The Houston Texans are about to roll into the next phase of their offseason training before the 2026 campaign kicks off, as the team's three-day mandatory minicamp will be set to unravel later this week.
It'll be the first time this offseason where all of the Texans' roster will be in the building for a team practice, including veterans, rookies, UDFAs, and everyone in between.
But in the process of the Texans' minicamps, there's one interesting roster battle set at one key position that'll be worth keeping a real close eye on.
That's the linebacker position, which faces few questions about who will be the first two names on the depth chart-- that'll be Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o --but as for Houston's LB3, that's a wide-open race.
Nov 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans linebacker E.J. Speed (45) is introduced before playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Before the Texans really started to dig deep into their offseason training, there was little question about who their LB3 on the depth chart was.
That was veteran E.J. Speed, who started nine games for Houston last year and was re-signed to a two-year deal this offseason with the Texans clearly intending to utilize him further in 2026.
But now, the Texans won't have Speed for a little while . Reports surfaced late last month that Speed had suffered a quad injury that forced him to undergo surgery, and likely put him out for the entire 2026 season.
It's a big blow to this linebacker unit to be without their primary depth piece behind Al-Shaair and To'oTo'o for the foreseeable future.
At the same time, it also makes this point in the offseason (and the three upcoming days of minicamp) critical to see who in that linebacker room could step up to the occasion to fill that void Speed now leaves.
Oct 20, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New England Patriots safety Marte Mapu (15) against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
There's a few names that make sense for the Texans when it comes to filling that spot Speed now leaves open. In reality, three candidates have the best chance.
Let's sort through them:
Marte Mapu:A versatile veteran the Texans a cquired this offseason in a trade with the New England Patriots . He's got the most NFL experience with nearly 800 defensive snaps in Foxboro, but was phased out of the mix in 2025 for a career-low 120 snaps. Houston could be the second chance he needs to get his pro career back on track.
Wade Woodaz: The rookie newcomer could be an intriguing bet to claim this role if he's able to adjust well to the NFL game in his first year as a pro. Woodaz has an ideal size for the position and has the knack for physicality that Houston loves in all of their players. He's seen good reviews for his performance in OTAs.
Jamal Hill:The longest tenured name of the bunch; Hill lacks the prototypical positional size and hasn't gotten a ton of defensive snaps through two years in Houston . But he does have appealing traits in coverage, having history as a defensive back, and could be a nice complement in the middle of the field if the Texans value that seniority in the room.
There are a few more names in the mix that could gain a bit of traction with an explosive offseason: seventh-rounder Aiden Fisher, Jake Hansen, Jake Hummel. But the top three contenders feel pretty clearly defined. And in turn, it puts a massive magnifying glass upon each of them for the three days of minicamp ahead.
If I were forced to predict the one name who'd be the frontrunner to keep an eye on, Mapu is the one who fits the bill in terms of size, versatility, and experience that could be notably valuable as a depth piece of this defense--in the event he can find his groove quickly within a new defensive scheme from his time in Foxborough.
However, it truly is a really wide-open field. And depending on who is able to make the most noise throughout minicamps, and more importantly training camp and preseason down the line, could be the determining factor of who sees that boost in the depth chart come time for Week 1.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/texans/onsi as The Most Critical Position Battle That Will Define Texans' Minicamp .
