Houston Texans: Five takeaways from team's initial 53-man roster

9-11 minutes 8/30/2023
The Texans locker room had become so crowded in recent days with more than 90 players that equipment managers had to bring in makeshift lockers so the new signees could have a place to change.
After Tuesday, there will no longer be a use for those lockers. The Texans’ roster was cut to 53 by the NFL’s 3 p.m. deadline, though the roster remains fluid.
The Texans still must assemble their practice squad, and with an influx of players who were released and waived by other teams, the Texans may search to find another player to add to address their needs.
They met one of those needs when they traded a 2025-sixth-round pick to the Steelers for guard Kendrick Green on Tuesday.
Here are five takeaways from the Texans’ 53-man roster:
What happened to the interior offensive line?
The Texans will start the regular season with a significant puzzle to solve along the interior offensive line, a major problem considering all the resources general manager Nick Caserio invested in the offseason to solidify the unit.
Kenyon Green’s season is over. The 2022 first-round pick was placed on the injured reserve before Tuesday’s deadline, which means the Texans did not believe he’d return this year. If they had, they’d have carried him through the deadline and added him to the injured reserve on Wednesday.
Green was injured while surrendering a sack in Sunday’s preseason finale against the Saints, which also underlines the fact he was already playing with the second-team offense. Michael Deiter, a veteran backup from the Dolphins, had started at left guard instead. But the Texans also released Deiter. That was a perplexing move.
Consider the options remaining. There’s Jarrett Patterson, a sixth-round pick who only played in the final two preseason games. That’s really it. Josh Jones and Kendrick Green — two flex linemen Houston acquired in trades this week — are more equipped to fill in at the spots made vacant by other injuries.
Rookie Juice Scruggs suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday and is expected to at least miss the Sept. 10 regular season opener against the Ravens, a person with knowledge of the injury said. Green, a third-round pick in 2021, started in 15 games at center for the Steelers as a rookie. Green starting at center is in itself precarious. Green’s struggles that season provoked the Steelers to sign James Daniels in 2022. The Steelers tried to move Green back to guard, and, after being beaten out by Kevin Dotson, Green spent the entire season as a healthy scratch.
As for Jones, he played 612 snaps at right guard in 2021 for the Cardinals, but he surrendered 20 quarterback pressures and three sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s more equipped to play offensive tackle. It’s where the Cardinals moved him permanently last year, and the Texans jumped to acquire Jones ahead of other teams who may have made him their starter to supply depth while starting right tackle Tytus Howard recovers from his left-hand surgery.
Howard is actually the only other player under contract (aside from right guard Shaq Mason) with NFL snaps at guard under contract, and he only played there in 2021 due to Houston’s tremendous lack of depth. It would be a significant step backward for the Texans to move Howard back.
Perhaps the Texans re-sign Deiter under a new deal. A Patterson-Green pairing at left guard and center does not inspire confidence in protecting rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud in his first regular season game, nor creating the run-game efficiency that would support Stroud.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Sunday “whatever we need to do to continue to get better up front, we’ll do it.” Caserio has already spent the most in the NFL on the offensive line. He’s swapped a 2024 fifth for a seventh and parted with a 2025 fifth to acquire Jones and Green. How much more must they invest?
Farewells from Nick Caserio’s first wave
The Texans cut linebackers Christian Kirksey and Garret Wallow, nickel safety Desmond King, center Jimmy Morrissey and could negotiate a settlement with defensive tackle Roy Lopez, who was given a waive-injured designation after his hamstring injury in training camp projected a 3-5 week recovery timeline.
They were all part of Caserio’s first wave of free agents and draft picks in 2021. Quarterback Davis Mills, wide receiver Nico Collins and tight end Brevin Jordan are the only players who remain from Caserio’s first draft class, and defensive tackle Maliek Collins, punter Cam Johnston, nickel safety Tavierre Thomas, linebacker Neville Hewitt are the players remaining from Caserio’s first free agency cycle
Brevin Jordan survives roster cut
It wasn’t a good day for players who missed the majority of training camp with injuries. Chase Winovich, Christian Kirksey, and Thomas Booker, who were all out with injuries, were all cut.
With their absences, other players emerged.
“Injuries set guys back,” Ryans said. “It limits the amount of reps they’re able to get. It limits them from showing their true talent and what they could do, so injuries hurt a lot of guys during this process, so hopefully guys can bounce back and put good film out there.
“I always tell our guys, ‘It’s not about just making our team.’ We want our guys able to make the NFL and that’s what it’s about – staying healthy, being available so you can showcase your talents not only to us here, but also to the other 31 teams.”
Tight end Brevin Jordan, who also missed the majority of camp with a leg injury, survived. He could have been cut, too, but the Texans don’t have many options at tight end. Dalton Schultz and Teagan Quitorino are the only other tight ends on the roster.
Jordan is expected to go on the short-term injured reserve later this week, which would require him to miss at least three games.
That would allow the Texans to bring back another player they cut. Someone like a Cory Littleton.
Surprise cuts
The biggest surprise cut was King, who had started at nickel for the Texans for the past two seasons. He got extended playing time in the final preseason game against the Saints, which was an indication that they wanted to get a better look at him.
But few expected this to happen. King, 28, had five interceptions in the past two seasons and 182 tackles. Opposing quarterbacks had an 85.8 passer rating when targeting him. He was also used at punt return where he averaged 9.4 yards per return.
The Texans opted to keep Tavierre Thomas instead on the 53-man. Thomas and King are best friends, who grew up on the same street in Detroit. But Thomas is currently on a one-year deal that is fully guaranteed.
Releasing King saves the Texans $1.9 million on their salary cap.
One of the surprises to make the team was Ka’dar Hollman. Hollman quietly had a good training camp. But the 6-foot, 196-pound corner provides depth on outside.
Hollman signed with the Texans in February. He talked to the Chronicle about being a bubble player and the mindset he had to have.
“Every day you’ve got to understand, you’ve got to stay in your lane,” Hollman said. “You’ve got to mow your own grass because someone else’s situation is not yours. I may not be able to afford to mess up. You’ve got to make sure every day you leave the coaches with no doubt.”
Who’s going to play nickel?
With King released, Thomas is the most reasonable option remaining on the roster to play nickel back, but the six-year veteran, who has spent most of his career playing special teams, has struggled in man coverage during the preseason.
Thomas surrendered six receptions for 51 yards in 36 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Derek Stingley Jr., Steven Nelson, Shaq Griffin and Hollman are all career cornerbacks. Unless Ryans intends to move safety Jimmie Ward back to nickel safety, a move that displeased Ward last season in San Francisco, there aren’t many clear options other than Thomas.