Texans just gave forgotten Jaguars draft bust an unexpected roster lifeline

Sometimes, all it takes is an opportunity for an NFL player to get his career going. The Houston Texans just granted one to linebacker Chad Muma, who's bounced around the league since the Jacksonville Jaguars gave him the boot at the 2025 cutdown deadline.

The Texans are promoting Muma from the practice squad to the active roster via standard elevation for their Week 9 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Muma will get a chance to prove he deserves to be on the NFL after landing on the Houston practice squad in early October.

The Texans are giving Chad Muma to show what he brings to the table

The Texans aren't necessarily in need of reinforcements at linebacker. Azeez Al-Shaair had been dealing with a groin injury but is otherwise good to go against the Bolts. This is why elevating Chad Muma to the active roster is such an interesting move. He probably won't get much playing time on defense — maybe just a few snaps — and his biggest time in action could come on special teams.

It's possible that Muma has fared well enough in practice that Houston wants to see what he brings to the table on game day. It will be up to the former Wyoming Cowboy to make the most of his chance, as he's had trouble holding onto a team the past two years.

A third-round pick of the Jags in 2022, Muma flashed potential early as a rookie when he replaced a struggling Devin Lloyd in the starting lineup. However, a knee injury brought his first NFL campaign to a premature end. The Denver, Colorado native had another chance to start in 2023 but came crashing down.

By 2024, Muma was an afterthought on defense, barely logging any playing time. Then, a new regime took over in 2025, and he was waived before the start of the season.

Muma has since spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, the New England Patriots, and now with the Texans.

You may also like: The Jags' small-market identity could come in handy in the playoffs

Why Chad Muma can enjoy a career revival after leaving the Jaguars

Readiness is always variable coming out of the draft, meaning that some players need more time than others to hit their stride. Such was the case for edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson and cornerback C.J. Henderson.

Henderson only played 11 games for Jacksonville before he was traded to the Carolina Panthers just one year after he was the ninth overall selection in the 2020 draft. He needed several years to get going but is currently thriving with the Atlanta Falcons and has become a mainstay of their secondary.

For his part, Chaisson spent four underwhelming seasons in Duval. And the only reason he kept getting chances was that the Jags needed a No. 3 pass rusher behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker because they had nobody else. Swiper was unceremoniously allowed to walk in 2024 free agency. He signed with the Panthers but was released just a few months later.

Chaisson later bolted for the Las Vegas Raiders, and that's when he began his career revival. He's since become the player the Jaguars envisioned when they drafted him 20th overall in 2020.

This doesn't mean that Chad Muma will follow in Chaisson's or Henderson's footsteps. Heck, for every Chaisson, there were five other players who also got the bust label and were never able to get rid of it.

That said, Muma will get a chance to revive his career like Chaisson and Henderson once did. It will be up to him to seize it.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow