3 Texans players who won’t make the 53-man roster in 2024

If you anonymously polled a bunch of NFL GMs, the bet here is that more than a couple would admit to being envious of the Texans' roster. They made a six-win jump in 2023, surprising a lot of people on their way to an AFC South title and a Divisional Round appearance. And it certainly doesn't hurt that their core is full of young, already ascending NFL stars like CJ Stroud, Will Anderson, Tank Dell, and Derek Stingley. Still, every roster has guys that are in jeopardy of losing their jobs, and the Texans are no exception. There's a ton of time between now and Week 1, but for our money, these are the three Texans players who won't make the 53-man roster in 2024.

3 Texans players who won’t make the 53-man roster in 2024

Kurt Hinish, DL

Given all the additions that Houston's made to their defensive front so far this offseason, it always felt likely that a guy like Hinish stood to lose some reps. The third-year lineman out of Notre Dame has only started four games over the first two seasons of his career, and the results aren't a lot to write home about: he finished the year ranked as Pro Football Focus' 121st best lineman (out of 130). He basically regressed across the board in 2023, and had the 5th-worst run defense grade of anyone on the Texans roster. That would have been tough to overcome in any year, but it's an especially steep climb now that Houston's added Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry. Maybe he finds a way onto their practice squad, but don't expect to see a ton of Hinish next season.

Jeff Okudah, CB

It's probably time to stop holding out hope for Okudah, who was once the third overall pick not too long ago but is already on his third team in four years. He signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Texans this offseason, though less than half of that is guaranteed. He'll have a hard time breaking into the starting lineup considering the depth the Texans have behind Derek Stingley Jr. – Jimmy Ward, Myles Bryant, and CJ Henderson are, at this point, all more reliable than Okudah. Maybe DeMeco Ryans knows how to coach Okudah in way that finally gets everything to click, but if there has to be cuts made to the secondary, Okudah seems like a prime candidate to be the first to go.

Tytus Howard, G

After an optimistic 2022 season, Howard regressed pretty significantly last year – out of 79 eligible guards last year, Pro Football Focus had him ranked 67th. Playing at left guard, Howard started seven games while allowing one sack, three QB hits, and 14 hurries. To his credit, he didn't commit any penalties, but it certainly wasn't the type of performance that you expect from a tackle you'll be paying $15 million to in 2025 and $17.5 million in 2026. Maybe that contract keeps him a bit more safe than, say, Juice Scruggs, but the Texans can save a non-insignificant amount of money and cap space by either designating him a post-June 1 cut or trading him. The options behind him aren't that great, but crazier things have happened.