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The Houston Texans will be without a key depth piece in their secondary for at least the next four weeks, as second-year cornerback Jaylin Smith has been placed on injured reserve. According to KPRC2's Aaron Wilson, Smith is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring injury that is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks, prompting the team to make the roster move.
Smith had been seeking additional medical opinions on the hamstring injury he suffered last week against the Dallas Cowboys. However, the injury will still force him to miss significant time, continuing a troubling pattern for the young corner.
Why There's Reason for Concern
This latest absence marks the third time in Smith's brief career that the Texans have placed him on injured reserve. He has appeared in only eight of 23 possible games (including playoffs) since being drafted, and will now miss at least four more. In 2025, a similar hamstring injury cost him four games early in the season, and just one game after returning in Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers, he suffered a torn meniscus against the Denver Broncos that ended his year.
While Wilson reports optimism that Smith will return this season, the recurring injuries are a growing concern for a player the Texans hoped would develop into a valuable asset. Selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Smith was viewed as a future contributor due to his versatility and man-coverage skills. However, he has yet to showcase those abilities consistently, recording just 38 defensive snaps in eight active games, with only seven coming this season. Instead, he has primarily contributed on special teams, playing 65% of those snaps in 2025.
The Texans had envisioned Smith as a potential CB3 behind starters Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter, but his inability to stay healthy is jeopardizing that role both now and in the future.
Who Can Step Up in Texans' CB Room
In Smith's absence, veteran Tremon Smith is expected to assume the CB3 duties and serve as the primary backup on the boundary behind Stingley and Lassiter. Tremon Smith filled a similar role during Jaylin Smith's rookie-season absence and performed admirably, recording 23 total tackles, two passes defended, and a forced fumble while appearing in all 17 games in 2025. Given that the team faced a comparable situation last year, the Texans will likely lean on Tremon Smith more heavily while shorthanded, both in the secondary and on special teams.