Texans mailbag: Will Houston move a receiver before NFL's trade deadline? What is best RB rotation?

The Houston Texans have won two consecutive games, further fueling the idea that maybe, just maybe, they can turn things around.

The next quarter of their schedule, with games against the Giants, Chargers, Browns and Colts, is fairly pedestrian.

As a reminder, I do a mailbag every Wednesday. To ask a question, use the form below, send me an email at jonathan.alexander@houstonchronicle.com or send me a message on X.

Some questions may be lightly edited for brevity or clarity.

Q: Is there a reality where Houston opts to ride Woody Marks and Jawhar Jordan as RB1 and RB2, respectively, because they're better scheme fits?

JMA : No. I think David Montgomery still fits, and the Texans will try to make it work. After all, they invested a substantial amount in him, both in draft capital and with his contract.

The hope for the Texans is that, with the improvement of the offensive line and a different approach to the offense - pass-first - things will open up in the running game.

Montgomery is also still lethal at the goal line. He leads the Texans in rushing touchdowns. I do think Marks could get the majority of the carries, but I see no world in which Montgomery is RB3.

Jordan was placed on the practice squad injured list Wednesday, so he may not figure into the rotation for a while.

Q: What do you make of our (run-pass option) looks? In theory, it's one of the ways to help the run game, right?

JMA : It's a good wrinkle for this offense, especially considering fewer teams are doing it right now. When fewer offenses are using RPOs, as was the case 10 years ago, fewer defenses are preparing for them.

Just the threat that the Texans might pass, and teams' desire to defend against it, is helping the running game.

Adding RPOs to the fold shows the adaptability of offensive coordinator Nick Caley.

JMA : DeMeco Ryans often pointed to Blake Fisher's improvement this summer. The Texans are comfortable with Fisher starting if a player is injured.

I'd assume that if Trent Brown and Braden Smith aren't on the roster next year, the Texans would give Fisher a shot. But I don't think that's guaranteed. As of now, they like the role he's in.

As for Rankins, players have said he'd make a good coach. But he hasn't said that's what he wants to do.

Q : Why are there still five tight ends on the roster?

JMA : I'm assuming it's because they like the tight ends on their roster. They've used all five this season. And rookie Marlin Klein is viewed as a long-term project, as he always has been.

Q: More Marvin Harrison Jr. this week and beyond?

JMA : That's the plan. The Texans spent a second-round pick on Harrison, so the expectation is that he'll be a big part of this offense now and in the future.

There's an acclimation period, though. He'll need to fully learn the playbook before his snap count increases. After the game, he was asked how much of the playbook he knew. His response: "Not even half."

I'd say give him four to five weeks before we see him fully immersed.

Q: Is the offensive line we have now finally our best five, or is there still a possibility it could change with Braden Smith returning?

JMA : The Texans' offensive line had its best performance Sunday, so it's hard to imagine the coaching staff making a change now.

On the other hand, if things start to go wrong, Smith becomes an option. That's why they signed him.

But as of now, the Texans view this offensive line group as their best five.

Q: How has switching from Jerrod Johnson to Jerry Schuplinski (as QB coach) helped C.J. Stroud?

JMA : I don't necessarily believe Jerrod Johnson was the problem. I just think having one primary voice in the room probably helps streamline communication. Also, Schuplinski has worked with Nick Caley for a decade, so he probably has more insight into and experience with Caley's offense than Johnson, who comes from the Shanahan-style West Coast offense.

I still think Johnson was a good coach and will make a good offensive coordinator if given the opportunity.

Q: The wide receiver room seems to be getting a little crowded. With the trade deadline not too far away, do the Texans move someone for depth at another position or a draft pick?

JMA : It's always possible, but I get the sense the Texans would rather keep their wide receivers. Injuries have happened in the Texans' wide receiver room every year since 2023. It's a long season. The Texans will have six receivers on their roster when they officially add Tank Dell.

Q: When fans can see that players are a step too slow, why does it take an injury for coaches to replace them? For example, Jawhar Jordan for David Montgomery, M.J. Stewart for Reed Blankenship, or Kamari Ramsey for Jalen Pitre?

JMA : First, I want to say I 100% disagree with replacing Jalen Pitre with Kamari Ramsey. Pitre is one of the most underrated players on the Texans' defense. He does things Ramsey isn't yet capable of. He's also one of the team's best communicators and one of its better tacklers.

