The Houston Texans made a pair of roster moves on Saturday that highlight both opportunity and competition as training camp progresses and the preseason approaches.
The team signed running back Owen Wright, a 27-year-old who spent last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while releasing rookie punter Jack Stonehouse.
Wright arrives with limited NFL experience, having recorded just three carries for six yards in his career. Primarily known as a special teams contributor, he joins a backfield that has been reshaped this offseason.
David Montgomery leads the group, with recent draft selections Woody Marks and Jawhar Jordan also in the mix, along with veteran British Brooks, who doubles as a fullback and special teams standout. Brooks is expected to miss roughly three weeks due to injury, creating a temporary opening that Wright can try to fill.
The signing gives him a chance to showcase his value in preseason games and potentially earn a longer stay on the roster.
At the same time, the Texans resolved one of their quieter training camp competitions by cutting Stonehouse. The move leaves Kai Kroeger as the sole punter on the roster.
Houston acquired Kroeger via trade from the New Orleans Saints earlier this year, and the former undrafted free agent has now outlasted the challenge from Stonehouse, who signed with the team after the draft.
Reports indicate the organization valued Kroeger’s experience and polish over the upside Stonehouse offered. While the preseason will still test whether Kroeger can solidify the job and build chemistry with kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, no immediate replacements have been signed from the recent tryouts that included other punters.
Beyond these transactions, the Texans continued evaluating outside talent. They worked out wide receiver Juwann Winfree, a former sixth-round pick of the Denver Broncos with special teams experience, and Eric Scott, a 2023 sixth-round selection of the Kansas City Chiefs. Cornerback Bryce Hall, previously with the Buccaneers and New York Jets, also received a look.
These adjustments reflect the ongoing process of assembling a competitive 90-man roster that must eventually be cut to 53 players by the end of August.
With injury concerns at running back and an unsettled punting situation still open to further evaluation, the Texans are using this stage of camp to test depth and identify contributors who can make an impact once the regular season arrives.
Wright’s addition and Stonehouse’s departure are the latest steps in that carefully managed balancing act.
