The Houston Texans activated right tackle Braden Smith from the reserve/injured list Wednesday, the club announced, clearing the way for his 2026 season debut after a foot injury that cost him the first five games.
Houston also signed quarterback Mark Gronowski and wide receiver Bryce Oliver to the practice squad on the same roster release. Ian Rapoport highlighted the activation as help on the way for the Texans’ offensive line.
From free-agent signing to IR
Smith signed a two-year deal with Houston after years as Indianapolis’s starting right tackle. A partially torn plantar fascia in late August landed him on injured reserve before Week 1. The Texans opened his 21-day practice window about a week ago, and Wednesday’s activation ends that return process.
Trent Brown has started every offensive snap at right tackle in Smith’s absence. Smith, a 2018 second-round pick out of Auburn, has started 105 of 107 career appearances when healthy but has also missed large stretches since 2020, including time on IR last season with a neck injury that needed offseason surgery.
Practice-squad adds
Gronowski is a rookie quarterback from Iowa. Oliver is a third-year wide receiver out of Youngstown State. Both join the practice squad as Houston prepares for Sunday’s international game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.
Kickoff is Sunday, October 18, at 9:30 a.m. EDT. How quickly Smith works into the rotation behind or beside Brown will show up on Houston’s depth chart and snap counts in London.
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