Houston Texans: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Houston Texans Announce C.J. Stroud News Before Bills Game

The Houston Texans have made official what the locker room has long treated as obvious: C.J. Stroud will wear the captain’s “C” in 2026, the team announced.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Predicting Who Will Be Texans' 2026 MVP, Rookie of the Year, and More

The Houston Texans are just days away from officially kicking off their 2026 regular season. And in the days that remain before the Texans’ Week 1, it makes for the perfect time to sort through some preseason predictions; determining who around Houston's roster could be due for the biggest individual campaigns.

Houston Texans News / Athlon Sports / September 8

Texans to Add National Champion Quarterback to Practice Squad Ahead of Week 1

The Houston Texans filled an unexpected QB3 opening just before their Week 1 opener against the Buffalo Bills. Mark Gronowski was added to the practice squad, after Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the preseason opener, leaving the Texans without a true third quarterback after roster cuts.

Houston Texans News / NFLTradeRumors.co / September 8

Texans Making Four Practice Squad Moves Today

According to Aaron Wilson, the Texans are signing C Gavin Gerhardt as well as QB Mark Gronowski to the practice squad. To make room, they’re releasing DT Dom Bailey and C Ka’ena De Cambra.

Atlanta Falcons News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The '2026 NFL Week 1 starting QBs' quiz

How many of the signal callers tabbed to start under center in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season can you name in five minutes?

The '4,500-passing-yard NFL seasons' quiz

The 'Most 300-yard, 3-TD NFL games' quiz

The 'Last 100-catch season by team' quiz

Houston Texans News / Larry Brown Sports / September 8

Texans have big plans for newly-acquired wide receiver

The Houston Texans clearly believe they have pulled off something of a heist with their trade for wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. Aaron Wilson of KPRC reported Tuesday that the Texans have “big plans” for Boutte and intend to utilize him immediately in the team’s season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

NFL News / Yardbarker

When will every NFL team lose its first game in 2026?

All 32 teams have hope for a perfect 17-0 regular season as another year begins, but the odds aren't in their favor. As the season opens, we predict the first loss for each team in 2026.

Houston Texans News / Athlon Sports / September 8

NFL Evaluator Says Will Anderson Jr. Could Have a 15-Sack Season

The Houston Texans enter the 2026 with a defense that already set the standard. They went 12-5 in 2025 and reached the AFC Divisional Round. Their defense finished No.

Josh Allen News / Houston Texans on SI / September 8

Texans' Recent History vs. Bills Spells Trouble for Josh Allen

The Houston Texans are less than a week away from kicking off their 2026 NFL season on their home field at Reliant Stadium–– marking the end of a long offseason's wait to begin what could be a historic campaign for this talented roster.

Nico Collins News / Athlon Sports / September 8

Nico Collins' Case For, and Against, a Breakout Season

Nico Collins has already built the statistical foundation for a bigger jump. He is coming off his third straight 1,000-yard season, finishing 2025 with 71 catches for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns.

Kamari Lassiter News / Houston Texans on SI / September 8

Texans May Have Just Gained Clarity on Kamari Lassiter's Future Contract

After the events of the 2026 NFL season, the Houston Texans are bound to have a handful of noteworthy contract negotiations on the horizon. Outside of the elephant in the room that is C.J.

NFL News / Yardbarker

The significant NFL players returning from injury in 2026

Be it stars returning from late-season injuries to starter-level players who missed most or all of last season, the NFL features a host of rehab odysseys to follow as training camps near.

DeMeco Ryans News / Athlon Sports / September 8

Texans' Ceiling Under DeMeco Ryans, and What Could Hold Them Back

Three straight winning seasons have changed expectations for the Houston Texans. DeMeco Ryans has taken the Texans from an emerging playoff team to a consistent AFC contender.

Houston Texans News / Athlon Sports / September 8

Texans' Biggest Strength on Offense, and Biggest Weakness on Defense

The Houston Texans enter the 2026 NFL season with a proven formula, but one unfinished piece. They went 12-5 in 2025 and reached the AFC Divisional Round before losing to the New England Patriots because their defense was good enough to keep them in contention.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The '2026 NFL Week 1 starting QBs' quiz

The 'Last 1st-round QB by NFL team' quiz

The 'NCAA football national champions' quiz

The 'Most points in a game by NBA team' quiz

Keylan Rutledge News / Athlon Sports / September 8

Projecting Week 1 Roles and Snap Counts for Keylan Rutledge and Other Texans Rookies

The Houston Texans traded up for Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge at No. 26 overall as their first pick of the 2026 NFL draft. The Texans initially experimented with him at both guard and center, but his physical style and progress have pushed him into the starting left guard job.

