Jaylin Smith Injury: On track to play in 2026

Smith is progressing in his recovery from season-ending knee surgery and is on track to play next season, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

The rookie-third corner landed on injured reserve in early November and was not cleared to return after undergoing a procedure on his knee. Smith also missed four games earlier in the year due to a hamstring injury and was limited to just four regular-season games, logging six tackles (three solo) and one fumble recovery while serving on special teams and the Texans' third corner behind Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter. Whether Smith is available at the start of the 2026 regular season largely depends on his level of participation during training camp.