Headlines

Houston Texans News & Rumors

Bengals Contacted Several Teams On QBs; Cincinnati Considered Derek Carr

By | at October 12, 2025 9:55 pm

The Bengals went from throwing support behind Jake Browning to frantically seeking an outside upgrade. Joe Flacco became that option, being sent across Ohio early this week in a Day 3 pick-swap exchange.

Prior to landing on Flacco — a development that surprised the Browns — the Bengals looked into many reserve QBs around the league and one who recently wrapped his NFL career. In addition to calling the Eagles on Sam Howell and the Seahawks on Drew Lock, the Bengals contacted the Texans on Davis Mills, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

[RELATED: Flacco Hail Mary Comes At Key Point On Bengals’ Timeline]

A long-hesitant franchise regarding the acquisition of players via in-season trades, the Bengals also made a call on Derek Carr. Rapoport indicates the recently retired passer became part of Cincinnati’s search. Had this progressed, the team would have needed to make a deal with the Saints for Carr’s rights. Like they did with Sean Payton when he stepped away in 2022, the Saints hold Carr’s rights after his mid-offseason retirement.

Carr did not enter the offseason assured of retaining his starting job. Kellen Moore took over in New Orleans, leading to rumors about a QB change — even in the event Carr kept playing. Two years remained on his Saints contract. Carr was not open to a pay cut on the four-year, $150MM deal and remained in the Saints’ plans for several weeks between Moore’s arrival and the post-draft retirement decision. As of September, Carr has not slammed the door on returning. But with the Saints needing compensation, that introduced a wrinkle they may have kept the 11-year veteran in retirement.

This certainly would have presented an interesting opportunity for Carr, as the Bengals paid up to retain their high-end Ja’Marr Chase–Tee Higgins duo this offseason. Carr struggled to stay healthy in New Orleans, running into a few injuries. Most notably, a shoulder malady sustained in 2023 plagued him and ultimately led the ex-Raider to retirement. Should health circumstances improve, that could conceivably change the equation. Carr did gauge the trade market this offseason. But Carr is 34, limiting his window. During the summer, a report also indicated the former playoff starter is not likely to return to the league.

The Bengals made calls to teams with three quarterbacks and those with viable practice squad options, Rapoport adds. Mills obviously remains in the Texans‘ plans, having signed a one-year extension that moves his contract through 2026 in September. The Texans also rebuffed trade inquiries on Mills in 2023, keeping he and Case Keenum behind C.J. Stroud that season. A 2021 third-round pick, Mills has played his entire career in Houston. The team replaced him as their primary starter via the Stroud selection but still values him in the QB2 post.

Cincinnati did not inquire about Giants veterans, Kirk Cousins or Ryan Tannehill. In not making Tannehill part of their QB search, the Bengals wanted a player who had been active recently, Rapoport adds. Tannehill has not played since the 2023 season, when the Titans benched him for second-round rookie Will Levis. Tannehill had been connected to the Vikings early this offseason and later came up for the Raiders following Aidan O’Connell‘s injury, but the 37-year-old passer remains out of football.

Flacco, 40, will make a start despite being acquired Tuesday afternoon. The Bengals sent Flacco cutups on his flight from Cleveland, per Rapoport, as he was getting up to speed in Zac Taylor‘s offense by Tuesday night. With the Browns giving Flacco two weeks to prepare before his first start with the team in 2023, today’s shorter-notice Packers matchup presents a daunting assignment. For the foreseeable future, however, the Bengals will have Flacco at the controls.

20 comments Cincinnati Bengals Houston Texans New Orleans Saints Uncategorized

Trade Candidate: Christian Harris

By | at October 10, 2025 9:50 am

Through his first three seasons with the Texans, Christian Harris totaled 26 starts. Now a pending free agent, the linebacker’s role has declined sharply in 2025, leading to questions about his future.

Harris handled over 700 defensive snaps during each of first two seasons in the league. He remained a full-time starter for the 2024 campaign but was limited to just five combined regular and postseason games that year due to a calf injury. The former third-rounder then dealt with an ankle injury during the offseason, but he managed to return to full health in time for training camp.

That resulted in Harris playing in each of Houston’s first four games. During that span, however, the Alabama product saw a snap share of just 13% on defense, a massive drop compared to his other seasons. Harris was a healthy scratch in Week 5. Given his status as a player seemingly not in the team’s immediate plans – coupled with the fact he is attached to the final year of his rookie contract – ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler names Harris as a trade candidate.

Per Fowler, Harris is held in high regard by other teams. That could result in a market being generated with respect to trade interest, especially since he is 24. Harris is attached to a base salary of $3.41MM for 2025; an acquiring team would need to take on a prorated portion of that figure to close out the campaign. Any team willing to trade for him now (as opposed to a free agent pursuit) would presumably look into an extension as well.

