The Houston Texans confirmed on Wednesday the additions of Ameer Speed and Xavier Thomas to the active roster and the practice squad, respectively. However, the Texans also announced roster moves involving Solomon Byrd and Jaylon Thomas.
The Texans are preparing to face the Kansas City Chiefs in a pivotal Week 14 road tilt.
They have had to shuffle some players around due to injuries, but most of their recent moves involve players with whom they are familiar.
Texans Reunite With Solomon Byrd, Jaylon Thomas
GettyJaylon Thomas #72 of the Houston Texans follows as Graham Mertz #18 scrambles against the Carolina Panthers.
The Texans selected Byrd, 26, with the No. 238 overall pick of the 2024 draft. Byrd recorded 2 total tackles and 1 pass deflection in his lone appearance during the regular season as a rookie, a win over the Tennessee Titans in the regular-season finale.
He has bided his time on the practice squad this season after the Texans waived him at the end of the preseason.
Byrd will try to bolster the Texans’ pass rush behind Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson.
The Texans also have Denico Autry, Derek Barnett, and Dylan Horton behind Anderson and Hunter, giving them several options to send in waves at Chiefs quarterback and two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes.
Houston enters Week 14 with 34 sacks as a team, tied for sixth-most in the NFL, but notably just shy of their 49-sack pace of last season.
Thomas rejoins a Texans offensive line that remains in flux.
They have seemingly settled on a lineup featuring rookie second-round pick Aireontae Ersery at left tackle, former starting right tackle Tytus Howard at left guard, Jake Andrews and Ed Ingram in their Week 1 spots at center and right guard, respectively, and Trent Brown at RT.
Thomas is a third-year former undrafted free agent out of SMU. He is one of three offensive linemen on the Texans’ practice squad.
They notably list him as a guard on their roster, but put him down as a tackle in their release.
Thomas entered the league with the Baltimore Ravens. He has only played in an NFL regular-season contest for the New York Giants. He played three snaps for the Giants in Week 5 of the 2023 season, a 31-16 New York loss.
Thomas was with the Texans in the regular season, getting cut from the practice squad in September.
Chiefs-Texans Has Major Playoff Implications
GettyHouston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Texans have overcome their 0-3 start. They put themselves in control of their playoff destiny, and, regardless of their roster moves, have placed additional emphasis on their showdown against the Chiefs in Week 14.
The Texans and Chiefs are two of seven teams whose playoff chances will “swing by at least 25%,” per ESPN’s Evan Kaplan on December 2.
Houston’s odds will jump to 76% in a win and fall to 37% with a loss.
For the Chiefs, the swing is 56% to 14%. They are clinging to their postseason livelihood amid a 6-6 season record. That is additional motivation for the 2024 Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs also eliminated the Texans in the AFC Divisional Playoffs last season.
That is enough fuel for what should already be a charged atmosphere. Both teams are gearing up for the stretch run of the regular season.
The Texans could also have more roster moves coming later in the week before the Chiefs game.
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