Houston Texans Injuries

Ingram will be required to miss the first four weeks of the regular season at least before he is eligible to return to the Texans' active roster. The reserve defensive back suffered a shoulder injury during the team's preseason opener against the Chargers in early August. Ingram appeared in four games for the Texans last year after being claimed off waivers from the Bills.

There's no designation to return attached to Gaye's placement on injured reserve, meaning the LSU product will be required to miss the entire 2026 season. He suffered a severe knee injury during the Texans' joint practice against the Panthers this past Wednesday. Gaye will shift his attention toward being fully healthy for the 2027 campaign.

Horton's season is officially over after he tore his ACL during Monday's practice. The 25-year-old will now shift his focus to getting healthy for the 2027 campaign.

Byrd suffered an ankle injury during last Friday's preseason finale against the Panthers. The defensive end had virtually no chance of making the 53-man roster, so he was waived with an injury designation. The 26-year-old went unclaimed and now will spend the entirety of the 2026 regular season on IR unless he is waived with an injury settlement.

McDonald was limited in practice Wednesday and missed practice Thursday, suggesting he suffered the injury in practice this week. He'll now be required to miss at least the first four games of the season. Logan Hall, Mario Edwards and Jaden Crumedy will see the rotational snaps at defensive tackle behind Tommy Togiai and Sheldon Rankins.

The Texans waived Hamilton on Sunday with an injury designation. The defensive tackle cleared waivers and will now spend the entirety of the 2026 regular season on injured reserve. Hamilton will need to reach an injury settlement with the Texans in order to see the field this coming season.

Hagen is an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State. The reserve offensive lineman is 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds. The Texans clearly valued the rookie's training camp production, as the choice to keep the young player on the active roster will give him a chance to return to the 2026 season after at least four games on IR.

To'oTo'o landed on injured reserve Tuesday, which will keep him off the field for at least four games. However, according to Garafolo, the 25-year-old is expected to be out "longer," possibly missing up to eight weeks. To'oTo'o finished the 2025 campaign by amassing 95 total tackles and 2.5 sacks in 17 regular-season games.

Ossai persisted through a separate issue to be activated off the active/PUP list for training camp in late July. The linebacker has unfortunately succumbed to yet another injury and could now miss the entirety of the 2026 regular season on the Texans' IR. Ossai will need to reach an injury settlement with the Texans if he wants to attempt a return to football with another team in 2026.

Mapu was waived with an injury designation Monday and went unclaimed. The linebacker will now spend the entirety of the 2026 season on IR unless he is waived with an injury settlement.

The offensive tackle is set to miss four to six weeks with a torn plantar fascia tendon. Smith was carted off the field last Wednesday with the injury, making Trent Brown the Texans' starting right tackle for the Week 1 matchup with the Bills. Even if the 30-year-old Smith recovers quicker than his timeline predicts, the tackle will need to miss at least four regular-season games on IR before becoming eligible to return to the team's active roster.

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Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Dell was scheduled to collect $3.624 million, but he'll now make just over $1.7 million in 2026. Dell missed the entirety of the 2025 campaign after a catastrophic knee injury suffered toward the end of the previous season. He's now opening this season on injured reserve and won't be eligible to play until Week 5 at the earliest.

Clowney recorded his third injury in as many weeks during Week 2 preparation. The defensive end dealt with ankle and hip issues in the lead-up to the Texans' 36-31 loss against the Bills last Sunday. Clowney was unable to practice at all in Week 2 due to the new issue. With Clowney, who serves as the primary depth option at edge rusher, unavailable Sunday, Dominique Robinson and Sabastian Harsh will likely share the rotational defensive snaps behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.

Ingram tweaked his groin in practice during Week 2 prep, and the injury is severe enough for the fifth-year pro to miss time. Wyatt Teller is the next man up at right guard and will be the starter for as long as Ingram is sidelined.

Speed suffered a torn quadriceps tendon while lifting weights in May, and he underwent surgery to repair the injury. The linebacker is expected to miss the entirety of the 2026 season, and in his absence, Jake Hansen (ankle) and Henry To'oTo'o are set to operate as the team's primary outside linebackers.

