Prior to their matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Houston Texans made some roster moves to reinforce crucial positions. Firstly, the Battle Red have signed defensive tackle Marcus Harris to the practice squad.
Secondly, the primary position drawing the most attention is edge rusher, due to the outstanding seasons Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are having.
However, the team cannot afford to be short-handed at this position, especially considering that Will Anderson Jr. has dealt with chest and shoulder issues over the past few weeks.
For this reason, the Texans elevated a veteran edge rusher from the injured reserve.
Darrell Taylor returns to practice after six weeks
In this last stretch of what's been a comeback season for the Texans, DeMeco Ryans doesn’t want to take the risk of getting an important player injured before the playoffs.
With the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot soon, Ryans will need to carefully rest key players once games are about to finish.
Adding depth to key positions allows the team to rotate players more effectively and protect their top talents.
DE Darrell Taylor has returned to practice and been Designated for Return.
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 17, 2025
Taylor suffered an injury before Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with his last appearance coming in Week 9 against the Denver Broncos.
Before getting injured, Taylor played four games with the Houston Texans, recording 3 combined tackles (one solo tackle) and zero sacks.
After spending six weeks on injured reserve, the former Seattle Seahawk has a chance to be elevated to the game-day roster if he logs one or more practice sessions during the week.
He did not participate in Wednesday’s practice, but returned as a full participant on Thursday, which could indicate that he is being considered for inclusion in the game rotation, according to the Texans PR account.
Given the Raiders’ 2-12 record, Coach Ryans may decide to implement a player rotation early if the Texans take a commanding lead. This scenario could provide Taylor with game snaps after six weeks of inactivity.