The NFL just dropped the final 53-man rosters, and while a ton of teams made predictable moves, the Texans’ initial list had some real head-scratchers. The biggest shocker has to be how many offensive linemen they decided to keep. This wasn’t just a few extra bodies; the Texans are rolling with a massive twelve offensive linemen on their final roster. That’s two or three more than pretty much any other team out there, and it screams some serious questions heading into the season opener.
Cuts That Make You Go, “Huh?”
Before we dive into the O-line bonanza, let’s talk about some of the early cuts that raised eyebrows. Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard were signed to “beef up the wide receiver room,” according to the initial reports. Everyone thought they’d provide some quality depth. Instead, they were “unceremoniously cut.” That’s how it goes sometimes, right? Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans likely hoped they had enough left in the tank, but apparently, it just wasn’t there. It’s a reminder that even for veteran guys, making that final roster is never a sure thing.
What’s Up With That Offensive Line?
But back to those twelve offensive linemen. What in the world is going on there? Part of it is a temporary “accounting trick” because players like Braden Smith are coming back from injury. Teams often don’t want to put them on IR if they can help it, mainly because those spots for return are limited and come with a mandatory four-week layoff. But even that explanation doesn’t cover all of it. Clearly, their offensive line is in a “state of flux.” The unit that finished 2025 wasn’t the same one that started, which happens with injuries and attrition, but this feels different. It points to a situation where they “probably really don’t know who their top five guys are.” That’s a huge problem as they stare down Week One.
Over 1200 players got cut league-wide, and while some folks frame it as dreams dying, that’s often overly dramatic. A good chunk of those guys will land somewhere. Take Jawhar Jordan, for example. He’s failed to make the final roster three years in a row, but he’s been added to the practice squad every time and will likely see NFL action for the third consecutive year. It just shows that no one’s story is fully written on September 1st. But for the Texans, their offensive line story is definitely unsettled as the season kicks off. They’ve got a lot to figure out before the first snap of Week One.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Battle Red Blog.
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