Houston Texans News / EssentiallySports / September 8

AFC South 2026 Predictions: Can the Texans Run Away With the Division?

The AFC South is usually one of the more hectic divisions in football, making it nearly impossible to predict who will win. That trend should continue in 2026, with all of these teams looking to take the crown, each with a legitimate reason.

NFL News / HITC / September 7

Texans put Josh Allen and Bills on notice as Nico Collins backs C.J. Stroud for breakout season

DeMeco Ryans has warned the Buffalo Bills that his Houston Texans are ready for the challenge, while Nico Collins has backed C.J. Stroud to make a major statement during the 2026 NFL season.

Houston Texans News / Viral Sports News / September 7

Texans Defender Receives NFL Punishment Before Bills Game

The Houston Texans opened the week with an unwelcome reminder that the NFL’s rulebook does not clock out after the preseason. Second-year cornerback Jaylin Smith was fined $7,779 for a uniform violation tied to one of Houston’s exhibition games, according to a league source cited Monday by KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson.

Houston Texans News / Houston Texans on SI / September 7

Texans Brought in 6 Free Agent DBs for Workout Ahead of Week 1

The Houston Texans have brought in a bundle of free agent defensive backs for a workout just a few days away from kicking off their Week 1 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

NFL News / NFLTradeRumors.co / September 7

Texans Tried Out Six Defensive Backs

The Houston Texans brought in a group of free agent defensive backs for tryouts on Monday, according to the NFL Transactions wire. The full list includes: DB Natrone Brooks DB Jaden Davis DT Aaron Graves DB Dan Jackson DB Anthony Johnson DB Sanoussi Kane Johnson, 26, was drafted in the seventh round out of Iowa State by the Packers in 2023.

Houston Texans News / Athlon Sports / September 7

Jayden Higgins, Braden Smith and More Texans Injury Updates Heading Into Week 1

The Houston Texans enter Week 1 with injury questions. Jayden Higgins’ ACL during an August 18 joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders, removes Houston’s planned No.

C.J. Stroud News / EasySportz / September 7

Why C.J. Stroud Is Poised for a Massive Bounce Back Season

C.J. Stroud has heard the criticism. After bursting onto the NFL scene as a rookie, the Houston Texans quarterback has watched his production decline in each of his first three seasons.

Houston Texans News / Houston Texans on SI / September 7

Texans Announce Who Their Four Captains Will Be for 2026 Season

The Houston Texans are just days away from kicking off their 2026 regular season after a long offseason await. And in the days ahead of the Texans' Week 1 opener against the Buffalo Bills, the team has officially announced who their captains will be for the 2026 season.

NFL News / Pro Football Rumors / September 4

G Shaq Mason will not face NFL discipline over 2025 arrest

The NFL informed veteran offensive guard Shaq Mason on Thursday that he will not face any discipline after concluding an investigation into an arrest for domestic assault in Tennessee last year, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

NFL executives share concerns about Texans' C.J. Stroud amid contract uncertainty

Texans WR Tank Dell Agrees To Reworked Contract

Texans Add OT Max Pircher To PS With International Designation

The 'Offensive Rookies of the Year' quiz

Shaq Mason News / NFL on ClutchPoints / September 4

Shaq Mason won’t face discipline from NFL, can sign with any team

Offensive guard Shaq Mason has been facing potential discipline from the NFL since his arrest on criminal charges in August 2025. With the season about to begin, reports indicate that Mason is now free to sign with any team in the league.

Tank Dell News / Pro Football Rumors / September 4

Texans WR Tank Dell Agrees To Reworked Contract

The 2026 season is expected to include a return to the field for Tank Dell. The Texans wideout will do so while attached to a restructured contract. Dell has agreed to a reworked one-year deal worth $1.7MM, per Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti.

NFL News / Yardbarker / September 4