The Houston Texans will not have Jayden Higgins for the duration of the 2026 season amid news that he tore his ACL in joint practice against the Las Vegas Raiders, leaving DeAndre Hopkins and a Super Bowl champion as strong potential targets.
Hopkins has stepped into a new phase, joining Georgia Tech as an assistant coach.
However, he has made it clear that he has not officially retired and is not the only viable option for the Texans, whose wide receiver room is banged up.
Texans Can Target DeAndre Hopkins
GettyDeAndre Hopkins could be more than an insurance policy for the Texans.
Higgins was having a strong offseason after finishing his rookie campaign on an upward trajectory with the Texans, but Hopkins’ veteran presence and big-bodied playing style could fit.
The Texans are expected to look internally.
“Jayden Higgins was having an extremely good camp and this is just super upsetting and disappointing,” Sleeper’s Jacob Barzilla posted on X on August 19. “Houston turns to Xavier Hutchinson & Jared Wayne as their outside WR options pending Tank Dell’s status.”
Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro who has earned more than $148 million in his career, per Over The Cap.
He could pursue his first Super Bowl win with the Texans, though.
The Texans originally selected Hopkins, 34, with the 27th overall pick of the 2013 draft, and he spent the first seven years of his career with the franchise. Despite a sour split, Hopkins has entertained the idea of returning to his first NFL home.
The Texans re-signed Jadeveon Clowney after a similarly negative split. They originally drafted him first overall in 2014 and traded him to the Seattle Seahawks in 2018.
If not Hopkins, the Texans can explore other options.
Super Bowl Champion on Rivals’ Radar Could Make Sense for Texans
GettyThe Lions are just one of the teams Josh Reynolds has played for.
Hopkins’ transition to coaching, while perhaps temporary in his eyes, could be too telling a sign for the Texans to ignore. Former Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl champion Josh Reynolds looms as another potential target, though.
Reynolds has been on a bit of a journeyman run since his Rams tenure. It includes a one-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024.
He also visited the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints.
Hopkins has 1,006 receptions for 13,295 yards and 85 touchdowns in his career. He would be the more recognizable addition for the Texans. Reynolds, who turned 31 in February has a 244-3,228-20 career line, but is drawing more attention from teams in need.
Reactions to Jayden Higgins Injury Telling
GettyJayden Higgins appeared set for a big second season with the Houston Texans.
The Texans made Higgins their top pick in the 2025 draft. They also gave him the first fully guaranteed contract for a second-round pick. That underscores just how highly they viewed him. And that was before he showed signs of progress as a rookie and looked even better this year.
“Brutal blow for Higgins,” SportsTalk 790’s Adam Wexler posted on X on August 19. “IMO was primed for a big season.”
Stoots & Locker co-host Landry Locker posted, “That’s toughhhhhh.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who broke the news of Higgins’ injury, called it a “tough blow to the Houston receiving room.” Meanwhile, ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime called it “massive news as the Texans lose their No.2 WR.”
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