Texans cornerback Jaylin Smith is officially on injured reserve, sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury while blocking on punt coverage in Sunday’s tough loss to the Cowboys. The team announced the move Tuesday, and man, talk about a brutal break for a guy who was grinding hard early in the season.
A Third-Round Pick Grinding on Special Teams
You gotta feel for Smith. This dude, a third-round pick from just last year in 2025, had been a consistent presence for Houston, playing in all four games this season. He only racked up two tackles, sure, but his real work, his hustle, was on special teams. He piled up 76 snaps there this year, along with seven defensive snaps. It’s a role he’d grown into, too; as a rookie, he saw action on 78 special teams snaps across four games, adding 31 defensive snaps. Losing that kind of special teams engine, especially a former high draft pick who’s been doing the dirty work, is gonna sting for the Texans.
Roster Shuffle Beyond the Injury
In other news from Houston, the Texans also confirmed they’ve released wide receiver Treyvhon Saunders from their practice squad. This move comes right as Smith hits IR, showing some immediate roster adjustments are happening as they figure out who steps up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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