The Houston Texans announced a host of roster transactions on Tuesday, including their reunion with defensive tackle Kyonte Hamilton, but also that they have once again released rookie quarterback Mark Gronowski.
DT Aaron Graves was also released.
Meanwhile, the Texans confirmed that they signed cornerback Collin Wright to the practice squad and waived linebacker Jamal Hill from the 53-man roster.
Texans Swap Kyonte Hamilton in for Fellow DT
Hamilton is a former seventh-round pick, taken 224th overall by the Texans in the 2025 draft. He has yet to appear in a regular-season game as a pro, dealing with injuries that ultimately left him expendable when the Texans made their roster cutdowns in August.
The 6-foot-4, 304-pound DT possesses an intriguing skill set.
“Hamilton is strong, explosive and durable,” The Athletic’s Dan Brugler wrote in April 2025, ranking him 299th out of 300 players. “He’s viewed as an ascending prospect by NFL teams.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein also noted Hamilton’s durability as a prospect, adding steadiness to his evaluation, writing, “He plays with a nice blend of quickness and athleticism to circumvent blocks on the move.
“He’s not a forceful upfield penetrator and has issues playing with consistent technical savvy to anchor his gap against force. Hamilton’s rush production has been modest but he flashed more in 2024. He’s a good athlete with room for more development but might not find the reps needed in camp to take that next step.”
Hamilton replaces Graves, a rookie undrafted free agent, 1-for-1 on the roster.
Zierlein noted pre-draft that Graves had “consistent production in the key categories” during his collegiate career, but there was a rub.
“Graves lacks NFL-caliber size, length and athletic-testing numbers, but he fills stat columns, using hustle and know-how to find the action,” Zierlein wrote. “He finished his career with an impressive sack total (16.5) but he’s not a consistent quick-win rusher and those numbers are unlikely to translate. He struggles to hold his ground against double-teams/angle pressure as a run defender, while his lack of length hurts his consistency with block shed and tackling.”
Texans Continue Back And Forth With Mark Gronowski
Gronowski’s roller coaster adventure with the Texans continues. He was signed as a replacement for Brett Rypien, who himself was a replacement for Graham Mertz, but the Texans have now cut ties with Gronowski three times.
Gronowski has also spent time with the Miami Dolphins.
He could find his way back to the Texans’ practice squad once again, but they clearly view him as expendable in comparison to some other options.
Texans Cut Quarterback, Swap Defensive Tackles Amid Roster Moves