Houston Texans Top Roster Surprises and Snubs

Analyzing who made the Texans roster and who was rebuffed

It’s the day after the 2024 roster cuts and, boy, was yesterday a wild ride. With so many short-term injuries, there was zero sense of confidence. The final Rosterology, the holy grail for all things roster analysis, prediction, and conjecture, missed a staggering number of predictions due to injuries and the cascading affect of the subsequent decisions.

For instance, Christian Harris ending up on short-term injured reserve forced the Houston Texans to add not one but two replacements. By doing so, the front office pulled from the defensive line room.

Even with the injuries, the concoction of decision on offense will be closely monitored. Five RBs is a hefty load for a position being devalued across the league. The roster isn’t finished, but the current set of 53 players sure left room for many surprises and snubs.

Roster Surprises

1. RB/FB British Brooks (rookie)

This may be the first time in history a player converted positions in one week and earned a roster spot for it. Literally, British Brooks tried out fullback and in one preseason game gave the Houston Texans enough confidence to cut the three fullbacks, one of which was the incumbent for the past two seasons, in one fell swoop.

The undrafted rookie running back from North Carolina earned a roster spot among four other RBs. He’ll contribute as a blocker and on special teams. Too bad HBO’s Hard Knocks wasn’t able to document Brooks’ surprising path to the active roster.

2. DB Kris Boyd

This may be more of a personal surprise. Several instances I notes Boyd beaten in coverage in my preseason notes. Boyd is seemingly adored by the coaching staff and played a significant amount during the preseason.

However, if Houston finds another suitable cornerback on the waiver wire, Boyd could be the first to go from the roster this week.

3. LB Jamal Hill (rookie)

Last week I predicted Hill along with four other draft picks wouldn’t make the roster. I was wrong, quite wrong. Below was my analysis:

Analysis: Hill has had plenty of opportunity to shine in preseason, but lags in his reads and unable to handle NFL speed.

Of all of the players on this list, Hill is the biggest “project” player. He’s only spent one season playing the linebacker position at Oregon. His size and speed are sufficient to play the position, but the bright lights are too big for him at this point. A primarily coverage linebacker, he was picked on early in the Bears game.

He has looked better each of the last two preseason games, but if anyone in the draft class needs a full season on practice squad, it’s Jamal Hill. Give him another ‘season’ of education, training, and practice and he can come back in 2025 and compete.

Scathing review. Hill has impressed, but may be the first player to go when starting LB Christian Harris returns from short-term Injured Reserve designation soon.

4. KR Steven Sims

The seventh wide receiver, Sims brings punt and kick return specialization to the roster. Having Sims allowed Houston to keep the best six other available (aka not Noah Brown) WRs and also the best pure defensive backs. Sims may cost a roster spot, but by the Texans math he saves another one by being such a special teams ace.

Don’t believe that Sims would have made it to the Texans’ practice squad either. There are too many teams interested in an uber-talented return specialist to imagine Houston burying Sims on the practice squad.

5. Tim Settle Jr. (injured)

Settle’s calf kept him out the majority of training camp and every preseason game. Settle must be close to returning as the Texans kept several worthy defensive tackles off the roster. He’s a reliable veteran, but is his questionable health worth not promoting the rookie Marcus Harris?

Roster Snubs

1. FB Andrew Beck

This one was a shocker. There was certainly something fishy when Houston signed FB Nick Bowden before the last preseason game, but all we’ve heard leading up to the roster decision was that Beck was close to being back. He very well may be, but Houston wasn’t going to risk the blocking potential on a roster spot.

Beck has been injured several times in his short career, but his latest injury must have convinced the staff to look in other directions to find suitable blocking talents.

2. WR Noah Brown

Easily the most talented player left off the roster, Brown’s injury plagued-preseason did him no favors. It’s the kind of offseason athletes worry about; going from a roster lock with an assured role, to injured and now out of a job.

Brown will most likely find a role on a team who suffered one or two injuries early on in the season. He was a catalyst for the Texans’ playoff run and no doubt will bolster another receiving corps in the NFL.

3. DT Marcus Harris (rookie)

Shot through the heart. Twitter Texans and fans alike mourned cutting Harris. His decisive play and incisive moves on the defensive line stood out in a crowd of old, prickly DTs. Though it was predicted he wouldn’t make the roster initially, he had earned a roster spot by the last preseason game.

Houston has made it extremely clear they want to keep Harris on the practice squad. If he clears waivers, he’ll be a priority member of the practice team and an immediate call up if anyone goes down.

4. CB Desmond King II

How a single play can turn an entire offseason. When King II muffed the punt against the Rams in the final preseason game, he dropped his best chance to make the roster.

Since Safety Jalen Pitre took over Nickel duties, King II has been out of a job and looking for a spot on the roster. The special teams turnover was all the front office needed to see to move on. It’s a cold world in the NFL.

5. DT Kurt Hinish

Another former undrafted rookie, Hinish has spent two years grinding out a sizable role on the defense. His lack of pass rush aptitude and current health due to a calf injury have hindered his short-term prospects with the team.

The team has elected Hinish to sit on their short-term IR, but even so they’re in a difficult spot to find a role for him on the defense.