The Houston Texans kick off their preseason on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings. The first of their three preseason outings will give head coach DeMeco Ryans and his staff the final chance to evaluate and make final decisions for the 53-man roster. More important than the scoreline will be individual performances that will be the deciding factor in position battles and for players on the roster bubble.
One of the fiercest competitions will be in the wide receiver room. The Texans made it a top offseason priority to upgrade their WR rotation, drafting Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel and trading for Christian Kirk. Add in the free agent additions Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios, and the Texans will have plenty of options to choose from for the expected six spots in the final roster.
Texans WR Xavier Hutchinson Has the Most to Prove in Preseason
One of those options is Xavier Hutchinson, who will be entering his third season in the league. The sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft had plenty of chances in his career so far, but has failed to make the most of them.
Despite playing almost 500 offensive snaps in 2024, Hutchinson wasn't able to make an impact, only catching less than half of his targets and finishing with 12 catches for 117 yards. He had no touchdowns for the second straight season and didn't have a single game with over two catches the entire season. He ended up ranking as the 113th-best receiver in the league per Pro Football Focus.
On paper, Hutchinson has the physical and athletic tools to be effective. He is a big-bodied receiver who was reliable and productive at Iowa State. Therefore, the Texans can still take a chance and keep him around but he has three games left to impress.
Houston will bring Nico Collins, Kirk, Higgins, and Noel into the active roster. Tank Dell is out and will miss the entire 2025 season. That leaves two spots between Hutchinson, John Metchie III, Berrios, and Watson. Despite his career getting derailed with health concerns, Metchie still has more upside than Hutchinson and is likely ahead of him in the pecking order.
To make the roster, Hutchinson will have to beat Watson and Berrios. There have been reports of Watson impressing in training camp, so he may have the edge over Hutchinson as things stand now. Whether Hutchinson will be able to turn things around over the next few weeks remains to be seen.