The Houston Texans ' offseason OTAs period has officially begun.
It makes for the next major checkpoint through a long NFL offseason before getting to the 2026 regular season, and will provide a brief, three-day glimpse for this Texans coaching staff of how their 90-man roster is shaking for the next three months of preseason preparation.
And in the process of those OTAs, it'll be a big moment for a select few players on the roster bubble.
With a nice initial showing in team practice sessions, it could give them a leg up on their competition for minicamps and further work lying ahead. With a lackluster three-day stint, it could make their future in Houston a little bit more dicey than things are already shaping up to be.
Having that in mind, let's take a look at four players on the Texans roster taking the field in OTAs whose jobs could very well be on the line for the 2026 season:
Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back British Brooks (44) carries the ball as Indianapolis Colts linebacker Germaine Pratt (53) defends during the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Brooks--who's gotten reps at both running back and fullback with Houston--finds himself in a crowded Texans backfield depth chart that has two new UDFAs in Joshua Pitsenberger and Noah Whittington as well as a late free agent pickup in Evan Hull to compete with for a 53-man roster spot.
But perhaps more importantly, Brooks will also be seeing some further competition at the fullback spot as well. Tight end Cade Stover will be transitioning to see some reps at fullback throughout the offseason to better his own chances at landing on Houston's Week 1 roster, making for a steeper uphill climb for Brooks.
Brooks does present nice special teams value and has two prior years of tenure with the Texans. Even still, he'll have his work cut out for him to make this year's roster, starting with a competitive OTAs.
Jul 24, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Justin Watson (84) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Of any position group on the Texans' roster, it's the wide receiver spot that has by far the most competition in the deep parts of their depth chart.
A total of 13 wideouts are currently on the 90-man unit, and makes for a fascinating next few months-- and OTAs period-- to shake out what the hierarchy of pass-catchers looks like.
That makes for a tough road to traverse for someone like Justin Watson; a nine-year league veteran who missed all but three games of last season with a Achilles injury , and will now have several new names in the form of UDFAs and waiver pickups to compete with leading up to 2026.
If he's not exactly back to pre-injury form, or gets outplayed by another new face around him, his roster spot might be in serious jeopardy.
Jul 24, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans center Jake Andrews (60) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Texans' interior offensive line competition will be a big one to watch. It was an area of Houston's roster that saw significant work this offseason with free agent additions like Wyatt Teller and Evan Brown , as well as multiple draft picks addressing the need with Keylan Rutledge and Febechi Nwaiwu.
Andrews might be able to make the 53-man cut . He was the Texans' starting center for all of last year and is someone the coaching staff has an affinity for having around.
But that spot in the starting five pieces upfront is certainly up in the air--especially if Rutledge can make a smooth transition to center. And if Andrews lacks behind at all through OTAs or offseason training, there's a slim chance he could lose his footing on the roster entirely by Week 1.
Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive tackle Kyonte Hamilton (58) and Houston Texans defensive tackle Junior Tafuna (53) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Texans' defensive interior will be looking pretty stout in terms of both their starting contributors and those that will be key depth pieces.
Sheldon Rankins , Kayden McDonald, Logan Hall , and Tommy Togiai set up for a strong four-man core that's both deep and has a nice mix of those who can defend the run and bring pressure on the quarterback.
But for Kyonte Hamilton; the Texans' seventh-round pick from the 2025 draft, that's a tough lineup to find a role in.
Last season, he was placed on Injured Reserve before the year even kicked off, that put a halt to his rookie campaign before it started. So there's really not a clear gauge around how he stacks up with the talent who's gotten extensive on-field reps.
However, that inexperience alone could be what sets him apart from the crowd, and leaves him as the odd man out for the regular season roster picture.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/texans/onsi as Texans Players Whose Jobs Could Be On the Line in OTAs .
