Undrafted players can have a more difficult time proving they are worthy of being on an NFL roster.
But Houston Texans veteran wide receiver Jared Wayne has continually proved he can provide valuable depth in the league, which is why he is going into his third season at Reliant Stadium.
After playing on only 23 percent of the offensive snaps for the Texans in 2024, Wayne’s involvement in the offense took a jump in 2025. He played on 44 percent of the offensive snaps and registered his first two receptions in the NFL.
In 2026, he’ll be looking for his first touchdown.
Perhaps it comes in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. Perhaps Wayne waits another season to cross the pylon for six points. Regardless of the timing of the score, head coach DeMeco Ryans has been impressed with Wayne’s performance so far in training camp, showing the ability to line up at all of the receiving positions and make contested catches.
“Jared Wayne is showing up every time he’s on the field,” Ryans said. “He’s always making plays, not just this camp. He’s made plays since he’s been here. He’s a big, tall target, smart guy. He can move around. He plays all three wide receiving positions; he is a guy that we can count on. He shows up making a lot of big plays down the field. A lot of contested catches. He finds a way to come down with the ball.”
Houston has a crowded wide receiver room between Nico Collins, Tank Dell, who is back in training camp, Jaylin Noel, who played in every game for the Texans last year and second-year receiver Jayden Higgins.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for Wayne to prove he can make a difference for Houston not only in the receiver room but also on special teams, as he has been a special-teamer for the Texans the past two years.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans WR Jared Wayne has best start to career at training camp
Reporting by Ariana Pensy, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ariana Pensy, Texans Wire | USA TODAY Network