After making a notable impact as a rookie, Harris set career highs in tackles (101), sacks (two) and pass deflections (seven) in 2023. Returning to that level of performance would be key in helping his market value, but it appears as though that will not be possible down the stretch if the rest of Houston’s linebacking corps remains healthy. The Texans have Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o and free agent addition E.J. Speed in place, with each having handled a larger workload than Harris this season. Al-Shaair is under contract for next year, while To’oTo’o will be eligible for an extension this coming spring.

If those two remain key parts in the Texans’ plans for the second level of their defense, moving on from Harris before the November 4 deadline could be a sensible move. Sitting at 2-3 on the year, Houston will presumably avoid a seller’s stance if the team can continue the momentum generated over the past two weeks. Still, Harris will be a player to watch regarding a change of scenery if he continues to serve in a limited capacity leading up to the deadline.

0 comments Houston Texans PFR Originals Trade Candidate

Traded Draft Picks For 2026

By | at October 8, 2025 8:05 pm

Many clubs have made moves to acquire 2026 draft capital. Headlined by the six trades where first-round picks have changed hands, here are the 2026 picks to have changed hands thus far. When more deals involving picks are made (or conditions on moves already completed become known), that information will be added.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

5 comments 2026 NFL Draft Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/25

By | at October 4, 2025 6:41 pm

Here are Week 5’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Huntley will be on hand to back up backup quarterback Cooper Rush in Baltimore tomorrow against the Texans. Okoye is called up for the second week in a row as injuries continue to hamper the Ravens’ defensive line, as well.

With some continuing injuries causing some concern in the secondary, the Browns will elevate Avery and Jones for the second straight week. Jones is being elevated for the third time this season, meaning that if Cleveland wants to see him in another game this year, the team will need to sign him to the active roster. The same is true for Logue in Buffalo, Hewitt with the Giants, Clark with the Jets, and Pili in Seattle.

Arnette’s promotion means Week 5 will mark his first regular season action in the NFL since the end of his Raiders tenure in 2021. The former first-round pick revived his career in part through his performances in the UFL this spring, something which created interest from multiple teams in free agency. Arnette, 29, will look to use tomorrow’s contest in a bid to land a permanent role in Houston.

This is the second time the Jets have parted ways with a kick returner following a game in which they had a costly fumble. Williams follows in footsteps of Xavier Gipson, who was waived following a similar mistake in the team’s season opener. There appears to be a pretty short leash for young returners in New York at the moment.

1 comment Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Los Angeles Chargers New York Giants New York Jets Seattle Seahawks Transactions Washington Commanders

Texans Place Folorunso Fatukasi On IR

By | at October 4, 2025 1:31 pm

The Texans will go at least the next four games without defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi. The team placed Fatukasi on injured reserve, opening up the spot the team used to sign offensive tackle Trent Brown to its 53-man roster yesterday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

Fatukasi, who’s dealing with a shoulder injury, will not be eligible to rejoin the Texans’ defense until a Week 10 matchup with the Jaguars. The 30-year-old has played just under 39% of defensive snaps this season and tallied eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pair of quarterback hits. Four weeks into the season, Pro Football Focus ranks Fatukasi’s performance 134th among 179 qualifiers at his position.

Along with Fatukasi, the Texans have already ruled out fellow defensive lineman Denico Autry (knee) for a pivotal Week 5 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Both teams have gotten off to surprisingly slow 1-3 starts this year. Although Autry’s practice window opened this week, the veteran defensive lineman remains on Houston’s reserve/PUP list.

Houston, which will avoid the injured Lamar Jackson and instead face backup quarterback Cooper Rush on Sunday, will continue to rely on interior D-linemen Sheldon Rankins and Tim Settle in prominent roles. Mario Edwards and Tommy Togiai are also in the mix.

0 comments Houston Texans Transactions

Texans Sign T Trent Brown To Active Roster

By | at October 3, 2025 4:07 pm

One of the Texans’ veteran offensive tackles (Cam Robinson) is no longer with the team. Another (Trent Brown) is now in position to potentially see game action, however.

Brown has been signed from Houston’s practice squad to the team’s active roster, per agent Drew Rosenhaus (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The 32-year-old has yet to play in the regular season this year. Based on today’s news, though, that could change as early as Week 5.

In March, the Texans signed Brown as one of several moves altering their offensive line. The unit’s play was a major sore spot in 2024, but the early portion of this season has not seen the desired improvement. Robinson was not handling starting duties during his brief Houston tenure, something which informed his trade from the Texans to the Browns earlier this week.

