The Houston Texans are ready to take a huge leap forward during the 2025 NFL season. Houston enters the third year of the DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud era under a ton of pressure to get back to the playoffs. The Texans won a weak AFC South division in 2024 and got thumped by the Chiefs in the Divisional Round.
Now the pressure is on Houston to not only get back to the playoffs, but to make a deep playoff run. That could be difficult in a crowded conference featuring the Chiefs, Ravens, and Bills.
But the Texans have some reasons for optimism ahead of the 2025 season. Houston added plenty of talented rookies during the 2025 NFL Draft, including some new wide receivers.
The Texans have a lot more depth than they had last season, and their new rookies should provide some stability in years to come. In essence, the future is bright in Houston.
But how are the Texans looking after a few weeks of training camp? Is there any reason for concern that they won't make the playoffs this fall?
Below we will explore one of the biggest reasons why the Texans should be panicking after the start of NFL training camp.
How worried should Texans fans be about Joe Mixon's foot injury?
The Texans have to be concerned about Joe Mixon's recent foot injury.
Mixon suffered his foot injury this offseason and landed himself on the non-football injury list at the beginning of training camp. Houston will apparently reevaluate Mixon closer to the regular season to see when he will be available.
To me, that sounds like Joe Mixon will definitely be missing some time. The Texans just don't know how much yet.
And I'm not the only one who is concerned about this situation.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports published an article on Wednesday measuring the panic meter at various NFL training camps. Sullivan rated the Texans at a “high” panic level following Mixon's foot injury.
“The Texans running back is expected to miss extensive time due to a foot injury. Joe Mixon suffered the injury while working out this offseason and missed the offseason program because of it,” Sullivan wrote. “NFL Media reports that the Texans plan to re-evaluate the veteran running back closer to the regular season to determine his availability. That indicates that Mixon is slated to miss the preseason and is very much at risk of not being ready for when Houston takes on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 on Sept. 7.”
Make no mistake about it, the Texans would be a worse football team without Mixon on the field.
Mixon proved to be an immediate difference maker for the Texans in 2024. He logged 245 carries for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns after he the Bengals traded him away during the offseason.
Mixon is getting up there in age, at least by running back standards. He is 29 years old and it is fair to question how long he can continue to play at a high level. But the 2025 season may be too early for that regression, if last season is any indication.
At the very least, the Texans need to be seriously concerned about Mixon's injury and monitor it closely.
Should the Texans add more running back depth during training camp?
It is tough to know how seriously the Texans should react to Mixon's injury this early in training camp.
Since Houston plans to evaluate Mixon closer to the regular season, they do not seem to 100% understand the severity of the injury. They may have a general guess, but no clear idea of when he'll be able to return.
If the Texans do not make an addition soon, it could be a sign that they are happy with their running back depth. And it is very easy to understand that position.
Houston has several players they could rely on if Mixon ends up missing multiple games.
Houston has plenty of depth at running back, which gives them multiple answers for Week 1 even if Mixon is unavailable.
The most intriguing name on the list is Nick Chubb.
Houston signed the former Browns legend to an incentive-laden contract back in June. Chubb is a few years removed from a gruesome knee injury that threatened the future of his NFL career.
Chubb is on the path to being ready for Week 1. Houston may not give him a full workload of carries either way. Regardless, Chubb can replace some of the power that Mixon brought to the Texans last season.
Rookie running back Woody Marks is another player who could benefit from a Mixon absence.
Marks is a slashing, one-cut back who can also provide value as a pass catcher. He projects as Houston's new third-down running back of the future, as well as change-of-pace back. He'll receive work either way, but Mixon's injury could thrust him into action ahead of schedule.
Finally, the Texans still have Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale as backup options.
Ultimately, I would be surprised to see the Texans make any running back moves before the start of the regular season.