Hummel suffered a groin injury during the third quarter of Sunday's 36-31 loss to the Bills. The linebacker is considered week-to-week as he deals with the issue, so the fact he's ruled out for Week 2 is no surprise. Jake Hansen will likely continue to fill in for Hummel for as long as he remains sidelined.

Stewart suffered a quadriceps injury in early November, ending the 2025 season on injured reserve after undergoing surgery. The safety remained sidelined throughout training camp and the preseason, and he will now be forced to miss at least four contests to open the regular season. In his absence, offseason addition Reed Blankenship will be the unquestioned No. 1 option at strong safety for Houston.

Collins already has been ruled out for Sunday's game versus the Bengals as a result of the hamstring injury that he picked up at Wednesday's practice. The injury isn't considered to be a long-term concern, but as Wilson reports, the Texans could err on the side of caution and keep him out for Week 3 at Indianapolis as well to ensure the issue doesn't linger. In Collins' absence, Houston will roll with Xavier Hutchinson, Kayshon Boutte, Jaylin Noel, Jared Wayne and practice-squad call-up Lewis Bond at wide receiver.

Robinson was released by the Texans on Sunday, per Wilson, but the 2022 fifth-rounder is back with the team on a one-year deal. Robinson appeared in 12 regular-season games for the Bears in 2025, finishing with 19 tackles (12 solo), including 1.5 sacks. His presence gives the Texans additional depth at defensive end behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.

Jones may have picked up the injury during his tackle on Anthony Tyus late in the second quarter. The severity and nature of Jones' injury is unclear, but the Texans should get a better sense of his recovery timeline once he undergoes further tests. The Michigan State product is battling for a depth spot on the Texans' 53-man roster for the regular season.

Hansen was carted off the field Thursday due to the issue, and it seems it will be an elongated recovery period for the 28-year-old. If the linebacker cannot sustain his standard of play once he returns, his special-teams snaps may be earned by other players such as rookies Wade Woodaz or Aiden Fisher.

Hill played 42 total snaps Thursday, with 33 defensive reps. The linebacker contributed on exactly 50 percent of the Texans' defensive plays. Hill underwent a procedure to address a wrist ligament injury during the offseason but appears to have fully recovered from the surgery.

Woodaz suffered a broken thumb last Thursday against the Raiders and underwent surgery Monday. The rookie linebacker should be ready for Week 1, but it's possible he plays with the thumb heavily taped or in some sort of cast. Woodaz is expected to act as Azeez Al-Shaair's top backup but could also see snaps alongside him and Henry To'oTo'o at linebacker while contributing on special teams.

Brooks broke his hand at practice and underwent surgery in early August, but he was able to return to the practice field after a three-week absence. The running back is competing for a spot on Houston's 53-man roster in 2026, and he'll look to be ready to go for Friday's preseason finale in Carolina.

Jordan has been dealing with a strained hip flexor and didn't play at all during the preseason slate. However, the 27-year-old should be good to go for the beginning of the regular season as long as he doesn't experience any setbacks during upcoming practices. Jordan is slated to work as Houston's No. 3 RB this year behind David Montgomery and Woody Marks.

With David Montgomery and Woody Marks locked into the first two depth chart spots in Houston's backfield, Whittington is competing with Jawhar Jordan, who is nursing a hip injury, for the third-string spot. Whittington recorded 22 carries for 51 yards during preseason action before suffering the ankle injury, while Jordan hasn't been able to get on the field for any exhibition games. Whittington signed with Houston as an undrafted free agent in May after finishing with 829 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 129 carries at Oregon last season.

Jordan was recently cut by the Texans, though he will be brought back and added to the 53-man roster. The 26-year-old was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, appearing in 36 regular-season games and amassing 53 receptions for 532 yards and five touchdowns. Jordan has battled knee issues over the last few years, limiting his availability, though general manager Nick Caserio, as relayed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, indicated he could return to practice next week.

Ingram tweaked his groin in practice during Week 2 prep, and the injury is severe enough for the fifth-year pro to miss time. Wyatt Teller is the next man up at right guard and will be the starter for as long as Ingram is sidelined.