Second-round rookie Aireontae Ersery has handled first-team duties at the left tackle spot so far. Houston’s second-round selection last year – Blake Fisher – saw notable time at right tackle last season but in 2025 he has played only nine offensive snaps. Instead, Tytus Howard worked at the RT spot for the first three games (before shifting to guard in Week 4). Brown’s promotion will give the Texans another option up front.

Over the course of his 10-year career, Brown has amassed 96 starts while seeing time at both tackle spots. The 32-year-old was released during roster cuts in August, but he immediately signed to Houston’s practice squad. After one month without seeing game time, Brown now finds himself in the fold as the 1-3 Texans aim to rebound from a poor start to the campaign.

4 comments Houston Texans Transactions

Texans’ Joe Mixon Uncertain To Play In 2025

By | at September 30, 2025 9:40 pm

The Texans offense seemed to find its footing against the lowly Titans in Week 4. While the unit appears to be trending upwards, they’ll still have to move forward without an offensive focal point for the foreseeable future.

While speaking with reporters, coach DeMeco Ryans said that star running back Joe Mixon is not ready to return (per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston). The veteran continues to sit on the reserve/NFI list with a foot/ankle injury, although he’s now eligible to be activated.

Sources seemed to paint a bleaker picture. According to Wilson, it will be “much longer” for a potential Mixon return, and there’s some skepticism that the running back will even be able to play this season. This matches a report from late August that indicated that Mixon may ultimately have to sit out the entire 2025 campaign.

Mixon dealt with a lingering foot/ankle issue during the 2024 campaign that forced him to miss three games. He aggravated the issue while training this offseason. Considering the player’s age and the installation of Nick Caley‘s new offense, the Texans have continually made it clear that they’d slow play Mixon’s rehab. Now, it’s sounding like the team may not have a choice but to rely on their other RBs in 2025.

Mixon continued his high-level play after getting dealt from the Bengals to the Texans during the 2024 offseason. The two-time Pro Bowler finished the campaign with 1,325 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. Two years remain on Mixon’s contract, but none of his $8MM base salary for 2026 is guaranteed. If the player is unable to return in 2025, there’s a chance the team bails on the veteran this offseason.

Veteran Nick Chubb has led the depth chart through the first four weeks of the season, but the offseason acquisition has only managed to compile 188 yards on 47 carries. Rookie fourth-round pick Woody Marks had a breakout showing this past weekend, collecting 119 yards from scrimmage and a pair of scores. That game represented the first time this season that Marks has outsnapped Chubb, and there’s a chance the rookie may be eyeing an even larger role as the season progresses.

7 comments Houston Texans

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/25

By | at September 30, 2025 6:41 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

0 comments Carolina Panthers Dallas Cowboys Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Las Vegas Raiders Pittsburgh Steelers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Transactions

Browns Acquire Cam Robinson From Texans

By | at September 29, 2025 11:20 pm

In search of help at the left tackle spot, the Browns are making a move aimed at addressing the position. Cam Robinson is heading to Cleveland.

The Browns and Texans have worked out a Robinson trade involving a late-round pick swap, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Sixth- and seventh-round selections in 2027 are being swapped, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network add. The deal is now official, with Houston receiving the sixth-round pick in exchange for Robinson and the seventh-rounder.

The 29-year-old spent eight-plus years handling blindside duties with the Jaguars. Robinson’s time in Duval County came to an end midway through the 2024 campaign when he was traded to the Vikings. That move allowed him to fill in for an injured Christian Darrisaw through the remainder of the season. As a free agent, Robinson returned to the AFC South by inking a one-year pact with Houston carrying a base value of $12MM.

The majority of that compensation was already paid out as a signing bonus. As a result, the Browns will only take on the prorated remainder of Robinson’s $2MM base salary; $1.25MM in per-game roster bonuses are also present. This agreement will give Cleveland – a team which has struggled at both tackle spots early in the season en route to a 1-3 start – a veteran presence on the blindside. Robinson has 104 regular season appearances (all but two of those being starts) to his name.

Houston underwent a number of changes up front this offseason, one in which Laremy Tunsil was traded away. That appeared to open the door to Robinson handling first-team duties at the left tackle spot, but rookie Aireontae Ersery impressed during training camp. The second-round pick has handled the starting gig as a result, relegating Robinson to backup duties. The Texans looked into a trade during roster cutdowns, but the Alabama product remained in the fold through the first month of the campaign.

Despite Houston’s struggles up front so far, the team has elected to move forward with a trade this time around. Robinson will look to quickly work his way into Cleveland’s lineup. A strong run of play with the Browns will likely not be sufficient for a postseason berth to be possible, but it could help his free agent stock for next spring. With both tackle spots being a question mark for the Browns beyond the current season, Robinson could play his way into an extended stay in Cleveland depending on how the coming months unfold.

9 comments Cleveland Browns Houston Texans Transactions
Show all
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors