Hull played in six games for the Saints during the 2025 season, logging 19 rush attempts for 48 yards. The running back also produced some special teams value in his outings, adding 179 yards as a kick returner. Rushing depth will be key for a Texans offense that just reworked the offensive line, so any depth additions to solidify the room will help them develop the consistent rushing attack they were missing in 2025.

Walthall spent three years at Hawaii before transferring to Incarnate Word for his remaining two collegiate seasons. The wide receiver caught 70 receptions for 847 yards and eight touchdowns over 10 games in 2025. If Walthall can prove in training camp that his quickness translates to the NFL level, he may be able to sneak onto the Texans roster as an offensive depth option and special-teams contributor.

Sobkowicz played for Illinois State throughout his four-year collegiate career. The wide receiver amassed 83 receptions for 1,141 yards and 19 touchdowns over 15 games in 2025. The Texans already have a deep wide-receiver room that will be further fortified with the return of Tank Dell (knee), so Sobkowicz will have to prove he has remarkable value as both an offensive player and a special-teams contributor to maintain a spot on the roster after cutdown day.

Pitsenberger played all four of his collegiate years at Yale, ending his career in 2025 as the team's captain. The running back ended his final season with 313 rushes for 1,571 yards and 19 touchdowns over 12 games while adding 16 receptions for 128 yards. Pitsenberger will provide additional depth to the Texans' running back room heading into training camp.

Stroud shouldn't lack for motivation, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he and his offensive line were the weak links on an otherwise loaded team. The Texans then picked up his fifth-year option this offseason, though it's not equivalent to a huge vote of confidence when the price tag ($25.9 million) is lower than what it costs to re-sign even a mediocre starting QB. There's still hope in Houston that Stroud can be more than mediocre, with help from a remade offensive line that added first-round pick Keylan Rutledge and veterans Braden Smith, Wyatt Teller and Evan Brown. The combination of better blocking and a locked-in QB could do wonders for Houston's offense, but even a slimmed-down version of Stroud is unlikely to offer much in the way of rushing stats for his fantasy managers.

The defensive end dressed for three regular-season games for Tennessee last year, playing on 37 defensive snaps and 21 special-teams snaps, making one tackle. Gaye has nine tackles (eight solo) across two NFL campaigns.

Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Al-Shaair's new deal amounts to a three-year, $54 million pact. The 28-year-old is coming off a 2025 regular season which he recorded 103 tackles and two picks in 16 games en route becoming a Pro Bowl selection. The Texans' starting middle linebacker is bouncing back from an offseason thumb procedure, but a full recovery is expected in advance of the upcoming campaign.

The Texans took a linebacker for the second time on Day 3, as they previously selected Wade Woodaz out of Clemson in the fourth round. Fisher piled up 215 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks over his final two seasons at Indiana, earning All-American honors in both seasons during the process. He's undersized (6-foot-1, 232 pounds) but has solid range as a run stopper and in coverage. Fisher should be a versatile option for the Texans defense, and he should at least be a special-teams contributor as a rookie.

Bond (5-foot-11, 197 pounds) is likely a slot receiver to the Texans after a Boston College career where he provided quality underneath receiving production but little in the way of big plays. Bond's reliable hands could prove useful to the Texans. It just would probably require some injuries at receiver first.

Ramsey (6-foot-0, 202 pounds) started the second of his first two collegiate seasons at UCLA and then both of his campaigns at USC, though over the course of his three seasons as a starter he missed a total of seven games due to injury. While Ramsey doesn't stand out in terms of frame, athleticism or physicality, he boasts experience and versatility, having rotated between his natural position at safety and nickel in 2025 to help round out USC's secondary. As a rookie in Houston, Ramsey figures to compete with M.J. Stewart and Jaylen Reed for depth opportunities behind Reed Blankenship and Calen Bullock.

Woodaz was a versatile player at Clemson, serving as an inside and outside linebacker while also chipping in at the nickel corner position. He has sideline-to-sideline speed with a 4.56 40-yard dash at his pro day, and he was trustworthy in coverage as a senior. Still, Woodaz needs to develop more patience and a better ability to diagnose plays before he's ready to be a full-time starter. The 22-year-old should be an impressive special-teams asset until that time comes.

Nwaiwu (6-foot-4, 319 pounds) boasts a massive frame and wingspan, having measured in with 34.5-inch arms at the NFL Combine, and in his final season at Oklahoma he displayed the versatility to operate at center in addition to his usual starting role at right guard. Houston spent a first-round selection on a hopeful starter at left guard, Keylan Rutledge at No. 26 overall, but Nwaiwu projects to begin his NFL career as a depth option.

Klein spent his entire three-year college career with Michigan, and in 2025 he was named as an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention after posting 24 catches for 248 yards and a touchdown. He has an athletic, 6-foot-6 frame that should help him develop as a capable blocker at the NFL level, but he'll need to work on his route running and pass-catching ability to earn the trust of QB C.J. Stroud in the passing game. Dalton Schultz (calf) will be the Texans' starting tight end next season, so Klein will compete with Cade Stover (knee) and Brevin Jordan (knee) for the backup job.

