Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins out for season with torn ACL

Houston Texans second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday, sources told NFL Network. The injury occurred while Higgins was running a route in the end zone during red-zone 11-on-11 drills, after which he limped off the field on his own. Coach DeMeco Ryans said the team was evaluating the severity of the injury after practice.

Higgins, the 2025 second-round pick, finished his rookie season with 525 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 10 starts. His absence will increase the workload for fellow receivers Xavier Hutchinson, Tank Dell and Jaylin Noel. Hutchinson, a sixth-round pick in 2023, posted career highs last season with 35 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns. Dell is returning from a serious knee injury that kept him out all of 2025, while Noel has been dealing with a broken finger and hamstring tightness during camp.