The Houston Texans severed ties with former draft pick Luke Lachey, but the big-bodied tight end did not have to wait long before landing another opportunity.
Houston has taken an aggressive approach with its tight end room over the past several offseasons. That includes investing multiple draft picks and supplementing the group with veterans acquired via trades and during free agency.
All of that work resulted in a short tenure for Lachey, whose second act will take him to the NFC.
Luke Lachey Joins Packers After Texans Cut Ties
GettyLuke Lachey has landed with the Green Bay Packers after the Houston Texans moved on.
The Texans waived Lachey on Monday, replacing him on the roster not with another tight end, but with a running back in former Indianapolis Colts draft pick Evan Hull. Lachey, who turns 25 in June, was a seventh-round pick, selected 255th overall in the 2025 draft.
“The Packers claimed DB M.J. Devonshire off waivers from Buffalo and TE Luke Lachey off waivers from Houston,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported in a post on X on May 12.
Lachey has long been viewed as a prospect who could be in constant battles for a roster spot.
“Combination tight end capable of lining up in-line or as a move tight end. While Lachey can do both, he lacks the core strength and consistency of a typical “Y” tight end and has average quickness to escape man coverage on the next level,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft profile.
“He has NFL size but needs to prove he can more consistently sustain as a run blocker in order to become a trustworthy, three-down player in the league. Unless that happens, he’s likely to be fighting for a role as a TE3 or TE4.”
Notably, the Texans will visit the Packers at some point during the 2026 regular season, which could set up a revenge game narrative for Lachey.
Luke Lachey Joins Crowded Packers TE Room
GettyTucker Kraft leads a deep tight end room for the Green Bay Packers.
Lachey has multiple NFL ties. His brother-in-law is former NFL offensive lineman Pat Elflein, and his father is ex-All-Pro, Pro Bowler, and Super Bowl champion Jim Lachey.
He goes from one deep stable of tight ends to another, joining a group that the Packers list as six-deep, before including him in the group. He will compete with former Tennessee Titans draft pick Josh Whyle and former undrafted free agents Drake Dabney and Messiah Swinson.
Rookie RJ Maryland is also on hand behind top options Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave.
Lachey likely faces an uphill climb to stick in Green Bay with the Packers just as he did in Houston before the Texans moved on.
Texans TE Group Underutilized
GettyThe Houston Texans did not lean on their tight ends beyond Dalton Schultz.
Lachey did not see the field for the Texans last season. That is notable, given the rash of injuries the Texans navigated, even though they did not rely on their tight ends. The Texans ran multi-TE looks at the NFL’s lowest rate, per Sharp Football Analysis.
They still boast a deep group of options.
It includes Texans draft picks Brevin Jordan (2021), Cade Stover (2024), and Marlin Klein (2025), as well as former undrafted free agent Layne Pryor.
Dalton Schultz–who came over from the Texans’ in-state rival, the Dallas Cowboys, in 2023–still leads the group. Former Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau signed in free agency this offseason.
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