Collins already has been ruled out for Sunday's game versus the Bengals as a result of the hamstring injury that he picked up at Wednesday's practice. The injury isn't considered to be a long-term concern, but as Wilson reports, the Texans could err on the side of caution and keep him out for Week 3 at Indianapolis as well to ensure the issue doesn't linger. In Collins' absence, Houston will roll with Xavier Hutchinson, Kayshon Boutte, Jaylin Noel, Jared Wayne and practice-squad call-up Lewis Bond at wide receiver.

Clowney recorded his third injury in as many weeks during Week 2 preparation. The defensive end dealt with ankle and hip issues in the lead-up to the Texans' 36-31 loss against the Bills last Sunday. Clowney was unable to practice at all in Week 2 due to the new issue. With Clowney, who serves as the primary depth option at edge rusher, unavailable Sunday, Dominique Robinson and Sabastian Harsh will likely share the rotational defensive snaps behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.

Hummel suffered a groin injury during the third quarter of Sunday's 36-31 loss to the Bills. The linebacker is considered week-to-week as he deals with the issue, so the fact he's ruled out for Week 2 is no surprise. Jake Hansen will likely continue to fill in for Hummel for as long as he remains sidelined.

There was concern about Collins' status after he popped up on Wednesday's injury report and was sent for tests on his injured hamstring, but the early indication is he is not dealing with a serious setback. Collins dealt with a hamstring issue in the past and will not be afforded much time before Sunday's matchup with the Bengals, so while the long-term outlook appears positive he could miss at least one game.

To'oTo'o landed on injured reserve Tuesday, which will keep him off the field for at least four games. However, according to Garafolo, the 25-year-old is expected to be out "longer," possibly missing up to eight weeks. To'oTo'o finished the 2025 campaign by amassing 95 total tackles and 2.5 sacks in 17 regular-season games.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that the team was still deciding on To'oTo'o's status. The linebacker was seen wearing a sling after the game. To'oTo'o suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter after playing 46 snaps.

Hummel suffered a groin injury in the third quarter of Sunday's 36-31 loss to the Bills. The linebacker will almost certainly miss the Texans' Week 2 game against the Bengals. Jake Hansen will likely start as the second outside linebacker in Hummel's absence, but the team will probably rely on more nickel packages with Jalen Pitre in the slot while Hummel is absent.

McDonald was limited in practice Wednesday and missed practice Thursday, suggesting he suffered the injury in practice this week. He'll now be required to miss at least the first four games of the season. Logan Hall, Mario Edwards and Jaden Crumedy will see the rotational snaps at defensive tackle behind Tommy Togiai and Sheldon Rankins.

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Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Dell was scheduled to collect $3.624 million, but he'll now make just over $1.7 million in 2026. Dell missed the entirety of the 2025 campaign after a catastrophic knee injury suffered toward the end of the previous season. He's now opening this season on injured reserve and won't be eligible to play until Week 5 at the earliest.

The offensive tackle is set to miss four to six weeks with a torn plantar fascia tendon. Smith was carted off the field last Wednesday with the injury, making Trent Brown the Texans' starting right tackle for the Week 1 matchup with the Bills. Even if the 30-year-old Smith recovers quicker than his timeline predicts, the tackle will need to miss at least four regular-season games on IR before becoming eligible to return to the team's active roster.

Jordan was recently cut by the Texans, though he will be brought back and added to the 53-man roster. The 26-year-old was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, appearing in 36 regular-season games and amassing 53 receptions for 532 yards and five touchdowns. Jordan has battled knee issues over the last few years, limiting his availability, though general manager Nick Caserio, as relayed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, indicated he could return to practice next week.

Clowney suffered a soft-tissue injury to his hip during the preseason meeting with the Raiders. He's also been battling an ankle issue. However, neither of the ailments is expected to keep him off the field for the opener against the Bills. The 33-year-old Clowney isn't as productive as he once was, though he ended the 2025 campaign with the Cowboys by totaling 41 tackles and 8.5 sacks across 13 regular-season games.

Hagen is an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State. The reserve offensive lineman is 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds. The Texans clearly valued the rookie's training camp production, as the choice to keep the young player on the active roster will give him a chance to return to the 2026 season after at least four games on IR.

