The Houston Texans could have to contend with former fill-in starter Noah Brown.
Brown was with the Texans during the 2023 season, the first year under current head coach DeMeco Ryans. He started seven games for the Texans and appeared in several more. Now, Brown gets a chance to get one up on his former squad.
Brown had an extended stay in free agency, but the wait finally ended for the 10th-year veteran wide receiver.
Ex-Texans Fill-In Starter Noah Brown Joins Raiders
GettyNoah Brown could face the Texans in Preseason Week 2.
“Raiders signed former Cowboys WR Noah Brown,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X on August 16.
Brown, 30, caught 33 passes for 567 yards and 2 touchdowns during his 10 appearances in the 2023 campaign. Originally a seventh-round pick (239th overall) of the 2017 draft by the Dallas Cowboys, he has also played for the Washington Commanders.
“The 6-2, 225-pound wide receiver has played in 91 career games (38 starts) and owns 155 receptions for 2,083 yards (13.4 avg.) and six touchdowns over his eight years in the NFL. Since 2020, Brown has averaged 13.7 yards per reception, tied for the 24th best average in the NFL over that span (min. 125 rec.),” Raiders Communications wrote in the official announcement on August 16.
“The Sparta, N.J., native spent three seasons at Ohio State (2014-16), where he played in 28 games for the Buckeyes, 15 as a true freshman in 2014 and 13 in 2016, recording 33 receptions for 411 yards (12.5 avg.) and seven touchdowns.”
The Raiders cut ties with defensive lineman Benito Jones to make room for Brown.
His addition raised some eyebrows, but he is just the newest former Texans player on the Raiders’ training camp roster.
Brown joins 2025 Texans defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi and running back Dare Ogunbowale, as well as wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II. Dorsett and Fatukasi’s respective tenures with the Texans bookended Brown’s.
Ogunbowale’s stint spanned them all.
“Shoots & Locker” host Landry Locker posted, “The return of Noah Brown Tuesday?” on X in reaction to the news of Brown’s move to the Raiders.
Texans Have Former Raiders on Current Roster
GettyTexas OT Trent Brown and TE Foster Moreau were teammates on the Raiders.
The nature of the NFL is such that it is hardly uncommon to find players who once suited up for an opponent their current team is facing in any given week, and the Texans are no different than the Raiders with Brown and the others in that regard.
Defensive tackle Mario Edwards, right tackle Trent Brown, and tight end Foster Moreau were all Raiders at one point in their careers.
Edwards is the furthest removed, having last played for the organization before it left Oakland for Las Vegas. Brown and Moreau were teammates during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, which is when the move occurred.
The Texans’ starters will play in this contest.
The Raiders have a new coaching staff and several new players on a team that the Texans narrowly edged 23-21 last season after losing a two-score lead in less than three minutes.
Ryans has already challenged his team to step up after a lackluster performance of mostly backups against the Los Angeles Chargers in their preseason opener. The Raiders loom as a fitting follow-up test.
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