By admin 
The Houston Texans got devastating injury news to their offense on August 19.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Texans star receiver Jayden Higgins tore his ACL during the joint practice against the Las Vegas Raiders. With Higgins tearing his ACL, he’s likely out for the season, which is a massive blow to the Texans’ offense.
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Higgins was expected to be the Texans’ No. 2 receiver and a key part of Houston’s offense. Already, Houston had some question marks about its offense, so losing a marquee receiver like Higgins is a massive blow.
Yet, there is still time before the season starts for Houston to pull off a trade or sign another receiver to replace Higgins, and the Texans have an obvious option in DeAndre Hopkins.
Hopkins hasn’t technically retired, but he did get hired to coach at Georgia Tech. However, he’s just the assistant wide receivers coach, so it isn’t a major role that he couldn’t get out of if he wanted to return.
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Hopkins is a fan favorite in Houston, as the Texans drafted him 27th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. The 34-year-old spent seven years in Houston, and although he’s no longer the No. 1 receiver he once was, he’s still an effective option.
Hopkins spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens and recorded 22 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns. With Houston, he can add some depth to the receiver room and be the No. 3 or No. 4 option.
The five-time Pro Bowler would also be a veteran leader for Houston’s offense and can be a safety blanket for C.J. Stroud, who needs a good season, as there are questions on if he is a franchise guy.
Signing Hopkins would also be a feel-good story, as the Texans already brought back Jadeveon Clowney and can now bring back another fan-favorite veteran to try and help the team win the Super Bowl.
Texans Have Other Options To Replace Higgins
If Hopkins opts to stay coaching, Houston still could add some other veteran receivers to replace Higgins after the injury.
The second name Houston should look at – after Hopkins – is unrestricted free agent Brandin Cooks. The veteran receiver showed he still has it during last year’s stint with the Buffalo Bills, as he became the team’s No. 1 receiver during the stretch run and into the playoffs.
Cooks is a deep ball specialist who adds some speed to the Texans offense, which makes it that much harder to defend.
If Houston wants a more traditional slot receiver, which Higgins is, Josh Reynolds is worth a flier. Reynolds is still a free agent after he struggled with the New York Jets last season.
Yet, Reynolds has proven to be an effective NFL receiver in the past, as the 6-foot-3 started 13 games in 2023 for the Detroit Lions and had 608 yards and five touchdowns.
At age 31, Reynolds should still have some juice in the tank and be a good depth option to replace Higgins.
Regardless, Houston needs to add a receiver after Higgins’ injury, and there are still some good veteran options for the Texans to pursue ahead of Week 1.
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This story was originally published August 19, 2026 at 12:07 PM.