He's been beaten by elite wide receivers, but that doesn't mean the Texans should bench him.

I wrote about Montgomery earlier in the mailbag.

All in all, I think it speaks to the fact that the Texans believe those players give them the best chance to win. Otherwise, they wouldn't have paid them so much.

Now, I do think it's debatable and fair to ask who fits Ryans' defense better: Blankenship or Stewart?

Q: Have there been any meaningful behind-the-scenes changes to special teams over the last couple of weeks, or is the unit simply playing better? Which position group do you think the Texans try to add to before the deadline? Is Jawhar Jordan going to play his way onto our 53-man roster soon?

JMA : It's a couple of things. No. 1, the Texans are healthier. I think adding M.J. Stewart and Dare Ogunbowale, the Texans' two best special teams players over the past three seasons, has helped, especially with communication.

The Texans also swapped out Marlin Klein for Brevin Jordan. Jordan nearly forced a fumble on special teams before the play was ruled dead.

And now Jake Hansen is back on special teams in a full-time role. Those players have all made careers on special teams, so having them certainly helps.

As for potential moves, I don't see any more right now. I think Harrison was the trade deadline move they were going to make.

Regarding Jawhar Jordan, I believe he'll be placed on the 53-man roster if he can carve out a role on special teams. But for now, he's on the practice squad injured list.

Q: In hindsight, what's the best and worst roster-management move (Nick) Caserio has made six games into the season compared to what was done during the offseason?

JMA : The worst move of the offseason might have been not going after Kenneth Walker III or not doing enough to improve the offensive line.

The best moves were probably the trades for wide receivers. In the past, Caserio has been hesitant to make a big trade like that. It speaks to the Texans' desperation to win a Super Bowl this season.

Q: Did you have a better time in London than Aaron Wilson?

JMA : Haha. Apparently. My trip was actually pretty nice.

Q: If the defense is better with M.J. Stewart, do we bench Reed Blankenship? Also, how are they going to fix the defense's problems in the middle of the field?

JMA : If the defense is, in fact, better with Stewart, then I don't think DeMeco Ryans would hesitate to start him. Ryans trusts him.

But I do think the Texans signed Blankenship because they feel he can add something they perhaps haven't gotten yet.

Q: Is the offense acknowledging they're a pass-first play style and leaning away from the run game?

JMA : The first part is correct, but the Texans aren't going away from the run. They're just using it to open up the passing game.

One important thing to know is that you have to be able to run the ball in January, when weather conditions are at their worst.

I recently wrote about this, and I'll link to the story here .

Texans Insider with Jonathan M. Alexander

Q: Do you think we can trade for Jonathan Taylor or Saquon Barkley to help our run game?

JMA : No. I do not. For one, both running backs will cost more than the Texans are willing to spend. They already gave up a second-round pick in next year's draft. Barkley and Taylor could cost more.

Also, the Colts won't trade with the Texans. Chris Ballard told me that a couple of years ago when I interviewed him for a story on Caserio. Ballard is no longer in charge, but his No. 2 is now making the decisions.

I also don't think the running backs are struggling as much as the run blocking is.

Q: What is the biggest thing holding back this defense's playmaking? We know what this group can be because it is the exact same as last year.

JMA : Well, it's not the exact same. There are new pieces, and that has contributed to the communication issues. But the talent is just as great, which is why I wouldn't panic yet. There's time to improve. I look at the 2025 Baltimore Ravens as a case study of a team whose defense dramatically improved over the second half of the season.

Right now, teams have the Texans' defense figured out. So it's a combination of game planning, finding the right lineup and developing consistency.

Q: Why are (Kamari) Lassiter and (Derek) Stingley Jr. playing soft coverage 5 to 6 yards off?

JMA : It depends on what play the defense thinks the offense is running. Sometimes, the defense calls for playing off to prevent an explosive play or to bait the offense into doing something the defense wants.

The mistakes have been on third-and-short or third-and-medium. Those are the times a defense should have its cornerbacks press.

Q: At the one third mark of the season, what letter grades do you give the Texans offense, defense, special teams and coaching staff? Better yet, why those grades?

JMA : I plan to grade all units during the off week stay tuned for that.