Dylan Horton‘s road to recovery is officially complete. The second-year defensive end was activated from the reserve/NFI list on Saturday, the Texans announced.
Horton’s rookie campaign was ended by a Stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis last December. He spent the spring undergoing treatment as a result, a process which was completed in May. Horton was moved to the NFI list while the Texans set their final roster, guaranteeing at least a four-game absence to begin the season. In time for Week 5, though, he has returned to the active roster.
The 24-year-old made 10 appearances last season, logging a rotational workload on defense while also chipping in on special teams. A major step forward in playing time should not be expected for Horton (especially early on during the season), but he could carve out a notable role while making his first appearances in nearly one year. Despite his return, Houston will be shorthanded along the defensive line for the time being.
Jerry Hughes was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding move to Horton’s activation. The veteran will miss at least four games as a result, ending his run of durability with Houston. Hughes played all 17 games during both of his first two Texans campaigns, collecting 12 sacks over that span. It thus came as little surprise when he re-signed in July on a deal positioning him to remain a depth contributor up front.
Hughes, 36, played in each of the Texans’ first four games this year, but he was held without a sack. His attention will now turn to recovery while Horton takes over a rotational role on a defense that has posted strong numbers in a number of categories in 2024.