There's no designation to return attached to Gaye's placement on injured reserve, meaning the LSU product will be required to miss the entire 2026 season. He suffered a severe knee injury during the Texans' joint practice against the Panthers this past Wednesday. Gaye will shift his attention toward being fully healthy for the 2027 campaign.

Robinson was released by the Texans on Sunday, per Wilson, but the 2022 fifth-rounder is back with the team on a one-year deal. Robinson appeared in 12 regular-season games for the Bears in 2025, finishing with 19 tackles (12 solo), including 1.5 sacks. His presence gives the Texans additional depth at defensive end behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.

Speed suffered a torn quadriceps tendon while lifting weights in May, and he underwent surgery to repair the injury. The linebacker is expected to miss the entirety of the 2026 season, and in his absence, Jake Hansen (ankle) and Henry To'oTo'o are set to operate as the team's primary outside linebackers.

The Texans waived Hamilton on Sunday with an injury designation. The defensive tackle cleared waivers and will now spend the entirety of the 2026 regular season on injured reserve. Hamilton will need to reach an injury settlement with the Texans in order to see the field this coming season.

Stewart suffered a quadriceps injury in early November, ending the 2025 season on injured reserve after undergoing surgery. The safety remained sidelined throughout training camp and the preseason, and he will now be forced to miss at least four contests to open the regular season. In his absence, offseason addition Reed Blankenship will be the unquestioned No. 1 option at strong safety for Houston.

Byrd suffered an ankle injury during last Friday's preseason finale against the Panthers. The defensive end had virtually no chance of making the 53-man roster, so he was waived with an injury designation. The 26-year-old went unclaimed and now will spend the entirety of the 2026 regular season on IR unless he is waived with an injury settlement.

Ingram will be required to miss the first four weeks of the regular season at least before he is eligible to return to the Texans' active roster. The reserve defensive back suffered a shoulder injury during the team's preseason opener against the Chargers in early August. Ingram appeared in four games for the Texans last year after being claimed off waivers from the Bills.

With David Montgomery and Woody Marks locked into the first two depth chart spots in Houston's backfield, Whittington is competing with Jawhar Jordan, who is nursing a hip injury, for the third-string spot. Whittington recorded 22 carries for 51 yards during preseason action before suffering the ankle injury, while Jordan hasn't been able to get on the field for any exhibition games. Whittington signed with Houston as an undrafted free agent in May after finishing with 829 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 129 carries at Oregon last season.

Jordan has been dealing with a strained hip flexor and didn't play at all during the preseason slate. However, the 27-year-old should be good to go for the beginning of the regular season as long as he doesn't experience any setbacks during upcoming practices. Jordan is slated to work as Houston's No. 3 RB this year behind David Montgomery and Woody Marks.

Jones may have picked up the injury during his tackle on Anthony Tyus late in the second quarter. The severity and nature of Jones' injury is unclear, but the Texans should get a better sense of his recovery timeline once he undergoes further tests. The Michigan State product is battling for a depth spot on the Texans' 53-man roster for the regular season.

Gaye was carted off the field after suffering the injury. The former Titan appeared in three regular-season games for Tennessee a year ago and was claimed by Houston off waivers in May. It appears there's a good chance Gaye may miss a significant portion, if not all, of the 2026 season.

Practice had to stop when the offensive tackle was carted off. Smith was set to be the starting right tackle for the Texans, meaning if the foot issue is severe, the offensive line will take a huge blow headed into the opening-day contest with the Bills. If Smith must miss time, Trent Brown or Blake Fisher will likely start the season at tackle or guard.

Clowney signed a one-year deal worth up to $8.5 million with the Texans in early August. The 2014 first-round pick for the organization will likely not play in Friday's preseason finale against the Panthers. If the issue is more serious and Clowney must miss Week 1 against the Bills, Solomon Byrd and Sabastian Harsh would be in line to see more rotational snaps at defensive end.

Horton's season is officially over after he tore his ACL during Monday's practice. The 25-year-old will now shift his focus to getting healthy for the 2027 campaign.

