Texans OT Braden Smith carted off after foot injury during joint practice with Panthers

The Houston Texans received a jarring development during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Carolina Panthers, when starting offensive tackle Braden Smith was carted off the field after injuring his foot. The incident occurred during the workout, and the team did not provide an immediate medical update when head coach DeMeco Ryans addressed reporters afterward.

According to a report circulated through ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Smith is dealing with a foot injury. The same reporting made clear that the severity and specifics of the condition were not described at the time of the update.

Ryans, speaking after the joint practice, did not offer additional information on the injury when asked, leaving the situation with an unusually thin public detail set. For fans and evaluators of the Texans’ offseason progress, that uncertainty matters because an offensive tackle is typically among the most rigid roles on the roster in terms of replacement readiness.

Joint practices often serve as the closest live window for teams to stress test protection plans, timing, and how well offensive linemen communicate under pressure. The carting incident interrupts that type of evaluation because Houston loses a key piece of its working group, even if the team continues to rotate backup options.

The Texans and Panthers worked together during the same practice cycle, meaning Carolina also gets a limited read on how Houston’s offensive line combinations might look in a live-game style setting. In the immediate term, that could affect how each team uses its remaining reps and matching personnel for the rest of the session.

From a roster-building standpoint, the key swing factor is not only whether Smith misses time, but also whether Houston must adjust its protection scheme and lineup flexibility to account for the gap. Offensive line depth is usually tested most during periods where teams want to evaluate continuity, and an unexpected injury forces more emphasis on those internal backups.

What to watch next is any official team or league update on Smith’s status, including whether Houston’s medical staff can provide a clearer diagnosis. In the absence of that detail, the only defensible takeaway is that the Texans’ offensive line plans for the near future face at least a temporary disruption.

For now, the Texans’ priority is straightforward: determine Smith’s condition and be prepared to reshuffle line work accordingly. The foot injury also raises the broader question of how much the Texans will be able to accomplish in their remaining offseason reps without losing continuity at a position that anchors both pass protection and the run game.