HOUSTON – The Texans are waiving veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey and starting nickel back Desmond King, according to league sources.
Kirksey had missed the entire training camp with a strained hamstring. The former starter and defensive team captain’s release saves $5.2 million by subtracting his nonguaranteed base salary. He was replaced at middle linebacker by Denzel Perryman, a former Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl selection, and had been shifted to outside linebacker and was no longer listed as first on the depth chart with Blake Cashman listed as the starter.
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Kirksey, a Walter Payton Man of the Year candidate last year being released today, per a league source, has recovered from his leg injury. Kirksey is regarded as a classy veteran who’s active in community and will be missed in the Texans’ locker room. He had 124 tackles last season.
King is a former Tennessee Titans All-Pro selection. King, 28, was signed to a two-year, $7 million contract last year. He started 25 games over the past two seasons and was listed as first on the depth chart at nickel and also has punt return skills. He was due $3 million this season with $500,000 guaranteed.
The Texans have acquired veteran offensive lineman Kendrick Green in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, per a league source.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio considered drafting Green out of Illinois in 2021, but he went in the third round to Pittsburgh. Now, Green joins a Texans interior line that is dealing with injuries to rookie starting center Juice Scruggs (strained hamstring) and second-year guard Kenyon Green (shoulder). Kenyon Green was officially placed on injured reserve, ending his season. Scruggs remains on the active roster and is out two to four weeks, per a league source.
Kendrick Green (6-foot-2, 315 pounds) is a former All-Big Ten Conference selection who has started 15 career games. He has run the 40-yard dash in 4.89 seconds.
Veteran defensive end Derek Rivers, a former New England Patriots third-round draft pick who spent last season on injured reserve with a torn biceps, is a part of the Texans’ initial 53-man roster, per a league source.
The Texans released wide receiver Johnny Johnson, per a league source. Johnson was an undrafted free agent last year from Oregon who was on the Texans’ practice squad.
The Texans are waiving veteran fullback Dalton Keene and he is regarded as a strong candidate to join their practice squad should he clear waivers, per a league source.
The Texans released reserve running back Gerrid Doaks, per a league source. He joined the team last season. Doaks is a former Miami Dolphins seventh-round draft pick.
The Texans are waiving wide receiver Adam Humphries, per a league source.
He is a candidate to join the practice squad should he not be claimed by another team off waivers.
Humphries was previously with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and the Washington Commanders. He has 320 career receptions for 3,314 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Texans released center-guard Jimmy Morrissey with the hope to bring him back for their practice squad, per a league source.
Morrissey is a former Las Vegas Raiders seventh-round draft pick and Burlsworth Trophy winner from Pitt. The Texans’ injury situation in the interior offensive line could prompt team to elevate him for the opening game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Texans released veteran linebacker Cory Littleton, per a league source. He was signed this offseason to a one-year, $2.7 million contract with a base value of $2.2 million, according to a league source.
This roster move is regarded as procedural and Littleton could be returning to team this week, per a league source.
The deal includes $500,000 in incentives and a $1.3 million salary and has a base value of $2.2 million for the former Las Vegas Rams Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro, according to a league source.
LIttleton, 29, is a former Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro who has also played for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Littleton played last season for the Carolina Panthers. He started seven of 15 games last season and recorded 47 tackles, a half-sack and two passes defensed.
A former undrafted free agent from Washington, Littleton has made 542 career tackles, 27 for losses, 9 1/2 sacks, six interceptions, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
The Texans are releasing former Philadelphia Eagles punter Ty Zentner, per a league source.
Zentner punted against the New Orleans Saints. He could be signed to their practice squad if he clears waivers.
Zentner was signed because regular punter Cameron Johnston is recovering from a calf injury. The injury is regarded as a three to four week recovery and Johnston is making progress, per a league source.
They can elevate Zentner until Johnston is fully healthy.
The Texans are cutting defensive tackle Khalil Davis, per a league source. Strong candidate for practice squad. Had one sack, two quarterback hits against Saints. Played for two-time champion USFL champion Birmingham Stallions previously and for Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Texans are releasing wide receiver Jalen Camp, per a league source. Camp is a candidate for the practice squad if he clears waivers.
The Texans are releasing veteran tight end Eric Tomlinson, per a league source.
Tomlinson, 31, is a Klein graduate. This was his second stint with the Texans this year and his third overall.
The Texans are releasing former New England Patriots defensive tackle Byron Cowart, per a league source. Cowart was signed this offseason.
The Texans are releasing former Patriots cornerback D’Angelo Ross, per a league source.
The Texans are releasing former New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns defensive end Chase Winovich, per a league source. Winovich was injured for the majority of the preseason.
The Texans are releasing undrafted rookie wide receiver Jared Wayne, a former Pitt standout, and are expected to sign him to the practice squad if he clears waivers, per a league source.
The Texans are releasing undrafted rookie defensive end Ali Gaye, a former LSU standout, and are expected to sign him to the practice squad if he clears waivers, per a league source.
