The Houston Texans are back in business with Junior Tafuna.
“The #Texans have signed DT Junior Tafuna to the practice squad, the team announced,” the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander reported on X on September 2, beating the organization’s social media team.
The Texans posted “We have signed Junior Tafuna to the practice squad” on X, including a graphic of the D-lineman’s return.
This is a full-circle transaction for Tafuna.
Junior Tafuna Returns to Texans
A former undrafted free agent in 2025, Tafuna spent his rookie season with the Texans. The Texans waived Tafuna on August 5, and the New York Jets claimed him on August 6. He was one of a litany of player the bottom-feeding Jets released at the roster cutdown deadline.
Now, he is back in Houston, bolstering the depth for a Super Bowl contender.
Tafuna tallied 108 combined tackles and 7.5 sacks during his four seasons at Utah, adding 15 tackles for loss, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble.
“Tafuna lacks the traits and production teams look for from interior defenders, but his athletic flashes might be enough to create intrigue. He’s gritty at the point of attack, fighting to neutralize double-teams and down blocks but has a smaller margin for error,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlien wrote ahead of the 2025 draft.
“Gets around with fluidity and good change of direction when he’s twisting and stunting. He can chase plays down the line. Tafuna is an early-down-only player with some rush qualities that could be developed, but his ceiling is limited.”
Tafuna returns to a group that includes starters Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai.
It also has 2025 free agent pickup Logan Hall, who is listed as a backup there–not at defensive end, where the Texans have him listed–and veteran Mario Edwards Jr.
The Texans ranked first overall and second in scoring on the defensive side in 2025, and their run defense ranked fourth. Returning as many pieces from the line that helped them achieve that seem like a prudent plan for head coach DeMeco Ryans and the Texans.
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