The Houston Texans are grabbing a player off the San Francisco 49ers‘ practice squad who they think can make an immediate impact on their roster.
“Texans have been looking for reinforcements at defensive tackle and are reuniting with Naquan Jones, per a league source,” NFL reporter Aaron Wilson wrote on his official X account on Sunday night. “Was on 49ers practice squad.”
Jones, 6-foot-3 and 313 pounds, has played 3 regular-season games for the 49ers — the maximum number of games a team can elevate a practice squad player to the game-day roster before signing them for the rest of the season.
“The Texans have brought back DT Naquan Jones according to his bio,” Sleeper HQ Texans reporter Jacob Barzilla wrote on his official X account. “He is currently on the 49ers practice squad.”
Jones Crafting Lengthy Career After Going Undrafted
Jones went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2021 and made the Tennessee Titans as a UDFA and spent his first 3 seasons there. He’s been on quite a journey since then, spending time with the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, as well as parts of the 2025 and 2026 seasons with the Texans and then also with the 49ers.
Jones was released by the 49ers on October 20 but signed back to the practice squad two days later.
“The 49ers are releasing veteran DT Naquan Jones, per source,” The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account on October 20. “San Francisco needed a roster spot, and now Jones — who’s vested and not subject to waivers — is a free agent.”
49ers Made Trade to Add Interior DL Help
The 49ers are on a bye in Week 8 and stand at 6-1 after their first loss of the season in Week 7 at the Atlanta Falcons — a game in which they played with about 50 percent of their full-strength lineup.
To that end, they made a big trade over the past week to bring back NFL All-Pro DeForest Buckner, the 49ers’ 1st-round pick in 2016, who was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2020.
“Reunion! The Colts are trading three-time Pro Bowl DL DeForest Buckner to the 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round pick,” The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account on Tuesday. “Buckner came to San Francisco as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2016. A decade later, he’s back.”
“The long anticipated reunion comes to fruition,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner wrote on X. “Trading Buckner was what John Lynch called the hardest move he’s had to make as a GM. Getting him back for a 4 perhaps one of the easiest.”
Texans Sign 6-foot-3, 313-Pound Veteran DL Away From 49ers