The Houston Texans have officially added defensive end Derek Parish to their 90-man roster, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. This move comes in response to the significant injury of defensive end Dylan Horton, who is set to miss the entire 2026 season with a torn Achilles. The Texans have also placed Horton and linebacker Marte Mapu on injured reserve, further impacting their defensive lineup.
In addition to Horton’s injury, Jadeveon Clowney is dealing with a lower-leg issue, while Dominique Robinson is recovering from a calf injury that occurred during a preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. These circumstances have opened the door for Parish, who has a varied background in football.
At 27 years old, Parish was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the 240th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was on the Jaguars' practice squad for part of the 2023 season but did not play in any games.
Prior to his NFL career, he played five seasons at the University of Houston, contributing as both a fullback and an edge rusher. Parish is originally from Pearland, Texas, making this signing a return to his roots.
After his time in Jacksonville, he played for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League and later joined the UFL's DC Defenders. In the 2026 UFL season, he participated in 10 games, recording 23 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and three sacks, along with a forced fumble. He also made three tackles in two postseason games.
