- The NFL's top edge duo returns: Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter combined for 194 pressures while both earned PFF pass-rush grades above 85.0 in 2025.
- Houston prioritized the offensive line: The Texans added Wyatt Teller, Braden Smith and first-round pick Keylan Rutledge to protect C.J. Stroud.
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The Houston Texans went 12-5 in 2025, finishing second to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. They opened the postseason with an impressive road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers before a 28-16 loss to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots brought their season to an end. With one of the NFL's best defenses returning, expectations will once again be high in 2026.
Here is our 2026 preview of the Houston Texans:
Key Free Agency/Trade Additions
| Position | Player | 2025 PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| G | Wyatt Teller | 62.2 |
| G | Evan Brown | 54.3 |
| OT | Braden Smith | 65.3 |
| TE | Foster Moreau | 51.7 |
| HB | David Montgomery | 75.3 |
| DI | Logan Hall | 66.8 |
| EDGE | Dominique Robinson | 62.1 |
| S | Reed Blankenship | 42.8 |
| P | Kai Kroeger | 63.9 |
The Texans' offensive line was once again a weakness in 2025, but they made a concerted effort to address it this offseason. Four different players logged at least 250 snaps at left guard last season, and the only one to earn a PFF grade above 60.0 was Tytus Howard, who spent most of his time at right tackle.
Houston addressed the position by signing Wyatt Teller and Evan Brown, with Teller earning a PFF grade above 62.0 in each of the past six seasons. He may no longer be an All-Pro-caliber player, but he gives the Texans a reliable veteran presence at left guard.
Braden Smith could provide the same kind of stability at right tackle. Across eight NFL seasons, he has never earned a PFF grade below 65.0. He is coming off a 2025 campaign with the Indianapolis Colts in which he allowed 26 pressures on 471 pass-blocking snaps while earning a 71.9 PFF pass-blocking grade that ranked 35th among the 89 offensive tackles who played at least 300 snaps.
2026 NFL Draft Class
| Position | Player | 2025 PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| C | Keylan Rutledge | 76.7 |
| DI | Kayden McDonald | 86.2 |
| TE | Marlin Klein | 64.6 |
| G | Febechi Nwaiwu | 69.6 |
| LB | Wade Woodaz | 70.9 |
| S | Kamari Ramsey | 72.5 |
| WR | Lewis Bond | 74.5 |
| LB | Aiden Fisher | 67.8 |
The focus on the offensive line continued in the first round of the draft, with the Texans selecting Keylan Rutledge. Although he played guard at Georgia Tech, he projects to slide immediately into the starting center role. Rutledge earned PFF grades above 75.0 as both a run blocker and pass protector, allowing just six total pressures on 440 pass-blocking snaps.
The Texans' first defensive selection may not step into a starting role immediately, but Kayden McDonald is another strong addition to the defensive front. A dominant run defender, McDonald is coming off a final season at Ohio State in which he earned a 91.0 PFF run-defense grade and recorded 34 defensive stops.
Reasons for optimism
In Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, the Texans boast two of the five highest-graded edge defenders in football. Anderson's 102 total pressures across the regular season and playoffs were the most by any NFL player, while his 93.4 PFF overall grade led all defensive players.
Hunter wasn't far behind, ranking fifth among edge defenders with an 89.9 PFF grade while generating 92 total pressures across the regular season and playoffs. Anderson produced pressure on 19.3% of his pass-rushing snaps, with Hunter close behind at 16.3%. They were the NFL's only edge defender duo to each earn a PFF pass-rush grade above 85.0 in 2025, and they are well positioned to wreak havoc on opposing offenses once again in 2026.
Reason for pessimism
C.J. Stroud impressed as a rookie in 2023, leading all rookie quarterbacks and ranking 13th among all qualified quarterbacks with an 83.2 PFF grade. His performance has declined in each of the past two seasons, however, finishing 15th in PFF grade in 2024 before falling to 32nd in 2025.
That leaves the Texans facing both short- and long-term questions at the position. In the long term, they must determine whether Stroud has shown enough to warrant a lucrative extension in a market where 12 quarterbacks already earn more than $50 million annually. In the short term, the question is whether he can put together the kind of sustained stretch needed to lead Houston on a playoff run. As a rookie, Stroud posted four straight games with PFF grades above 80.0. In his second season, he produced another promising stretch, earning grades above 80.0 in three of four games.
At just 24 years old, Stroud still has ample time to develop into the quarterback the Texans envisioned when they drafted him. But if Houston is going to realize its Super Bowl aspirations, he will either need to take another step as a passer or produce the type of postseason run that quarterbacks such as Joe Flacco and Nick Foles rode to Super Bowl titles.
Breakout Candidate
Aireontae Ersery made 17 starts as a rookie for the Texans, including 16 at left tackle. Heading into his second season, he is firmly established as the team's starter, and there were plenty of encouraging signs during his rookie campaign. Excluding his lone start at right tackle, Ersery earned a 69.1 PFF pass-blocking grade, tied for 42nd among the 86 offensive tackles who played at least 300 snaps last season. If he builds on that foundation, he has the potential to finish 2026 as one of the NFL's top 20 tackles.
Key roster battles
The Texans added two punters this offseason, acquiring Kai Kroeger via trade and signing Jack Stonehouse as an undrafted free agent. Kroeger spent 2025 with the New Orleans Saints, earning a 63.9 PFF punting grade that ranked 25th among the 31 punters with at least 30 punts. Stonehouse, meanwhile, is coming off the best season of his college career, posting an 89.8 PFF punting grade that ranked third in the nation. Kroeger's best collegiate season produced a 79.4 PFF punting grade, giving Stonehouse a slight edge in the competition heading into training camp.
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