The Houston Texans have suffered yet another loss at the second level of their defense, with starter Henry To’oTo’o set to miss multiple months with a shoulder injury, and veterans Elandon Roberts and Matt Milano are among the potential options.
Both are free agents.
The same is true for former Texans fill-in starter Neville Hewitt, who ran with the 1s in nine of the 64 games he played in for Houston.
“IF…Houston needed to look at the free agent market to backfill LB,” Over The Cap’s Troy Chapman posted on X on September 14. “Elandon Roberts, Matt Milano, or maybe Neville Hewitt as options?”
The Texans know Hewitt well.
The 33-year-old spent four seasons in Houston, longer than he has enjoyed with any other franchise in his career.
Hewitt spent two of his seasons in Houston under current Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, which would help a transition back to the mix. He logged 12 total tackles, largely operating as a special teams contributor for the New York Giants in 2025.
He is also the eldest and least accomplished among the trio of suggested possibilities.
Elandon Roberts, Matt Milano Could Be Options for Texans
Milano and Roberts are both 32. Milano was a sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2017. He is a one-time Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro. He has started 90 of 106 games played, logging 571 total tackles, 14.0 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries (4 forced), and 10 interceptions.
However, he has also battled with injuries that make him a risky replacement option at an already afflicted position.
Roberts started 16 of 17 regular-season games for the Raiders in 2025.
Roberts was a former fifth-round selection of the New England Patriots in 2016. He won a Super Bowl with the organization as a rookie. Roberts had 90 total tackles in 2025, and he has 694 for his career to go with 14.5 sacks, 5 FFs, and 3 recoveries.
However, for as appealing as any of these options may be to Ryans and the Texans, they face a harsh reality.
DeMeco Ryans Gets Honest About Henry To’oTo’o
No matter who the Texans bring in, or who replaces To’oTo’o in the lineup, it will be difficult to make up for his absence. Rookie Wade Woodaz could be on deck.
“Since his rookie year, he’s just gotten better every year. A guy I can truly rely on. Smart player. Him and Azeez [Al-Shaair] out there together, they play off each other really well. Henry is a really good communicator. He was a guy that can not only run the WILL linebacker spot, but he could also run the MIKE linebacker. So, he could have dual duties,” Ryans said on “Texans Radio” on September 14.
“We’ll miss him just from a communication standpoint, consistency standpoint. You miss the toughness, everything that he brings. Just hate that he’ll miss some time for us, but it gives the next guys an opportunity to step up and go help us a win.”
Up next, the Texans will face Cincinnati Bengals team that scored 33 points in Week 1.
That came against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defenese that is nowhere close to what the Texans defense is. That is true even after how the latter played in the opener against the Bills.
Former Bills All-Pro, Patriots Super Bowl Champion Floated as Texans Options