The Texans are releasing defensive tackle Thomas Booker, per a league source. Former fifth-round draft pick from Stanford missed majority of preseason with a hand-wrist injury. He recorded 15 tackles and a half-sack last season as a rookie.
The Texans are releasing former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and kick returner Steven Sims Jr., per a league source. Travis graduate was signed to a one-year, $1.7 million maximum value deal that has a base value of $1.5 million and $500,000 guaranteed this offseason. He had a 43-yard kickoff return against the New Orleans Saints.
Sims played collegiately at Kansas and signed with the Washington franchise after going undrafted.
He played last season for the Steelers, catching 19 passes for 105 yards. He had 13 runs for 70 yards The 5-foot-9, 184-pound Travis native and Pecan Grove High School graduate had a touchdown return as a rookie.
He returned 24 punts for a 5.5 average and averaged 25.5 yards per kickoff return last season for Pittsburgh. He has 75 career receptions for 679 yards and five touchdowns.
The Texans are waiving offensive tackle Austin Deculus, per a league source.
Deculus was drafted in the sixth round last year out of LSU and played in five games as a rookie. He is a Cy-Fair graduate.
The Texans are waiving linebacker Garret Wallow, per a league source.
A former All-Big selection at TCU, Wallow has made a sound recovery from offseason ankle surgery.
Wallow played in 13 games with three starts and recorded 13 tackles with one tackle for loss last season. He appeared in 15 percent of the defensive snaps. As a rookie, Wallow played in every game with two starts and had 23 tackles, two for losses in 286 snaps, 16 percent of the total defensive playing time.
The Texans are waived-injuring offensive lineman Keaton Sutherland, per a league source. He strained his abductor against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. Four to six week recovery and headed to injured reserve after he clears waivers,
The Texans are releasing reserve cornerback Jacobi Francis, per a league source. Francis had a good offseason and preseason and is a candidate for the practice squad.
“With the cuts that are coming up, it’s a tough day,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday. “Sensitive, it’s a delicate situation for a lot of guys. You want to tell guys to keep working, continue to dream. Hopefully, they have the opportunity to make another 53-man roster or make a practice squad. There is opportunity around the entire NFL to be able to make it.
“That’s in my message to those guys. I appreciate guys just their work ethic and how much work those guys put in for us. I don’t take that lightly. Our guys have done a great job of doing what we’ve asked them to do. They didn’t complain, they just worked. So, it’s a hard day. Over the next couple of days, it’ll be a hard few days having to let guys go because I know the work that these men have put in.”
Former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Cameron Dantzler intercepted a pass in his first game since being signed by the Texans after a successful workout. Dantzler and Ka’Dar Hollman, who started against the New Orleans Saints, are candidates for roster spots. Both are taller, athletic corners.
“It was fun to see Cam go out and make a big play for us at the end of that game,” Ryans said. “It was a fun moment for the entire team to end the game there. Cam had only been with us for a few days, so it’s encouraging to see his talent. He’s played in the league. He’s an NFL corner, so he has the ability to play in this league.”
The Texans are going to waive-injured veteran defensive tackle Roy Lopez and they are expected to ultimately negotiate an injury settlement, according to a league source. Lopez has a strained hamstring and should be ready to go in two to three weeks.
The Texans are placing veteran offensive tackle Rashaad Coward on waivers, per a league source.
Coward graded out highly on analytics sites as one of their highest rated offensive lineman during the Texans preseason games.
The Texans traded for former Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Joshua Jones last week.
Coward, 28, has started 18 of 38 career games, including three starts last season for the Cardinals. He has played tackle and guard. Coward (6-foot-5, 319 pounds) has also played for the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons.
Coward went undrafted out of Old Dominion where he played defensive end before shifting to the offensive line in the NFL.
The Texans are also releasing rookie offensive lineman Tyler Beach, per a league source. Beach is a candidate to return as a member of the practice squad if he clears waivers.
The Texans released tight end Mason Schreck and defensive back Darius Joyner, per a league source.
The Texans are releasing veteran tight end Nick Vannett, per a league source.
Vannett, 30, has played for the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints and New York Giants.
Vannett, 30, is a 6-foot-6, 257-pound former Seahawks third-round pick from Ohio State. He has 90 career receptions for 874 yards and six touchdowns.
The Texans are releasing former Los Angeles Chargers running back Larry Rountree III and may sign him to their practice squad, per a league source.
The Texans, after enduring a 3-13-1 season last year, rank second in the NFL on the waiver wire priority list behind the Chicago Bears. That gives Texans general manager Nick Caserio and Ryans the opportunity to potentially upgrade the roster by claiming players off waivers Wednesday.
“As we look at acquiring players, I think it is done in multiple ways, whether it’s the waiver wire, the draft, free agent signings, whatever it may be,” Ryans said. “However you can improve your team, that’s what we’re going to try to do. Try to find the best guys that we can find for our team, and that’s our job, to make sure we put the best team out there. We’ll try to find those guys any way possible.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.