The Texans traded up with the Raiders to take McDonald, a classic nose tackle in stature (6-foot-2, 326 pounds) but one who finds the ball carrier much more often than most two-gap defensive tackles. McDonald set the interior anchor for Ohio State's smothering defense in 2025, yet even while working through the thickest part of the trenches McDonald managed to accumulate 65 tackles (nine for a loss) in 14 games. The Texans run defense and pass rush were both already strong, yet with McDonald in the rotation it gets even tougher to block the Texans.

Rutledge (6-foot-4, 316 pounds) is something of an underdog story and an unconventional first-round pick, but there's a lot to like about his game and there's reason to believe this pick will age well for the Texans. Rutledge began his collegiate career at Middle Tennessee, where he stood out for two years before playing one year at Georgia Tech in 2025. Rutledge is a relentless mauler who should stand out as a run blocker immediately as an NFL starter for Houston, and his excellent athletic testing (5.05-second 40, 32.5-inch vertical) gives reason to think there's plenty of upside.

Schultz adds that it "seems unlikely" Houston would trade its star wide receiver, but teams are calling with an understanding that Collins likely needs a new contract, as he's set to enter the final guaranteed year of his contract in 2026. Collins' $20 million salary is far behind the current wideout market after Jaxon Smith-Njigba reset the top of the market with an annual average of $42.15 million earlier this offseason. Collins is theoretically still in the prime of his career after he just turned 27 years old last month, and he's coming off a 2025 campaign that saw him catch 71 of 120 targets for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns across 15 regular-season contests.

Anderson's extension includes $134 million in guaranteed money and gives him the highest salary in NFL history for a non-quarterback. This contract also includes a no-trade clause. The 2023 first-round pick has been among the most dominant defenders in the NFL since entering the league, generating 30.0 sacks through three regular seasons.

New England informed Mapu on Tuesday of plans to cut him, but it appears Houston stepped in before such a transaction could be completed. Per Alexander, the trade involves a swap of late-round picks. Mapu totaled 25 tackles (18 solo), five passes defensed (including one interception) and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season appearances in 2025, playing 120 snaps on defense and 254 snaps on special teams.

Dell hasn't played since tearing most of the ligaments in his left knee while also dislocating his kneecap in a Dec. 21, 2024 game against the Chiefs. While Ryans is hopeful that Dell will be able to contribute at some point this coming season, he doesn't plan to rush the 2023 third-rounder back. "I told Tank, it's not a matter of getting back to OTAs just to get back," Ryans said. "It's just a matter of getting back, being in a really good spot physically so you can stay there. It's not about how quickly he returns, it's just about Tank returning." Once Dell is able to return to the field, he'll join a Houston WR corps that's led by Nico Collins and also includes Jayden Higgins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Justin Watson. Prior to his injury, the 26-year-old had compiled a 98-1,376-10 line on 156 targets over the course of 25 regular-season contests.

Teller was released by the Browns on March 12 but quickly found a new home in Houston. The veteran guard spent seven seasons in Cleveland, starting 95 of his 101 regular-season games and earning All-Pro honors in 2020 and 2021. Teller is expected to fortify a Texans offensive line that allowed just 31 sacks during the regular season in 2025.

Brown is an NFL veteran who began his career as a backup but has worked mostly as a starter over the past five seasons. Last year, he started all 11 games in which he played as a member of the Cardinals. Brown is a candidate to start at left guard for Houston, though he could compete with Jarrett Patterson for that role.

Per Wilson, Montgomery's new deal comes with a $6.5 million signing bonus, $1.5 million guaranteed in 2026 and $2.5 million guaranteed in 2027. The new contract comes nearly two weeks after the Texans acquired Montgomery from the Lions in exchange for Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick. With Joe Mixon (foot) being released by the Texans on March 6 and Nick Chubb entering free agency, Montgomery and Woody Marks are slated to serve as Houston's top backfield options for the 2026 season.

Brown missed time toward the tail end of the 2025 season due to ankle and knee injuries. He's progressed enough in his recovery to start lifting weights at the Texans' facility and could be available for the start of offseason programming. Brown started at right tackle in all 13 regular-season games he appeared in last year, but he'll likely operate in a reserve role in 2026 after Houston signed Braden Smith to a two-year, $25 million contract Tuesday.

Moreau appears fully recovered from the ankle injury that limited him to 11 regular-season appearances with the Saints in 2025, in which span he secured seven of 10 targets for 46 yards. He had been heavily involved in New Orleans' tight end rotation in 2024, when he logged a 32-413-5 receiving line (43 targets) while playing all 17 regular-season games. Going forward, Moreau will operate as one of Houston's top options behind starting TE Dalton Schultz (calf), who recently inked an extension through 2027.

The Texans gave up a fourth-round pick, a seventh-round pick and OL Juice Scruggs in exchange for Montgomery, who has one season remaining on a three-year contract. A new deal may be coming soon. Either way, Marks likely will be No. 2 on the depth chart at the start of the offseason program after posting a 198-703-2 rushing line (3.6 YPC) during the regular season of his 2025 rookie campaign (16 games, eight starts). Fellow second-year pro Jawhar Jordan should be back to compete for a depth role in Houston's backfield this spring, while veterans Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon (foot) don't seem to be part of the plan for 2026.