Texans DT Tim Settle Out For Season
Texans defensive tacke Tim Settle will undergo surgery to address a foot injury and miss the rest of the 2025 season, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Settle, 28, has been a core part of Houston’s defensive line this season with 12 starts and a 53% snap share. His statistical production – 15 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack – are not especially impressive, but the success of the unit as the whole is undeniable.
The Texans lead the NFL in points allowed and total defense with top-five ranks against the pass and the run. Settle may not be putting up big numbers, but he does rank third on the team with a 78.0 pass rushing grade and fourth with 17 pressures, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Texans have several players who can help fill Settle’s snaps. Either Tommy Togiai and Mario Edwards will get the starting nod, but both will see an uptick in playing time. Folorunso Fatukasi is eligible to be activated from injured reserve, but that has been the case for a month without any updates on his status. As a result, veteran Marlon Davidson and undrafted rookie Junior Tafuna could factor into the D-line rotation, whether that is via a practice squad elevation or a promotion to the active roster. Neither has appeared in a game this year.
As for Settle, he will spend the rest of the season recovering from surgery and is expected to be “recovered well ahead of the 2026 season,” per Garafolo. He is set to hit free agency in the offseason and should earn a raise on his current $3MM APY.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Colts, Jaguars, Texans and Titans moves are noted below.
Houston Texans
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Damon Arnette, T Trent Brown, TE Harrison Bryant, DB Myles Bryant, DE Solomon Byrd, OL Eli Cox, FB Jakob Johnson, RB Jawhar Jordan, TE Luke Lachey, DT Haggai Ndubuisi, LB K.C. Ossai, DT Junior Tafuna, OL Jaylon Thomas, WR Jared Wayne, LB Jackson Woodard
Indianapolis Colts
Claimed:
- LB Chad Muma (from Jaguars)
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Austin Ajiake, RB Ulysses Bentley IV, RB Khalil Herbert, T Marcellus Johnson, WR Tyler Kahmann, CB Chris Lammons, TE Maximilian Mang, TE Sean McKeon, DE Durell Nchami, WR Coleman Owen, G Josh Sills, DT Josh Tupou, C Mose Vavao, S Trey Washington
Jacksonville Jaguars
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Chandler Brayboy, OL Jerome Carvin, LB Branson Combs, QB Seth Henigan, TE Patrick Herbert,RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, OL Ricky Lee, CB Keni-H Lovely, TE Quintin Morris, DB Jabbar Muhammad, DL Keivie Rose, DB Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, WR Dorian Singer, OL Sal Wormley
Tennessee Titans
Claimed:
- CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (from Ravens), LB Dorian Mausi (from Vikings), C.J. Ravenell (from Ravens), CB Samuel Womack (from Colts)
Waived:
- DT Timmy Horne, LB Curtis Jacobs, CB Gabe Jeudy-Lally, T John Ojukwu
Released:
Signed to practice squad:
-
DB Kendell Brooks, DL Ali Gaye, DT Cam Horsley, RB Jermar Jefferson, WR Mason Kinsey, RB Jordan Mims, TE Thomas Odukova, CB Amani Oruwariye, WR James Proche, WR Xavier Restrepo, DT Isaiah Raikes, OL Andrew Rupcich, QB Trevor Siemian, DL Carlos Watkins
Texans Sign Six Undrafted Free Agents
The Texans have signed six undrafted free agents, bringing their rookie class to 15 players. Here are Houston’s UDFA signings:
- Austin Brinkman, LS (West Virginia)
- Eli Cox, C (Kentucky)
- Alijah Huzzie, CB (North Carolina)
- Daniel Jackson, WR (Minnesota)
- K.C. Ossai, LB (Louisiana)
- Junior Tafuna, DT (Utah)
The Texans let longtime long snapper Jon Weeks walk in free agency, so Brinkman will compete with reserve/futures signing Tucker Addington for the LS roster spot this summer. His three-year contract includes $110k in guaranteed money, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Cox was a four-year starter along Kentucky’s offensive line with experience at center (35 starts) and right guard (12 starts). He showed off excellent athleticism at the Combine, but lacks ideal length and power for the NFL. His movement skills and football I.Q. could make him a solid fit in the zone-based scheme of new Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Cox will receive $250K in total guarantees on his first NFL contract, according to Wilson.
Huzzle was an early riser at the East-West Shrine Bowl, but tore his ACL during team practice, sidelining him for the rest of the pre-draft process and likely his rookie year. That tanked his draft stock, but Huzzle still has potential as a playmaker in the secondary and on special teams. He recorded 12 interceptions and 42 passes defended across 30 games at East Tennessee State before transferring to North Carolina, where he posted 18 passes defended and four picks in the last two years. Huzzle’s size (5-foot-10, 30-inch arms) will likely keep him in the slot in the NFL, though he has experience on the outside as well. He also brings upside as a punt returner.
Ossai is the younger brother of Bengals edge rusher Joseph Ossai. His contract with the Texans includes $175k in guarantees ($15K signing bonus and $160k guaranteed salary), per Wilson.
Tafuna is a 6-foot-4, 308-pound defensive tackle who received some early praise from Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans at rookie minicamp (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). He wasn’t especially productive at Utah, recording only 15 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 45 career games (45 starts), but still earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors in 2022 and 2023 with an All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2024. Tafuna is a strong, agile defensive lineman who can eat blocks in the trenches, even if he doesn’t post eye-popping statistics. He received $200k in total guarantees from the Texans, according to Wilson.