Texans Usher Out Young Defender Just Ahead of OTAs

Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans reacts during the third quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans reacts during the third quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans have enjoyed a productive offseason centered around filling the obvious holes on the roster that have prevented the team from taking the leap into the upper echelon of teams in the AFC.

There's an excellent foundation here led by C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson, though it became clear in the playoffs that the roster still needed to reach another gear. With rookie minicamp in the books and the organization preparing for OTAs, the front office and coaching staff alike are determined to leave no stone unturned in trying to improve their fortunes in 2025.

However, bringing new players in means saying goodbye to others, and Houston cut ties with one young defender following an acquisition.

Texans Cut CB Gregory Junior After Signing Folorunso Fatukasi

In an announcement from the team's official X account on social media, the Texans revealed they officially signed defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi while simultaneously waiving cornerback Gregory Junior.

The 25-year-old defensive back was signed to the practice squad back in October, though he never made it to the active roster. Originally a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Junior was released after the 2023 campaign and latched onto the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad before joining Houston.

He's appeared in 10 games in his career, all in Jacksonville, mostly serving as a special-teams player. The Ouachita product dealt with injuries early on with the Jaguars and never built consistent momentum in his favor. It's not a surprise to see a practice squad player get cut at this stage, though it's clearly a sign that Junior didn't do enough to earn DeMeco Ryans' trust.

For now, the organization will shift its focus to OTAs beginning on May 28. The key pieces are the same, but it'll be interesting to see how the new additions look for a team positioned to continue dominating the AFC South.

Junior has time to catch on to another roster but at this point, he's desperately trying to salvage his career and land on what'll be his fourth team in as many years.

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