III
Cut/Waived: Sam Hagen, Derrick Graham
In a way, the embrace of signing a wide-range of veteran offensive lineman from Texans general manager Nick Caserio this year was an admittance of defeat. Here’s your savvy, penny-pinching draftnik that cut his teeth on the mean streets of Foxborough just giving up on his dream. Setting to fire this carefully-drafted plan and hitting the reset button, for better and for worse. He’s had enough of the Kenyon Greens and the Juice Scruggs of it all, and you know what? Nick Caserio just wants to be done with this whole interior line thing. He’s tired of all the negative attention on this position group, so he might as well bring in some meaty players that’ll provide some reprieve for QB C.J. Stroud after some suspect interior protection in 2024 and 2025. Instead of continuously cycling players like Scruggs, Jarrett Patterson, and Tytus Howard on and off the field, the Texans have instead opted to find more consistency at LG and RT, bringing in veterans Wyatt Teller, Evan Brown, and Braden Smith. In addition, they also drafted Keylan Rutledge in the first round, as well as Febechi Nwaiwu in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Three free-agent veterans and two talented rookies means that Houston is in store for a major shakeup to their offensive line this season. The only starters of the group who I’d deem “safe” are recently extended RG Ed Ingram and second-year LT Aireontae Ersery. I guess every front-office main character has their heel, and Nick Caserio’s is the offensive line. He’s earned the ridicule for it all, but even here, I sell him a bit short with my exaggeration. It only took the Texans a few days into free agency to sign Braden Smith and Evan Brown, so the front office was likely targeting those two players more so than just “settling” for them as affordable alternatives to the pricey superstars. Stars they are not, but Smith and Brown are both slated to be either starters in Week 1 or at least frequent contributors during the regular season. They both will have stiff competition for that starting job, though. Trent Brown’s impressive stint at RT in the latter-half of 2025 will make Smith’s climb to the starting job a challenging one. and Evan Brown, whether he’s angling for the LG spot or the C spot, will have to earn his role over established starter Jake Andrews, rookies Keylan Rutledge and Febechi Nwaiwu, or the wildcard of this free agency class, Wyatt Teller.
Teller, to me, is one of the most interesting cases of the entire position group. He’s on the wrong side of 30, coming off a leg injury that wouldn’t abate last season, and will be competing at the left guard spot – a position he hasn’t held since college. But, Teller had a history of excellent run-blocking prowess during his tenure in Cleveland, and if he is able to return to that pre-injury form whilst transitioning to the LG spot, he could dramatically transform the outlook of the offense as a whole. RG Ed Ingram did just as much last year when he was traded to the Texans for just a 2026 sixth-round pick, becoming one of the league’s best guards in the span of just one year. Wyatt Teller has the experience and the moxie to make this happen, he just needs to make the leap to the left side of the line seem lax.
Although, just like Evan Brown, Teller will first need to prove that his legs can keep up with his teammates. Brown has played more snaps than Teller over the last two seasons (1,840 compared to 1,650), and the rookies come in with just as much hype. It’s really anyone’s game for the center and left guard spot, and the depth chart behind the starters will be a true mystery. We’ve come a long way from 2025’s interior line battle between Juice Scruggs and LaDarius Henderson for the backup left guard spot and Jake Andrews, Jarrett Patterson and Jaylon Thomas for the center role. Now, it’s starters galore!
I’m curious to see how every single one of these linemen shake out in training camp and the preseason. I’m bullish on the team’s improvement in blocking this year, and I think a lot of these players have the opportunity to be breakout players this season. I’m particularly interested to see how Brown looks in training camp, and where he’ll end up on the depth chart. I’ll also be interested to see if Jarrett Patterson is able to hold onto a roster spot, or if he’ll be downgraded to the practice squad or even traded before September. Patterson has played a minimum of 400 snaps in each of the three seasons he’s been in Houston, but he may potentially be the odd man out along the interior line if he doesn’t impress in August.
3. Linebackers
Projected lineup: Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, Jamal Hill, Jake Hansen, Marte Mapu, Wade Woodaz
Injured Reserve: E.J. Speed
Practice Squad: Aiden Fisher, Jake Hummel
Cut/Waived: K.C. Ossai
The top three of this position group was practically set in stone until E.J. Speed suffered a partially torn quadriceps injury during the Texans’ offseason training program, which required surgery and will likely sideline him until November. Without him to back up Al-Shaair or To’oTo’o, Houston will have to narrow down on a speedy, strong, tackling machine that has the know-how and instincts to be a sideline-to-sideline threat on basically any short yardage play. Thankfully, most of their backups are capable of doing that and much more, but who will be the darling to capture the hearts of Texans’ coaches this August?
