Houston Texans: Retooling roster prior to Week 4

The Houston Texans have made several roster transactions to address injuries to players.

The Houston Texans have placed wide receiver Bruce Ellington and inside linebacker Dylan Cole on the injured reserve entering Week 4 as Ellington has struggled with injuries since entering the league in 2014.

Sadly this season wasn’t an outlier, and Ellington struggled with a hamstring injury versus the New York Giants in Week 3. Ellington has had a history with hamstring injuries, so the Texans were already rolling with a deep number of wide receivers on the depth chart.

More from Houston Texans News

• Houston Texans Draft: Michael Mayer should be a no doubter at pick 12
• Houston Texans already telling fans the Davis Mills era is over
• Houston Texans have hand forced, waste no time in firing Lovie Smith
• Houston Texans: Pros and Cons of keeping Head Coach Lovie Smith
• There is just one way the Texans can lose the No. 1 pick

The Texans still have five wide receivers on the roster after placing Ellington on the IR. Currently on the roster are DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller, and Vyncint Smith who healthy enough to contribute Week 4 versus the Indianapolis Colts. Keke Coutee and Sammie Coates have been sidelined for all season thus far with their own hamstring injury, but the Texans are deep enough in the long-term at wide receiver if they’re able to stay healthy.

In a surprising move, inside linebacker Dylan Cole was placed on the IR by the Texans after dislocating his wrist during the home opener against the Giants.

Losing Cole will hurt since he is a talented young player that has the tools to be able in the contribute on all four downs. Cole is athletic enough to stay on passing downs and be a contributor on special teams. According to a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle,  besides having wrist surgery Cole will also undergo knee surgery.

With the opening of two roster spots, the Texans signed offensive tackle David Sharpe from their practice squad. The offense has struggled with right tackle Julien Davenport in 2018. This signing could be a wakeup call for him if he isn’t able to acclimate himself to the new position after playing left tackle throughout training camp and preseason.

The Texans also signed outside linebacker Daeshon Hall, he was drafted in the third round by the Carolina Panthers in 2017.

With Cole being placed IR, it seems plausible the Texans could move Peter Kalambayi to the inside. Kalambayi has mostly played on special teams, but he’s been listed as an outside linebacker after playing on the inside during the preseason.

The Texans currently have six outside linebackers on the roster, so moving Kalambayi would make sense if they decide not to sign an inside linebacker from free agency. Hall could also serve as an insurance policy with injuries occurring to that position early in the season.

More decisions will be made for the roster as the season continues, know lets see if the decisions pan out for the team in the ensuing weeks.