The Houston Texans spent the offseason making moves to fix what went wrong last year. They got crushed by New England in the playoffs, and it was clear they needed more depth, more weapons, and maybe a little more experience. They addressed some of that in free agency and the draft.
But the player who might matter most this fall isn’t a big-name free agent or a first-round pick. It’s a second-year wide receiver who quietly put together a strong finish to his rookie season.
Jayden Higgins, a 2025 draft pick out of Iowa State, didn’t exactly light the league on fire right away. Through the first half of last season, he was a role player at best. But something clicked around midseason. Over Houston’s final nine regular-season games, Higgins caught 27 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Then in the playoffs, he added nine catches for 98 yards. Not bad for a guy who wasn’t even a full-time starter at that point.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote about Higgins this week, noting that the Texans’ offense had a really solid spring and that Higgins was the guy who stood out most. Breer called his progress a sign that Houston’s young core is maturing at the right time.
“In a way, Higgins’s progress is a nice little signal for where the Texans are now going into DeMeco Ryans’s fourth year and GM Nick Caserio’s sixth season at the helm — with a young team that’s no longer just full of rising young talent, but squarely in a championship window,” Breer wrote.
Higgins finished his rookie year with 41 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns. That’s solid. But the Texans are probably hoping for something closer to 70 catches and 900 yards in Year Two. If that happens, it changes how defenses have to play Houston’s offense.
The Texans also need second-year jumps from running back Woody Marks and tackle Aireontae Ersery. Marks showed flashes as a pass-catching back last season. Ersery was inconsistent at tackle but has the physical tools to be a long-term starter. If all three take a step forward, the Texans could have one of the deeper young rosters in the AFC.
That’s the thing about Houston right now. They’re not just hoping for a playoff return. They’re aiming for something bigger. The division isn’t getting easier — Jacksonville and Indianapolis both made moves this offseason — but the Texans have the quarterback, the coach, and now the young supporting cast to make a real run.
Higgins will get his first chance to show he’s ready when training camp starts in late July. If he looks like the same guy who finished last season, the hype around this team is going to get loud.
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