Right now, I think all of these players have a chance of breaking through, but I think two criteria will influence the coaches’ opinions: NFL experience and experience with the Texans team. It may seem like simple, overly-broad criteria to highlight, but I think the Texans will be looking primarily for a defender that can replace Speed’s role as a rangy weakside linebacker and can get up to speed with the Texans’ defense quickly. This likely eliminates rookies Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher from the #3 LB race since they’re still green in the NFL, pending a breakthrough training camp/preseason from one of them. Neither players have an exceptional athletic edge over their veteran teammates, as well, so I believe Jamal Hill or Jake Hansen are the most likely candidates to replace Speed until he’s fully recovered. Both Hill and Hansen have excelled on special teams, played well during the preseason, and have the toolset to keep an opposing offense contained. Better yet, Houston’s offseason signings of Marte Mapu and Jake Hummel have given the team leeway to move Hill and/or Hansen away from special teams without that phase of Houston’s team collapsing in their absence.
The rookies are where the real spice resides in this position group. Fourth-round pick Wade Woodaz could rise in the ranks if his athleticism and energy prove to keep up with NFL speed, but he’ll need to really impress go leapfrog Hill or Hansen. The same can be said for seventh-rounder Aiden Fisher, who’s arriving in Houston riding high off of a National Championship run with Indiana, but without the raw skill to guarantee a roster spot. Both of their collegiate experience as the MIKE linebacker will no doubt be attractive to head coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke, so my focus will be on if either can impress enough to become Azeez Al-Shaair’s backup at MLB in their rookie seasons. I think Woodaz has a chance, but I think he’ll need to have preseason for the ages if he wants to leapfrog Jake Hansen or Jamal Hill.
2. Running Back
Projected Depth Chart: David Montgomery, Woody Marks, Jawhar Jordan, British Brooks
Practice Squad: Noah Whittington
Cut/Waived: Evan Hull, Joshua Pitsenberger
Montgomery has (to his dismay) developed the reputation of being a “power back” when in reality, he’s far more of a Woody Marks clone than anything else. Montgomery is often at his best following blockers or running laterally and making one decisive cut upfield when a hole has opened, not unlike Marks’ slashing style. Both Marks and Montgomery can certainly succeed in gap-scheme rushing plays even if it’s not their forté, but Houston could still use a third back, potentially a bruiser, that could take the load off the starters. Who could that be?
Here’s where the exceptionally weird bout between Jawhar Jordan, British Brooks, and rookie undrafted free agent Noah Whittington take center stage. Evan Hull and Joshua Pitsenberger have a chance to nab the spotlight, as well, but their chances are so small that I do not consider them part of the race for this #3 RB spot. Players like Jordan, Brooks, and Whittington have the college resumè or the preseason highlights to justify their position in this race, and any one of them could be granted that coveted position. As the third running back on the roster, you may not immediately expect the position to be important, but considering the number of times Woody Marks looked visibly shaken up after a play in his rookie season, I’d say his backup is a spot the Texans better have covered. The third running back will certainly be used, and considering the potential that Houston will nix the fourth spot in this position group to make the final 53-man roster this season, whoever earns that final spot will have a lot of pressure.
Out of the three options, Jawhar Jordan offers the most Woody Marks-like rushing style. Primarily a zone-based rusher that excels at punching the hole once it’s opened, Jordan compares favorably to Marks. In week 15, Jordan was called up from the practice squad to fill in for an injured Marks, and he ran all over the Arizona Cardinals. If that game is any indication, Jordan will be able to plug right into the offense if Marks were unavailable. Undrafted rookie tailback Noah Whittington from Oregon offers a similar rushing style, but is a more scheme-agnostic player than Jordan and also appears to prefer violence when shedding tackles over Jordan’s shiftiness. Not the kind of trait you’d expect from a 5’8” RB, but at 203 lbs., Noah Whittington is a little spark plug that’s very hard to keep grounded.
Brooks, on the other hand, is more of a bowling ball than a bishop on the field, but, paradoxically, also offers a bit more flexibility to the coordinator considering his role as a fullback. Brooks is certainly more of a beefed-up running back than he is a massive old-school fullback, but he can still deliver mighty blocks and ball out on special teams where the others cannot. That special teams experience might be his ticket to making the roster over Jordan and Whittington, but I think the Texans coaching staff will end up keeping who they deem to be the best overall running back between these three players. Above, I have both Jordan and Brooks listed as making the team, but in the event that only three tailbacks are kept on the roster…I’d pick Brooks over Jordan.
