The Houston Texans are just a few days away from starting training camp. And with that will also come a handful of position battles between players looking to establish themselves as starters, key backups, or simply with just a spot on the 53-man roster.
So there will be some shifting around in the Texans' depth chart during the weeks ahead, depending on how everyone performs in both camp and preseason. But we do tend to have a good idea of how things are looking on that front before everyone gets back on the field later this month.
With that in mind, let's look at how the Texans' depth chart is looking right ahead of camp––sorting every player on the 90-man rosterc between being a starter, backup, or on the bubble:
Quarterback
Jun 10, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) participates during the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starter: C.J. Stroud
Backup: Davis Mills, Graham Mertz
This quarterback room is largely settled for the Texans heading into camp. It's hard to see anyone's performance throughout the next several weeks making or breaking their positioning on the depth chart, and all three should be expected to make the 53-man roster.
Running Back
Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back Woody Marks participates in a drill during the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starter: David Montgomery
Backups: Woody Marks, Jawhar Jordan
On the Bubble: British Brooks, Joshua Pitsenberger, Noah Whittington, Evan Hull
Montgomery and Marks are both roster locks heading into camp who will also be receiving a considerable role in the offense. I'm willing to consider Jordan a pretty safe bet to become the RB3 as well, because of his tenure and brief, yet proven production from last season.
Outside of the top three, this running back room could bring one extra name into Week 1. Brooks might have the early edge, but if either UDFA pickup or Hull performs well in camp and preseason, they can rise up the ranks as well.
Wide Receiver
Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel (82) and wide receiver Jayden Higgins (81) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel
Backups: Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, Lewis Bond
On the Bubble: Justin Watson, Jared Wayne, Daniel Sobkowicz, Treyvhon Saunders, Josh Kelly, Ja'Quan Jackson
Collins and Higgins will be the most reliable and featured pieces of this wide receiver group, and Noel feels like he'll be getting a similar boost in opportunity that Higgins will. Dell could find his way into that WR3 spot as well, but the Texans might opt to bring him along slowly into the season after missing all of last year due to injury.
The Texans could carry seven receivers on the roster heading into Week 1, but the competition for who that sixth or seventh name in the mix will be between a vast share of names. Right now, Bond seems like a worthy candidate to slot in as their backup slot, and that WR7 spot then comes down to Watson, Wayne, or an UDFA.
Tight End
Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans tight end Marlin Klein arrives for the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starter: Dalton Schultz
Backups: Foster Moreau, Marlin Klein, Brevin Jordan
On the Bubble: Cade Stover, Layne Pryor, Louis Hansen
Schultz is the clear starter of this tight end group, and Klein's place on the 53-man roster is locked in as well, considering he was one of three Houston draft selections taken in the top 60 picks. Moreau and Jordan have also shown great signs in OTAs and minicamp to make a solid case for themselves, making the cut as well.
That puts Stover as the guy who's on the outside looking in for this Texans roster within the top five names at this position. His recent position switch to be a tight end-fullback hybrid could help him gain some traction, but Houston carrying five tight ends onto the 53-man roster would be pretty surprising to see.
Offensive Tackle
Jul 24, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans tight end Cade Stover (87) and Houston Texans Aireontae Ersery (79) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Aireontae Ersery, Braden Smith
Backup: Trent Brown
On the Bubble: Blake Fisher, James Neal, Derrick Graham, Jarrett Kingston
Brown could honestly find his way to becoming the Texans' Week 1 starting right tackle depending on how his competition fares with Smith. But based on Houston's free agency investment in Smith that netted him a $20 million contract, this team clearly sees a significant role being in his future.
Fisher, the Texans' round two pick from 2024, could be on the roster bubble, though. It'll be hard for him to gain a starting spot with the talent he has around him, and with Brown being more of a swing tackle, maybe Houston decides they don't need four tackles on their roster.
Interior Offensive Line
Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans guard Keylan Rutledge arrives for the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Wyatt Teller, Keylan Rutledge, Ed Ingram
Backups: Evan Brown, Jake Andrews, Febechi Nwaiwu
On the Bubble: Jarrett Patterson, Eli Cox, Sam Hagen
The three projected starters on this unit feel like heavy favorites to hold that role heading into Week 1. Maybe the Texans decide to slowly work in Rutledge to his new position at center, but he was a first-round pick for a reason.
