The Houston Texans signed veteran wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Zay Jones after making exploratory trade calls following Jayden Higgins’ season-ending knee injury.
Kayshon Boutte and Rashod Bateman were identified as potential targets as Houston assessed its options at receiver.
Houston’s Reported Receiver Search
KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported that Houston made exploratory trade calls after learning of Higgins’ injury.
Wilson identified the New England Patriots’ Boutte and the Baltimore Ravens’ Bateman as potential targets.
Free agent Josh Reynolds was also on Houston’s radar, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the Texans hosted Shepard and Jones for workouts Friday and then signed both receivers.
Higgins’ Injury Adds to Receiver Questions
ESPN and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Higgins suffered a torn ACL during a joint practice against the Las Vegas Raiders, ending his 2026 season. ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime reported that Higgins fell during 11-on-11 drills in the red zone.
Higgins was expected to take on a bigger role in his second NFL season after recording 41 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns in 17 games and 10 starts during the 2025 campaign.
The injury comes as Houston works through other issues in its receiver room.
Tank Dell is still working his way back from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2025 season, while Jaylin Noel has been dealing with right pinkie and hamstring injuries.
Boutte and Bateman Have Drawn Trade Attention
Boutte has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate since New England acquired A.J. Brown and signed Romeo Doubs this offseason.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported in May that he believed Boutte could be acquired at the time for a fifth- or sixth-round draft pick.
Bateman has also been linked to trade possibilities as the Ravens continue to lean on Zay Flowers as their top wide receiver.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported in May that the New York Jets were considering Bateman among several receiver trade targets.
Shepard and Jones Join Houston
Shepard spent the first eight years of his career with the New York Giants before playing the past two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2025, he caught 39 passes for 371 yards and one touchdown in 13 games.
Jones has played for the Buffalo Bills, Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona Cardinals during his nine-year career.
He spent the past two seasons in Arizona and recorded 12 catches for 183 yards in eight games in 2025.
His best season came with Jacksonville in 2022, when he posted 82 catches for 823 yards and five touchdowns.
What Comes Next
The Texans have just over a week before the NFL requires teams to reduce their rosters to 53 players on Sunday, Aug. 30.
The deadline will bring additional clarity to a receiver group dealing with Higgins’ absence and the status of Dell and Noel.
