The opportunity is clearly there for Sterling Shepard and fellow Houston Texans newcomer and wide receiver Zay Jones.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans said as much.
Both veterans arrive amid various injuries to the Texans’ wide receiver corps, which faced questions even before losing players. Now, all Jones and Shepard have to do is prove themselves worthy of a spot on the Texans’ 53-man roster.
Texans DeMeco Ryans Puts Sterling Shepard, Zay Jones on Notice
GettyZay Jones and Sterling Shepard must prove themselves to the Texans.
The Texans signed both Shepard and Jones in the wake of losing 2025 second-round pick Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL. Ryans lamented the loss, with Higgins coming off a strong offseason and amid an equally encouraging training camp.
Ryans also made it clear Shepard and Jones must prove themselves.
“We signed two veteran, guys. We’ll see what they can provide, when it comes to adding depth to our receiver room,” Ryans told reporters on August 22.
“Still trying to find a way to help out in the receiver room, and that’s what those two guys provide. Veteran experience. Guys who’ve done it before, done it at a high level, played a lot of different systems. We’ll see what they can bring to us.”
Shepard has 443 receptions for 4,800 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.
He profiles as more of a slot option, which the Texans had questions about before losing Higgins, with Jaylin Noel still recovering from an injury and unproven in that regard.
Jones is a bigger-body, who is a more direct physical replacement for Higgins, whose role on the field figures to be occupied by 2023 sixth-round selection Xavier Hutchinson, opposite two-time Pro Bowler Nico Collins.
Still, Jones has a 307-3,295-18 career line so far.
Texans Get Feedback on New WRs
GettyNico Collins headlines a deep group of Texans receivers, but one with plenty of question marks.
“Brought in two new faces at the wide receiver position: Sterling Shepard, who last year, played with the Bucs. And then, Zay Jones. We’ve seen him with the Raiders, the Jags. He had a really good year with the Jags a couple of years ago, when they–I think–they made a playoff run. And then, most recently, last year with Arizona Cardinals. Coming off of an Achilles injury,” 95.7 The Fan’s Ron Hughley said on “The Drive” on August 21.
“They join a lot of guys there now in that in that space. From Hutchinson to Jared Wayne, to Jaylin Noel, to Tank Dell, to Justin Watson, to [Lewis] Bond. There are several guys that they join in, and they bring in two veterans.”
Hughley’s comments reflect the current situation for the Texans at wide receiver, in that they have a slew of options, some of which were not even named.
What the Texans lack, though, is clarity.
Collins has battled injuries in his career, too, underscoring how precarious the Texans’ situation is despite their generous numbers in the wide receiver room. The Texans also have the roster cutdown deadline coming up in just over on week.
That will only add to the pressure for the group to step up and the difficult decisions the coaching staff faces in the coming weeks.
Sterling Shepard, New Texans Teammate Get Clear Message