As the Texans gear up for training camp, Trent Brown emerges as a formidable contender to retain his spot at right tackle, highlighting the team’s ongoing offensive line overhaul.
The Texans’ offensive line is going to draw plenty of attention once training camp gets rolling, and right tackle may be the spot that tells the clearest story.
Houston spent the offseason trying to clean up a unit that was once again below average last year in front of C.J. Stroud and in the run game. The front office brought in help with the idea of getting the protection right in 2026, but the right side still looks like a genuine battle.
On paper, Braden Smith looks like the favorite. Houston signed him earlier this offseason to a two-year, $20 million deal, banking on a veteran tackle with more than 100 NFL starts who has shown he can be a solid run blocker and an above-average player at his best in Indianapolis.
But the Texans’ spring work changed the conversation. Smith was still coming back from neck surgery, and that opened the door for Trent Brown to take every first-team rep at right tackle during OTAs and minicamp.
That matters, because Brown didn’t just fill in last season – he helped Houston win.
When Brown started at right tackle in the regular season, the Texans went 7-0. He also started in the Wild Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers before getting hurt and missing the next game against the New England Patriots.
His numbers were steady over those seven regular-season games: five penalties, 11 total pressures allowed, and one sack. Pro Football Focus ranked him 40th among 89 eligible tackles with a 68.6 grade, and he landed in the top 30 in run blocking. Both marks were better than Smith’s production in Indianapolis last season.
That’s why Brown has a real argument here. The Texans already know what the offense looked like with him on the right side, and the results were good. He also has the edge in time spent with Houston, a bigger frame for the position, and a salary that isn’t far off in practical terms from Smith’s, even if the contracts say otherwise.
None of that means Smith is out of the picture. If he’s healthy in camp, he still sounds like the slight favorite to win the job. But this isn’t a token competition, and it would be a mistake to treat Brown like a mere backup option.
If he’s healthy and plays better in camp, Houston has every reason to stick with what worked.
In Other News…
Texans Suddenly Have A Linebacker Problem They Can’t Ignore
Training camp is about to put the Texans linebacker depth under a sharper spotlight than they likely expected. With the LB3 job now open, the competition has become one of the more important position battles on the roster, not just because of the snaps available, but because the winner will help shape how Houston pieces together its defensive depth behind the starters.
Several candidates are in the mix, and this one may not be settled quickly. The Texans will spend the next few weeks sorting through who can handle the role, and the decision could ripple into late-August roster calls as the team weighs which depth linebackers are worth keeping for Week 1.
Texans Fans Wont Believe This Early Stroud Prediction
A fresh quarterback forecast has already stirred up plenty of conversation around Houston, and it is easy to see why. C.J. Stroud remains the face of the Texans future, but NFL analyst Jarrett Bailey has pushed the discussion far beyond the usual extension talk by sketching out a scenario in which Houston would be weighing a very different direction after the 2026 season.
The idea hinges on Baker Mayfield putting together a big year in Tampa Bay and then becoming available again, which would give the Texans a veteran option with a Texas connection. Baileys broader point is that Houston could eventually be forced to choose between committing big money to Stroud or looking for a shorter, cheaper path at quarterback, and that kind of speculation is exactly the sort of thing that keeps a long offseason conversation alive.
DeAndre Hopkins Could Be Helping Someone Texans Fans Wont Like
DeAndre Hopkins may be back in the football conversation in a different way, and it is one Texans fans will notice even if it has nothing to do with Houstons sideline. Mike Vrabel confirmed the situation and, given the connection between the two from their time together in Houston and later in Tennessee, Hopkins remains linked to a coach who knows exactly what he can bring to a room.
For Texans supporters, the more immediate takeaway is what is not happening. There is no indication Hopkins is headed toward a coaching role in Houston, and the team has not shown interest in adding coaches to its offensive staff. Still, the idea of Hopkins moving into that kind of role elsewhere is the sort of development that naturally sends Houston fans back to a familiar name and wondering what it might mean down the road.