Texans Linebacker Depth Questioned in 2026 NFL Season Preview

Texans Linebacker Depth Questioned in 2026 NFL Season Preview

The Houston Texans made waves in recent weeks with key defensive signings. One of them was a contract extension of one of the best linebackers in the National Football League.

The Texans re-signed Azeez Al-Shaair making a clear statement about his role in the future of the franchise. Now Al-Shaair and the Houston defense are primed to take hold of the role of NFL's top defense again in 2026.

Starters like Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o play a role in the team's ceiling. At their best, Houston will be good at linebacker. That said, one writer questions whether or not they have the depth to hold up if they have injury concerns.

Kenneth Levy of SB Nation discussed the Texans' linebacker depth heading into training camp. Here's what Levy wrote about the position.

"Like tight end, linebacker depth is a mess. This is arguably the deepest, most competitive room in all of the NFL. NINE. Linebackers are worthy of a roster spot. The Texans are three-deep at every LB spot. I guarantee you two, maybe three LBs from this group will make 53-man rosters on other teams.

Houston will have to balance experience against youth. Do they choose to carry special teams aces such as Hummel or Mapu, or do they prioritize developing rookies (Wade) Woodaz and (Aiden) Fisher? Long-standing linebackers Jake Hansen and Jamal Hill played in 2025 but may not make the roster this time around.

Seventh-rounder Fisher can change quite a lot; a second rookie in the mix will absolutely force the Texans’ hand in who they keep. Ideally, they can stash him on the practice squad for the majority of the season and bring him along next year as a rotational piece."