Houston Texans Wide Receiver to Miss Preseason Game with Injury

Houston Texans wide receiver Jared Wayne will miss Saturday's preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings due to a hamstring injury sustained early in training camp.

Wayne's injury is considered relatively minor, and the wideout is expected to return to practice following the Texans' first preseason game on August 9, according to reports by KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson. The timing is particularly problematic for the 24-year-old WR, who already faces an uphill battle for a final roster spot in Houston's crowded wide receiver room.

Wayne needs as much game opportunity as possible in his fight to make Houston's 53-man roster. The former University of Pittsburgh receiver was undrafted in 2023 but later signed with Houston as a free agent. His NFL resume includes three regular season appearances last year, including 40 offensive snaps and 24 snaps on special teams. He added 24 offensive and 10 special teams snaps in Houston's playoff loss to Kansas City, while also drawing two targets.

The Texans' receiver room is already stacked with existing veterans and new draftees, leaving bubble players like Wayne in a competition for likely one remaining position. Reports from Houston training camp have been mostly positive for the WR, but Wayne will likely need to excel in game action to make the team's final roster cut.

Despite lacking top-end speed, Jared Wayne is a high-end athlete who is viewed as more of a long-term project than a viable contributor in the short term. The Canadian native has received interest from teams in the Canadian Football League, as the Toronto Argonauts selected him 16th overall in the 2023 CFL Draft, with the CFL Scouting Bureau ranking him as their sixth-best prospect.

Instead, Wayne has opted to continue to battle for a spot on an NFL roster, while spending the majority of his professional career on Houston's practice squad.

The good news for the receiver and special-teamer is he should recover in time for the Texans' second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on August 16. With just two preseason games remaining after his expected return, Wayne must make the most of what limited opportunities remain.

Houston closes out the preseason on August 23 against the Detroit Lions before heading to Los Angeles to face the Rams in their 2025 NFL regular season opener on September 7.

More Houston Texans Coverage