Houston Texans offensive lineman Braden Smith left the field on a cart during a joint practice with the Carolina Panthers, prompting the first concrete update on the nature of the setback.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team believes Smith sustained a foot injury that forced him out of the session.

Smith, who joined the Texans this offseason after a lengthy tenure with the Indianapolis Colts, is in the first year of a two-year, $20 million free-agent contract.

The 2018 second-round pick has long dealt with durability concerns. Across eight prior NFL seasons he managed only one complete regular-season slate of games, that coming in 2019 before the league expanded to 17 contests. Those injury issues appear to have followed him to Houston.

The timing is inconvenient for a franchise that invested significant resources in upgrading its offensive line. Yet the Texans entered the summer with a built-in contingency.

Veteran tackle Trent Brown, who started at right tackle for the club in 2025, re-signed on a modest one-year deal worth $5.5 million. Brown’s presence gives the coaching staff an experienced option should Smith’s absence prove extended.

What the latest development ultimately means for the depth chart remains unclear. Smith’s foot injury is still in its earliest stages of evaluation, and further medical details have not been released.

The team will continue monitoring his status as training camp progresses and the preseason schedule unfolds. For a unit that has already absorbed personnel turnover, any prolonged absence would test the depth that general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans have tried to assemble.

Smith’s arrival was meant to stabilize a position group that has fluctuated in recent seasons. His combination of size, experience, and technical polish made him an appealing target in free agency.

The foot issue now introduces an element of uncertainty just as the Texans aim to solidify their starting five and build continuity heading into the regular season.

As of this writing, the organization has offered no formal timeline for Smith’s return. The situation will be reassessed as additional information becomes available, and updates are expected once further testing or imaging results are known.

In the meantime, Brown and the remaining interior and exterior linemen will continue to prepare for the opportunities that may come their way if Smith’s recovery takes longer than hoped.