But the depth in this unit is largely undetermined. Even the three backups that are in place currently––outside of Nwaiwu––could arguably be on the bubble as well. But Brown has starting experience with positional versatility, and Andrews has some clear appeal from the Texans' staff. So we'll slot them in for now.
Defensive End
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-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Starters: Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter
Backups: Logan Hall, Dominique Robinson
On the Bubble: Dylan Horton, Sabastian Harsh, Ali Gaye, Solomon Byrd
We know who the two starters will be at this position. That's the same elite one-two punch that the Texans have been led by for the past two seasons in Anderson and Hunter. The outlook behind them is a different story.
Hall could end up as the Texans' third edge rusher, but he's also someone the Texans want to work on in the inside, which could leave the door open for other players to compete for that role. Robinson was a priority signing for Houston in free agency, so maybe they see some potential in him, but literally everyone on the bubble has a realistic chance to make it past cutdown day.
Defensive Tackle
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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Sheldon Rankins, Tommy Togiai
Backup: Kayden McDonald
On the Bubble: Naquan Jones, Kyonte Hamilton, Junior Tafuna, Dominic Bailey
The Texans have a solid top three to work with in their defensive tackle group, which got much better over the course of this offseason by seeing McDonald enter as Houston's 36th pick in the draft–– one they traded up two spots to acquire in the first place.
And based on how McDonald can shift into Houston's defensive scheme, he could easily take over Togiai's spot as the primary starter lining up next to Rankins. Don't count out Jones or Hamilton finding their way into the 53-man roster, either.
Linebacker
Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Azeez al-Shaair participates in a drill during the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To'oTo'o
Backups: Marte Mapu, Wade Woodaz
On the Bubble: Jamal Hill, Austin Fisher, Jake Hansen, Jake Hummel, K.C. Ossai
Likely IR: E.J. Speed
If Speed were healthy, he’d be an easy pick to slot into the Texans' backup linebacker spot. But he's not, as he suffered what's likely a season-ending quad injury over the offseason. That leaves the door open for really anyone in that "on the bubble" category to rise up to the occasion.
Right now, I like Mapu for that spot, considering he has the most NFL experience on the defensive side compared to the rest of the field, and has great versatility in coverage as a former safety to work off-the-ball. Someone like Hill could make a serious run too, however.
Cornerback
Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. participates in a drill during the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter
Backups: Jaylin Smith, Tremon Smith
On the Bubble: Ja'Marcus Ingram, Brandon Codrington, Alijah Huzzie, Collin Wright, Stephen Hall
The Texans' top-two cornerbacks are easy to pick out, and Jaylin Smith feels likely to take that CB3 spot, even coming off a season-ending injury for his rookie year. Tremon Smith was a stable backup last year when Jaylin went out, and can likely hold it down for another year, even in his age-30 season.
Houston will likely carry at least one more corner onto their 53-man roster as well, but that competition is wide-open. Keep an eye on everyone in that "on the bubble" category to make a potential run for themselves in the weeks ahead.
Safety
Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre arrives for the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Reed Blankenship, Calen Bullock, Jalen Pitre
Backups: Kamari Ramsey
On the Bubble: M.J. Stewart, Jaylen Reed, Kaevon Merriweather
The top three starters in this safety room will get a majority of the snaps and workload on this defense, but make no mistake that this position group might just be the most well-rounded from top to bottom that the Texans have onboard.
Ramsey would be the most likely name outside of the top three to make it past cutdown day, considering he was Houston's top pick in the fifth round of the draft. Stewart and Reed will have a great case themselves, but have also battled injury within the past year that adds some question marks.
Special Teams
Jun 10, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans punter Kai Kroeger participates in a drill during the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starters: Kai'mi Fairbairn (K), Austin Brinkman (LS)
On the Bubble: Kai Kroeger (P), Jack Stonehouse (P)
The Texans won't have any chances at kicker or long snapper from where they stood last season. Fairbairn and Brinkman are the guys there. Where the special teams position battle will really lie is at punter with Kroeger and Stonehouse.
It's really a toss-up for how that one shakes out. Kroeger has NFL experience and was someone Houston went out to go and trade for this offseason, but Stonehouse arguably has more upside. Stay tuned for how competition finishes.
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