Texans sign standout UFL defender

The Houston Texans on Tuesday signed defensive end Derek Parish to their 90-man roster, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The move comes after Houston lost defensive end Dylan Horton for the 2026 season with a torn Achilles. The Texans also placed Horton and linebacker Marte Mapu on injured reserve, per the NFL’s daily transaction report. The team has also been dealing with injuries to Jadeveon Clowney and Dominique Robinson, with Clowney nursing a lower-leg injury and Robinson recovering from a calf injury suffered after Houston’s preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Parish brings a different path to the Texans. The 27-year-old defensive end was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 240th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He spent part of the 2023 season on Jacksonville’s practice squad but never appeared in an NFL game. The Jaguars listed him as a tight end.

Before entering the professional ranks, Parish spent five years at the University of Houston from 2017 through 2022. He played both fullback and edge rusher during his college career. He also attended Pearland High School in Pearland, Texas, making his return to Houston a homecoming of sorts.

After his time with Jacksonville, Parish played for the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL before joining the UFL’s DC Defenders. During the 2026 UFL season, he appeared in 10 games and produced 23 total tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. He also recorded a forced fumble. Parish logged three tackles across two postseason appearances.

The Texans defensive-end depth has become a concern with several players unavailable, creating an opportunity for Parish. Houston is scheduled to face the Carolina Panthers in its third and final preseason game Friday, giving him a limited window to make an impression before the roster is reduced to 53 players Sunday.

A solid preseason showing could give Parish a chance to remain with the Texans beyond the roster cuts, including potentially earning a practice squad spot.