Stock Up, Stock Down for Houston Texans at Voluntary OTAs

Which Houston Texans ETF are you buying this offseason?

Voluntary Organized Team Activities (OTAs) have kicked off, and it is the first time the rookies and veterans all are in the same building… or a gigantic bubble for the Texans.

A whirlwind of moves and countermoves have occurred this offseason in Houston, most of which has left the offense starkly different than the one that ended 2024. These decisions have impacted the stock and positioning of those previously on the roster. Like the S&P 500 in recent weeks, the Texans have had a tumultuous offseason of ups and downs on their potential outlook.

As for the players themselves, this article identifies those already on the roster before free agency and the draft who saw their stock change the most due to offseason moves.

Stock Up: Juice Scruggs – Guard/Center

Scruggs watched as almost every other starter from the 2024 offensive line was shipped off in some fashion. Scruggs’ versatility affords him the opportunity to start at multiple positions across the offensive line – including both recently vacated guard spots. Houston added several uninspiring veterans to bridge the gap at guard, and they failed to add any interior lineman through the draft.

Houston spent the offseason adding uninspiring veterans before ignoring the interior line in the draft altogether, which has cleared a path for start in 2025. While his own play has received its own scorn, the former 2023 second rounder will have another shot to develop into a formidable starter on the offensive line.

Stock Down: John Mechie III – Wide Reciever

No player was more adversely affected by free agency and the draft than John Metchie III. The arrivals of Christian Kirk and rookie Jaylin Noel have pushed him further down the depth chart. Of the three, Metchie is the most expendable and can be released without financial consequence. Entering a contract year, he’s lost nearly all leverage in the battle for a role in the offense, let alone a roster spot. His best hope is that Kirk’s recovery takes longer than expected and that Noel requires additional time to develop.

Stock Up: Tim Settle Jr. – Defensive Tackle

Tim Settle was arguably the most underappreciated Texan last season. By year’s end, he finessed his way into a starting role and logged 160 more snaps than any other defensive tackle on the roster. While Pro Football Focus ranked him 99th out of 219 defensive linemen, Settle quietly finished 24th in the league in total pressures—highlighting his impact beyond the grading system.

It’s apparent Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans do not prioritize defensive tackles. They have neglected to invest serious capital in the position for the second straight year. While the public pushed for Houston to add a top-end pick in the draft, they settled with seventh rounder Kyonte Hamilton. The position is crowded with more options than available roster spots, but one of those should be firmly in Settle’s hands.

Stock Down: Kurt Hinish – Defensive Tackle

Hinish resigned on a one-year deal this offseason. While Tim Settle’s role is firmly in place, Hinish’s stock has tumbled. The offseason initially looked promising for Hinish when Houston waited until the seventh round to add a DT, but immediately after the draft they signed multiple veterans, tanking Hinish’s stock. Caserio chose to run it back with Foley Fatukasi, Mario Edwards, and Sheldon Rankins and resigned all three this offseason (Rankins returning after one season with Cincinnati). Hinish now sits as the fifth or sixth DT on the roster for a position that carries only four players.

Stock Up: Henry To’oTo’o – Linebacker

Another under appreciated defensive stalwart, To’oTo’o is making a case to be the best Texans day-three draft pick since D.J. Reader in 2016. He has snatched the linebacker role from an injured Christian Harris and played exceptionally well alongside Azeez Al-Shaair.

The ultra productive linebacker saw Houston add only one piece to the position this offseason. Harris, who we will detail below, is To’oTo’o greatest adversary for snaps, but appears to be struggling through a much longer-term recovery than anticipated.

Stock Down: Jimmie Ward

Ward missed seven games in 2024 due to injury. Subsequently, he watched as Houston traded for C.J. Gardner-Johnson, draft Penn State safety Jaylen Reed, and extend Jalen Pitre in rapid succession. Plus, last year rookie stand out Calen Bullock all but stole the show for Houston in the secondary with five interceptions.

Ward was reported absent from OTAs while healing from foot surgery this offseason. He will be 34 by the time the season starts and could easily be a roster casualty at the expense of younger, healthier options.

Stock Up: Dalton Schultz

Schultz’s much-maligned postseason wasn’t disparaging enough to force the Texans to find another long-term solution at tight end. Houston’s sole addition this offseason was seventh rounder Luke Lachey, whose highest season reception total at Iowa was 28 catches. While Houston did inject a bevy of pass catchers to the offense, Schultz role as a pass catching tight end should be undisturbed in 2025. Combine that with Brevin Jordan’s recovering from ACL surgery in September and second-year tight end Cade Stover far from a finished product, and Schultz’s starting role is all but secure.

Stock Down: Christian Harris

If Christian Harris was a stock, he’d be Peloton. They really had their moment in the sun, but all of a sudden the world has moved past them and they aren’t as cool and innovative anymore. Harris was once the crown jewel of a young defense and now he is your mother’s porcelain vase gathering dust in the living room of your childhood house.

On the depth chart, Harris is listed as a backup along with newly acquired E.J. Speed. Speed and Harris possess many of the same traits and one wouldn’t be hard pressed to evaluate Speed as a backup option for Harris. He does benefit from the Texans avoiding LB in the draft, but between the recent injury persistence, signing of speed, and now absence from voluntary OTAs…. his stock is crashing like it’s ‘08. As with Metchie, Harris is entering a contract year and a season with immense competition for playing time.

Honorable mention stock up: LaDarius Henderson, C.J. Stroud

Honorable mention stock down: Davis Mills, Solomon Byrd