The Houston Texans have several significant roster decisions to make before they travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 2.
Houston Texans starting defensive end Christian Covington left the game against the New England Patriots on Sunday early in the second quarter with a leg injury, however, it was later announced by the Texans PR Twitter account that Covington was questionable to return with a thigh injury.
Covington is an important contributor in Texans front seven, but they shouldn’t be in a hurry to push him back until he is 100-percent healthy. The Texans boast deep depth at the defensive line position with Angelo Blackson, Carlos Watkins and Joel Heath so the team is in good hands for the time being.
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Another injury that struck the Texans defense in the 27-20 loss to New England was the concussion that cornerback Kevin Johnson suffered in the fourth quarter. Regardless of his play on the field, Texans should start wondering how much longer Johnson should play football.
This is the third concussion Johnson has encountered since entering the league as a rookie in 2015, and the second concussion he has had this season in a matter of weeks.
Having multiple concussions in a short amount of time is worrisome. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the Texans place Johnson on the injury reserve (IR) similar to how they did with C.J. Fiedorowicz at the beginning of last season.
Seeing Johnson struggle with concussions is reminiscent to what former defensive back Aaron Williams shared in his personal story in The Players’ Tribune when he was set to join the Texans but his medical background with head injuries prevented him playing. Williams wrote the following:
"The Texans were so happy with my workout that they sent me down to the equipment room and had me pick out a helmet, pads and a locker. They even showed me the defensive schemes they were going to run. But none of the three teams could sign me.They all told me that because of my history of concussions and neck issues, their doctors wouldn’t clear me to play."
No matter the athlete, there is only so much injury the brain can sustain before there starts to be long-term damage.
Another blow to the Texans is starting tackle Seantrel Henderson breaking his ankle in the first half. Texans are going to be in the market for an offensive tackle with only seven players healthy on the offensive line. Martinas Rankin and Kendall Lamm are the only remaining options with Julien Davenport starting at right tackle. The Texans could look to address the position with a promotion within the organization. Houston currently has Chad Slade and Roderick Johnson as options on the practice squad.
The Texans have to make these roster decisions in the next couple of days as they begin to create their gameplan for Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. What are your thoughts on the injury issues with Houston? What players should the Texans add to their roster for Week 2?