Texans claim ex-Bronco Kareem Jackson off waivers, add twice suspended safety for playoff push

Kareem Jackson is Houston-bound.

A day after being waived by the Denver Broncos, the veteran safety was claimed by the Texans, who announced the decision Tuesday. He’ll join the Texans for the last two games of the regular season as they fight for a playoff berth.

The Broncos waived Jackson on Christmas, one week after he finished serving a four-game NFL suspension for multiple illegal hits this season. The suspension was Jackson’s second of the season.

Broncos waived Jackson after multiple ejections, suspensions

Jackson was previously suspended for two games after his third illegal hit of the season to an opponent’s head or neck, this one on Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave. Three snaps into his return from that suspension, Jackson delivered an illegal blow with the crown of his helmet to the facemask of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs.

The NFL suspended him four games after that hit, citing his “flagrant” illegal acts.

Jackson was eligible to return for Denver’s Christmas Eve game against the New England Patriots, but the Broncos declined to activate him after he practiced during the week, leading to speculation that he might be released.

Head coach Sean Payton told reporters leading up to the Patriots game, “we’ll figure out how we’re going to handle it.” The Broncos waived Jackson on Monday.

Jackson started all 69 games he played for the Broncos in four-plus seasons, including eight in 2023. A 14-year NFL veteran, he was a leading voice in the locker room and a team captain. Even so, his repeated penalties ultimately made him expendable.

In addition to his suspensions totaling six games, Jackson was flagged for illegal hits three times and ejected twice. He left Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas and Las Vegas Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers concussed with blows to the head early in the season and accumulated $89,670 in fines. Fourth-year veteran P.J. Locke took over as Denver’s starting strong safety in Jackson’s absence.

Can Jackson help Texans to postseason?

Jackson joins an 8-7 Texans team that’s on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. If the postseason started this week, Houston would be the first team out of the playoffs in the AFC. And the Texans have a need in the secondary. They placed starting safety Jimmie Ward on injured reserve due to a quad injury shortly after claiming Jackson.

The Texans face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday before their season finale against fellow AFC South playoff hopefuls, the Indianapolis Colts. That game could end up determining who does and doesn’t make the postseason. The Texans are hoping for the return of quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has missed the past two games due to a concussion suffered in Week 13 against the New York Jets.