The Houston Texans camp has continued to be riddled with frustrating injury news. Rookie defensive lineman Kyonte Hamilton suffered an injury that required surgery and forced the Texans to move the defender to the IR. Hamilton was drafted in the seventh round and wasn't expected to factor into the top of the rotation. The best-case scenario for Hamilton was fighting his way into a depth role.
It seems fitting that a veteran capable of filling the same role has been signed as an expected replacement. Veteran lineman Marlon Davidson was signed on Friday to aid the bottom of the depth chart.
#Texans signed Marlon Davidson after successful workout @KPRC2 https://t.co/CjIfXrVy2n
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 1, 2025
Texans Replace Injured Rookie by Signing Marlon Davidson
Davidson started his career with the Atlanta Falcons, drafted in the second round, and showed instant growth. This would lead to memorable moments in the veteran's second season. Picking off Tom Brady and returning it for a touchdown, as well as sacking the legendary quarterback earlier in the season.
It seemed Davidson was progressing as hoped, and the Falcons had a solid rotational player for seasons to come. However, injuries quickly changed this, and Davidson found himself falling out of favor in Atlanta.
This led to a release after knee surgery and failed stints with the Titans and 49ers. Now, the veteran has a chance to put his career back on track after being derailed by injuries. Houston is making a wise move by adding a veteran with high upside with absolutely no risk. If Davidson cannot turn the clock back to his first two seasons with Atlanta, you can easily cut the veteran and move on.
Davidson's role is simply to come in and be a productive option in the preseason, fighting for a depth role. It wouldn't be surprising to see the veteran win when looking at the end of the Texans' depth chart at the position. The biggest question mark for Davidson remains whether or not the defender can stay healthy long enough to win a roster spot.
What caused the veteran to lose his role with the Falcons and begin to bounce around the league was constant injuries. If Davidson is going to stop his career from continuing to fall in the wrong direction, you must find a way to stay healthy.