Mapu was waived with an injury designation Monday and went unclaimed. The linebacker will now spend the entirety of the 2026 season on IR unless he is waived with an injury settlement.

Woodaz suffered a broken thumb last Thursday against the Raiders and underwent surgery Monday. The rookie linebacker should be ready for Week 1, but it's possible he plays with the thumb heavily taped or in some sort of cast. Woodaz is expected to act as Azeez Al-Shaair's top backup but could also see snaps alongside him and Henry To'oTo'o at linebacker while contributing on special teams.

Jordan suffered a knee injury in early August, and he isn't quite back to full health yet. The tight end hasn't appeared in a contest yet this preseason, and it's possible that the knee injury will force him to miss Houston's preseason finale against the Panthers on Friday.

Brooks broke his hand at practice and underwent surgery in early August, but he was able to return to the practice field after a three-week absence. The running back is competing for a spot on Houston's 53-man roster in 2026, and he'll look to be ready to go for Friday's preseason finale in Carolina.

Speed underwent surgery over the offseason after scans revealed a total tear rather than a partial tear. He opened training camp on the active/PUP list with the hope that he would be available to play at some point in the regular season, but the injury is severe enough for Speed to miss the entire 2026 season. He'll shift his focus toward being fully healthy for the 2027 campaign.

Ossai persisted through a separate issue to be activated off the active/PUP list for training camp in late July. The linebacker has unfortunately succumbed to yet another injury and could now miss the entirety of the 2026 regular season on the Texans' IR. Ossai will need to reach an injury settlement with the Texans if he wants to attempt a return to football with another team in 2026.

Robinson injured his calf in Thursday night's preseason game against the Raiders. The depth defensive end will need to recover quickly if he wants to maintain any chance at making the Texans' 53-man roster. With Houston having such a deep defensive line, if Robinson cannot stick to the announced injury timeline, he could find himself out of contention to make the team.

It officially ends Higgins' 2026 season before it even got started after he suffered a torn ACL in practice earlier this week. It's a huge blow to the Houston offense, as Higgins was fully expected to handle WR2 duties opposite Nico Collins this season. The Texans will now turn to some combination of Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel (hamstring/finger) and Tank Dell (knee), though they've also checked in on available wideouts around the league, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. Higgins will rehab throughout the season and should be ready well ahead of Week 1 of the 2027 campaign.

Hill played 42 total snaps Thursday, with 33 defensive reps. The linebacker contributed on exactly 50 percent of the Texans' defensive plays. Hill underwent a procedure to address a wrist ligament injury during the offseason but appears to have fully recovered from the surgery.

Hamilton logged 36 defensive snaps in the contest, taking the field for 56 percent of the Texans' total defensive snaps. The interior lineman had a solid night, managing to get hands on rushers consistently. The 23-year-old will likely need to make a few more splash plays this preseason for a stronger chance to survive cutdown day.

Dell practiced in pads last week for the first time since injuring his knee, and after initially being limited to individual drills he has advanced to team work. His status for Week 1 remains uncertain, but if he can avoid any setbacks there's reason to believe he'll be out there when the regular season gets underway.

Hansen was carted off the field Thursday due to the issue, and it seems it will be an elongated recovery period for the 28-year-old. If the linebacker cannot sustain his standard of play once he returns, his special-teams snaps may be earned by other players such as rookies Wade Woodaz or Aiden Fisher.

Speed suffered a partial tear to his quad while lifting weights back in May and was placed on the active/PUP list Tuesday. By the sounds of it, Speed could open the regular season on reserve/PUP list, which would cost him at least the first four games of 2026. Speed inked a two-year, $10 million deal with Houston over the offseason.

It sounds like Stewart is more week-to-week than day-to-day after he was placed on the active/PUP list to begin camp Tuesday. Stewart inked a one-year, $2.7 million deal to remain with the Texans over the offseason after he recorded 25 tackles (15 solo) across nine regular-season appearances in 2025.

Per Wilson, Hill was able to continue training and practicing while wearing a cast, but it's not fully clear whether he'll be ready to suit up come Week 1 of the regular season. Any reps he misses could mean extra attention for offseason trade acquisition Marte Mapu.