1. Tight End
Projected Depth Chart: Dalton Schultz, Foster Moreau, Marlin Klein, Brevin Jordan
Practice squad: Cade Stover, Layne Pryor
Cut/Waived: Louis Hansen
This position on the roster has received the most attention this offseason, both from the team itself and the fans. One of Houston’s season-long weak spots in 2025 was tight end, where Dalton Schultz hid the ugliness of what was behind him with a career year. When he wasn’t on the field, though, the Texans suffered through the sub-par blocking and receiving abilities of backups Cade Stover and Harrison Bryant. Stover fit the bill as a thicker version of Schultz, but he has not yet metastasized into a consistent blocker in the NFL, nor has he found an effective role on the Texans team. His foot injury and underwhelming performances following his return from I.R. last year made the competition between Stover and his understudy, Harrison Bryant, for the #2 TE spot a little more contested that some (ahem me) might have been expecting last year. This could have been a prime opportunity for 2021 fifth-round pick Brevin Jordan to garner playing time, but a season-ending knee injury suffered in August last year derailed everything for him. That injury was a harbinger of things to come, as his absence from coordinator Nick Caley’s offense became more apparent with each passing week.
Now, Houston is ready to turn the page on this rough patch in the tight end department, signing former New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau and drafting Michigan’s Loveland-lite: Marlin Klein. Both of these players were brought in to provide, among other things, some “scheme flexibility” to the Texans’ offense, as Battle Red Blog analyst Kenneth Levy puts it. Moreau adds some blocking juice to the team where it was scant before, and Klein could do that and then some with his smooth footwork and long wingspan. But, whether or not Klein will break through his rookie year will depend heavily on his ability to remain healthy. Injuries haunted Klein while in Michigan, and he spent much of this summer nursing a hamstring injury. He’s healthy for the start of training camp, but he’ll still be competing with the likes of Moreau and Brevin Jordan for playing time behind Schultz.
The ticket to this position group reaching for the stars will be remaining healthy. Jordan, Stover, and Klein all have a healthy timeline of injuries, but even as such, the sheer amount of quality tight ends on this year’s roster has made the position group more resistant to collapse. If all were to remain healthy, though, the ceiling for this group is in the stratosphere. Thankfully, all players, including Layne Pryor and Louis Hansen, are healthy entering training camp, so Texans fans will be treated to a feisty competition for the #2, #3, and #4 spots on the depth chart.
In my view, I think Nick Caley is looking for the closest thing to Colby Parkinson, which would probably mean Foster Moreau will be backing up Dalton Schultz. But, for more pass-heavy formations and situations where the tight end will be lining up as a receiver, he’ll probably prefer Brevin Jordan and/or Marlin Klein. Brevin Jordan carries more experience and more potency as a blocker in the NFL than Klein, so I expect him to get more attention earlier in the season unless Klein starts running circles around him.
These are the four position groups I expect to be the most heated during training camp and the preseason! Houston’s starters are pretty established, but the pecking order behind the starters will only be decided after fierce competition, especially at offensive line and tight end. Out of all these players, the fates of Jarrett Patterson, Brevin Jordan, Noah Whittington, and Jamal Hill interest me the most. All of these players are incredibly talented, but all could either be off the team or in serious jeopardy come September. Patterson’s talent is a double-edged sword, as well, as the Texans can’t count on keeping him if he’s put on waivers. I find it extremely unlikely that will happen, but if both he and Brevin Jordan end up at the bottom of their respective depth charts, then Caserio & Co. might consider them trade-able assets, and it would just break my heart to see them go for some conditional late-round picks or something similarly menial. Patterson and Jordan made up the foundation of Houston’s now proliferous base of talented youngsters, and now, they both may face the chopping block because the team around them may leave them in the dust. Times change fast in the NFL, and maybe sometimes, a little too fast.
What do you think, though? Will Brevin Jordan finally get his chance to show off his freakish athletic abilities for a full season, or will Moreau and Klein combine to steal his thunder? Will Jarrett Patterson get bumped off the team, or will he surge back into a starting role? Will Jake Hansen finally get some regular season snaps again, or will he lose out to Jamal Hill?
Additionally, what position battles will you be most tuned into? The defensive backfield’s depth behind the starters has received a lot of attention from pundits recently, as has the wide receivers room, so it’s possible I didn’t even cover your most anticipated players. Let us know who you’ll be looking for down in the comments below!
Go Texans!!!
