Pro Football Rumors reported the Houston Texans have made exploratory trade calls and held workouts after placing Jayden Higgins on injured reserve with an ACL injury, and the coverage notes confirmation from Aaron Wilson (KPRC2) as part of the sourcing (per Pro Football Rumors: full report). The core development — that the Texans trade calls wide receiver while evaluating veteran options — is presented in the original reporting as exploratory rather than indicative of an imminent deal.
What the report says: Texans trade calls wide receiver
Per Pro Football Rumors (see original story: link), the Texans initiated phone inquiries about available wide receivers and also hosted tryouts for veteran pass-catchers after Jayden Higgins’ ACL put him on injured reserve. The reporting frames these actions as initial outreach and auditions — exploratory roster work rather than confirmation that the Texans will complete a trade.
The Pro Football Rumors piece cites Aaron Wilson’s reporting for additional confirmation of Houston’s outreach and lists the outreach as part of the team’s contingency planning for the wide receiver room (per Pro Football Rumors: source).
Which receivers were discussed or auditioned
According to the Pro Football Rumors report — which references Adam Schefter’s notes on the auditions — Houston hosted tryouts for veterans including Zay Jones, Josh Reynolds and Sterling Shepard (per Pro Football Rumors: source). Schefter’s reporting is cited in the piece as the origin of the tryout details.
The report highlights that Sterling Shepard produced 71 receptions for 782 yards and two touchdowns in 2025 in Tampa Bay, and notes that both Zay Jones and Josh Reynolds turned 31 this offseason (per Pro Football Rumors: source). These tryouts are described as low-commitment, short-term evaluations rather than clear indicators Houston will sign a specific veteran.
Why Houston is making calls
The reporting ties the outreach directly to Houston’s wide receiver injuries and roster uncertainty. Pro Football Rumors states that Jayden Higgins was placed on injured reserve after an ACL tear and that the Texans have not placed Tank Dell on the active/PUP list in recent roster moves, contributing to the need for depth (per Pro Football Rumors: source).
Reporters frame the calls and auditions as contingency planning to support C.J. Stroud by ensuring the quarterback has reliable target options; the overall tone of the coverage stresses exploratory outreach rather than an expectation of a specific transaction (per Pro Football Rumors: source).
Rashod Bateman: contract, cost and sensitivity
The report notes the Texans made at least one phone inquiry to the Baltimore Ravens about Rashod Bateman (per Pro Football Rumors: source). Pro Football Rumors relays Bateman’s contract terms as a three-year, $36.75 million extension through 2029 and reports that moving Bateman would create in excess of $10 million in dead money spread over two years for the Ravens; the story qualifies those figures and attributes them to the reporting outlet (per Pro Football Rumors: source).
The write-up also references a recently reported allegation involving Bateman; that item is presented by the reporting outlet as an allegation and should be treated as such until independently confirmed (per Pro Football Rumors: source).
What this means for the trade market and other teams
The outreach described in the report is exploratory and therefore can move market interest without producing a trade. Veteran auditions create short-term demand for fringe pass-catchers and give teams inexpensive ways to evaluate fits. Per the reporting, clubs should read these developments as low-commitment roster checks rather than definitive evidence of forthcoming trades (per Pro Football Rumors: source).
Teams across the league monitoring receiver depth may get more inquiry calls in response to Houston’s outreach; the long-term price for mid-tier veterans will hinge on whether clubs seek immediate reinforcements or prefer to wait for waiver wire claims and late cuts.
Bottom line and what to watch next
Bottom line: after placing Jayden Higgins on IR for an ACL tear, the Texans trade calls wide receiver in an exploratory push to add depth and protect C.J. Stroud’s target base; these are initial inquiries and tryouts per the reporting, not confirmed trades (per Pro Football Rumors: source).
Watch for these specific items for updates: follow Pro Football Rumors’ ongoing coverage (link below), reports from Aaron Wilson/KPRC2 as he posts confirmations, Adam Schefter’s notes on social platforms as tryout details emerge, the Texans’ official injury reports, and the NFL transaction wire for any formal moves. Treat all outreach and audition reporting as exploratory until teams announce roster transactions.
For the original reporting and full context, see Pro Football Rumors: Texans Making Trade Calls On WRs; Team Conducts Workouts At Position.
