Cade Stover will be unavailable to the Texans for an extended period. The second-year tight end was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, per a team announcement. 
Stover suffered a broken foot in Week 1, so today’s move comes as little surprise. He will now miss the next four games at a minimum. Houston’s tight end depth had already taken a hit with Brevin Jordan being lost for the season.
Now, the position will be even thinner through the early portion of the campaign. Stover made a team-high four catches in Week 1 as the Texans struggled on offense, and he was in line to continue operating as a key figure in the passing game. In his absence, veteran Dalton Schultz will take an an increased role. Stover, whose rookie contract runs through 2027, will aim for a midseason return to the lineup.
The Texans entered Wednesday with a pair of tight end options on their practice squad. As expected, the team is taking the internal route to replace Stover. Veteran Harrison Bryant was promoted to the active roster in a corresponding move to Stover’s IR placement. Bryant has been in the fold since he was included in the John Metchie trade.
That swap prevented the 27-year-old from seeing any regular season time with the Eagles despite signing with them in free agency this spring. Bryant played out his rookie deal with the Browns and took a one-year pact with the Raiders in 2024. The former fourth-rounder has 78 appearances and 33 starts to his name, so he will add experience (but a limited pass-catching presence, based on his production over the past two seasons in particular) to Houston’s offense.
Houston will be part of a doubleheader on Monday night during a game against Tampa Bay. As the team looks to bounce back from its Week 1 loss, the tight end position could be one to watch closely.