The Houston Texans' secondary will be a bit thin over the next few weeks with rookie cornerback Jaylin Smith, a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, officially placed on injured reserve. Smith has been battling a hamstring injury all week and wasn’t able to progress to the point where he could return soon.
By landing on IR, he’ll be sidelined for at least the next four games.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Smith had already shown flashes of potential. His speed and physicality gave Houston extra depth in multiple defensive looks. Losing him isn’t a crushing blow, but it does limit the Texans’ ability to rotate corners and maintain an elite level of defense in the short term.
To counter the loss, the Texans elevated veteran defensive backs Myles Bryant and D’Angelo Ross from the practice squad to the active roster for Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Neither player is a premier corner in this league, but both bring valuable experience and reps that can help fill the gap. Bryant has nearly 70 games of experience under his belt, while Ross has just over 30.
They aren’t expected to play major roles, but their presence provides insurance if more injuries or matchup-specific needs arise.
Houston is confident that with Bryant and Ross available, the defense can still hold its own. That will be crucial in a divisional matchup where the Texans, sitting at 0-2, can’t afford another slip. Falling to 0-3 could put them in a hole that’s extremely difficult to climb out of.
Given the offense’s struggles to score points through two games, the Texans' defense must continue carrying the load. Limiting explosive plays and preventing quick-strike touchdowns are key to keeping Houston competitive, and the secondary is central to that task.
While it remains to be seen how much Ross and Bryant will contribute against Jacksonville, what’s certain is that Smith won’t be available this week, or for at least the three games that follow.