HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans open the 2026 NFL regular season against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 13 at Reliant Stadium. But first, they play one more preseason game Friday at Carolina and then must cut their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Who will make the team? Which positions have tough decisions on deck? And where might the lineup be deepest and thinnest this season?
Houston's developed its roster into a Super Bowl contender, so most position battles at this point have been centered around bubble players. All but a couple starting slots were truly open coming into camp, which was center and right tackle.
Here is our projection for the 53-man roster for the Texans.
Quarterbacks (2)
Mills' only competition for the No. 2 spot was 2025 sixth-round pick Graham Mertz. Granted, the chances of Mertz winning the job were slim, but Mertz tore an ACL.
Running backs (4)
David Montgomery, Woody Marks, Noah Whittington, British Brooks
Brooks has been hurt throughout camp, but he provides special teams value, which the Texans weigh heavily.
Wide receivers (6)
Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, Lewis Bond, Justin Watson
The wideout room took a major hit after Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending torn ACL last week, and now they will have to find a way to replace him. Dell hasn't practiced a lot with the starting offense as he works his way back from a serious knee injury that caused him to miss last season. But Ryans has made it clear they're riding with the former 2023 third-round pick through the end. This room could also make some additions with Houston signing veterans Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Tight ends (4)
Dalton Schultz, Cade Stover, Marlin Klein, Foster Moreau
Brevin Jordan was originally on the pre-training camp list. But he's off it now because he's been dealing with camp injuries and has missed weeks of practice. That's usually a recipe for not making the roster and Houston can save a million in cap space.
Offensive linemen (9)
Aireontae Ersery, Braden Smith, Trent Brown, Blake Fisher, Wyatt Teller, Ed Ingram, Febechi Nwaiwu, Keylan Rutledge, Evan Brown
Brown sneaks onto this list because he's shown the ability to play guard and center. Rutledge winning the center job made Jake Andrews, who mainly plays center, expendable because of Brown's versatility. Ryans overemphasizes the value of versatility when you're not a starter.
Defensive linemen (9)
Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Dylan Horton, Jadeveon Clowney, Logan Hall, Sheldon Rankins, Tommy Togiai, Kayden McDonald, Naquan Jones
The biggest change here is the inclusion of Clowney, who Houston added after a week of training camp practices. The No. 3 defensive line spot appeared shaky, but Clowney in that role should strengthen that unit.
Linebackers (6)
Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To'oTo'o, Jamal Hill, Aiden Fisher, Wade Woodaz, Jake Hansen
Woodaz brings a physicality to the defense that fits in despite penalties being a slight issue. Hill makes the roster because of his athletic ability for special teams.
Cornerbacks (5)
Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, Jaylin Smith, Tremon Smith, Collin Wright
Wright is from Houston so his homecoming as an undrafted free agent worked out in fairy tale fashion. He's had reps with the starting defense throughout camp and has recieved praise from players and coaches throughout camp.
Safeties (5)
Calen Bullock, Reed Blankenship, Jaylen Reed, Kamari Ramsey, Jalen Pitre
Blankenship is one of Houston's biggest offseason additions, and Ramsey has flashed the ability to take the ball away as he caught an interception during Houston's first preseason game.
Special teams (3)
Ka'imi Fairbairn (K), Kai Kroeger (P), Austin Brinkman (LS)
The Texans released punter Jack Stonehouse earlier this month, leaving Kroeger as the lone punter on the roster.