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The Houston Texans could add an intriguing prospect behind Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.

Nick Caserio and the Houston Texans are always looking to improve their roster where possible, and Chibuike Madu could prove to be a worthwhile long-term gamble.

Madu is raw, but he has tantalizing natural gifts.

After showing interest in players like him as recently as this offseason, the Texans could make for a fitting landing spot for Madu, too, coming off a season in which they led the NFL in total defense and were second in points allowed.

Texans Eye Chibuike Madu

“#Texans recently worked out International Player Pathway defensive lineman Chibuike Madu, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound native of Nigeria with a flag football background, per a league source,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported in a post on X on May 27.

Who KARES?–a brand where the second word is an acronym for “Keeping Athletes Responsible & Equipped for Success”–shared an update on Made after the draft:

“Now that the draft is over, he continues to work, study and chase his dreams to be in the NFL.”

“The International Pathway Program “is part of a long-term commitment by the NFL and its 32 clubs to accelerate global football development efforts and establish a pathway for international talent to play the game at the highest level,” per the NFL.

“Following its inception, 70 international players have signed with NFL teams (allocated, drafted or signed as free agents), with 22 IPP athletes currently on NFL rosters. Since 2017, eleven of these players have been elevated to active rosters including: Jordan Mailata (Australia), Jakob Johnson (Germany), Efe Obada (United Kingdom), Sammis Reyes (Chile), Thomas Odukoya (Netherlands), David Bada (Germany), Charlie Smyth (Ireland), TJ Maguranyanga (Zimbabwe), Mapalo “Maz” Mwansa (UK / Zambia), CJ Okoye (Nigeria), Haggai Ndubuisi (Nigeria).”

Johnson played for the Texans last season. The Texans also rostered Ndubuisi during the 2025 season. Ndubuisi signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency this offseason.

Texans Retooled D-Line Depth

The Texans are led by their defense, which features a strong pass rush but faced questions about their depth at defensive end and tackle. They addressed both this offseason before showing interest in Madu.

Houston signed former Buccaneer Logan Hall in free agency, slating him for split duties at end and tackle, and they drafted run stopper Kayden McDonald in the second round.

They did not draft any edge rushers, though.

Still, Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. lead the way for a deep group that also includes recent draft picks Dylan Horton and Solomon Byrd, as well as veteran free agent pickups Ali Gaye and Dominique Robinson.

That could make for a steep hill for Madu if he were to join the Texans. As it stands, though, their interest remains preliminary as they continue through the offseason program.

Teams can roster up to 90 players during the offseason.

However, even when they must trim down to 53 players, a prospect like Madu could still stick around. The NFL grants an exception for international prospects, meaning they do not count toward the final count, which could be good news for Madu with the Texans or another team.