news-engine

The Houston Texans got blown out in their first preseason game of the season, 27-7, to the Los Angeles Chargers at Reliant Stadium, but there are obviously much more important aspects to consider than the score. Week one of preseason for the Texans did not feature any of the significant starters, such as quarterback C.J. Stroud, wide receiver Nico Collins, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and corner Derek Stingley Jr. This game was used to allow some of the players fighting for a spot in the final 53-man roster an opportunity to shine. It’s likely that a majority of the players that suited up won’t even make it onto the team. Given the kind of expectations the Texans have of being a potential Super Bowl contender, depth will be important. Before we get into the three main takeaways from the game, there was an unfortunate injury as third-string quarterback Graham Mertz went down with a torn ACL. The sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Florida was scrambling during the second quarter and then went down. He has since been placed on season-ending injured reserve. The Texans signed veteran Brett Rypien on Saturday in his place. Davis Mills ended up getting most of the playing time at QB, and he went 9/15 for 82 yards and a touchdown. As one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league, he led an opening touchdown drive. The Texans weren’t able to score after that. Here are three takeaways from week one of preseason and the players that stood out in the game. Houston Texans: Three Preseason Week 1 Takeaways to Watch Going Forward Houston Texans Tight End Depth on Display Dalton Schultz is the clear starter, but the Texans needed some other reliable options in the room. Houston understood that and went out and got Foster Moreau, who’ll be a great second target at tight end for Stroud as a veteran. The Texans also drafted tight end Marlin Klein out of Michigan in the second round of the 2026 draft. That’s a high spot to take a tight end, but it was a need for this team. Klein is athletic and quick for his 6-foot-6, 250-pound size and could be an underrated weapon for the Texans in the passing game. The German-born tight end showed that potential in the first preseason game with a 31-yard catch down the middle in the first quarter. He only made 12 college starts in his career and is quite the raw player. https://x.com/HoustonTexans/status/2088058424097427490?s=20 Klein has the tools to be a good blocker and is strong at the point of attack. This could be a tight end that continues to grow, but already could be a solid contributor in year one. Klein has a great story as he moved from his hometown of Cologne, Germany to the United States to follow his goal of playing in the NFL. In an interview with KPRC 2’s Randy Mcllvoy, Klein detailed he had to even learn English. All that has paid off, as he could play a role for the Texans this year. Defensive Backs Have That INT Knack The Texans created 29 total turnovers last season, which was third in the NFL. 19 of those were interceptions, which was also the third most. There is a group of ball hawks in the secondary for Houston led by the All-Pro in Stingley, alongside Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre, and Calen Bullock. Given the depth of the Texans secondary, there aren’t a lot of spots up for grabs. Each player looking to make the team must prove their worth during the preseason. It looks like a fifth-round pick from this season is making the case to be a backup safety. Kamari Ramsey was drafted by the Texans out of USC and is a name to watch in the safety group. He made his presence felt against the Chargers in typical Texans fashion with an interception. The Chargers were driving before the end of the first half, and Ramsey jumped in front of a Trey Lance pass and returned it 40 yards to the LA 48-yard line. https://x.com/HoustonTexans/status/2088073975050211610?s=20 Ramsey could be a real option behind Bullock to throw in the mix. While he isn’t in the secondary, linebacker Aiden Fisher, who was a seventh-round pick, had five total tackles and four solo, which was the most on the team. He was a defensive leader at Indiana, who won the 2025 national championship. Wide Receiver Depth Most of the focus has been on Jayden Higgins in year two and rightfully so, given how important he is. We have an idea of what the top five or potentially six will likely look like. It will be interesting to see how deep the Texans go at wideout. Veteran Justin Watson got some looks in this game with two catches for 11 yards, but there are plenty of options competing for the last spot in the receiver room. Rookie sixth-round pick Lewis Bond, who’s been a name to watch in training camp, made two catches for 16 yards. He has great hands and is a smart route runner. However, it was 25-year-old Jared Wayne who scored the only touchdown of the game on a five-yard reception. He ended up with three receptions for 17 yards. https://x.com/HoustonTexans/status/2088060493294379120?s=20 Wayne has been with the Texans since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has been on and off the practice squad while seeing very light game action over the past few years. He was infamously involved in the severe leg injury of Tank Dell back in 2024 in Kansas City when the two of them collided. It’s good to see that Wayne is still getting an opportunity to try and make the team. Josh Kelly also had three catches for 28 yards. He was signed to the practice squad last year. Main Image: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images