Could the Texans look to these free agents to replace Jalen Pitre?

During the loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 12, the Houston Texans also lost one of their top defenders. Safety Jalen Pitre had to leave the game with what was initially being called a shoulder injury. Later, it was confirmed he was actually dealing with a pectoral issue.

It was also revealed that he's going to be out for a while.

NFL insider Tom Pelissero states that Pitre "is expected to miss multiple weeks with a partial pectoral tear suffered Sunday." He adds that surgery isn't on the table right now, but that could change.

This leaves Houston in a bind. While they like what Jimmie Ward and Calen Bullock give them at safety, Pitre was a chess piece who excelled in the slot. Ward could slide into that role, bringing Eric Murray off the bench and into Ward's safety spot.

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That's not the worst defensive lineup but there are options Houston could consider. And with the number of injuries they've dealt with the past two seasons, it might not be a bad idea to see who is available.

Texans have 2 decent options in free agency

There aren't often great players available in free agency this late in the season, but the Texans could look to two players who would help build depth.

Option 1: Sign Desmond King off Baltimore's practice squad

One option would be to bring back Desmond King, who was released on Nov. 12. King, a fifth-round pick in 2017, was in his second stint with Houston but appeared in just one game before being released. He's currently on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad but can be signed — if added to the active roster.

Option 2: Sign veteran Eddie Jackson

After the Ravens added King to their practice squad, they released Eddie Jackson. An eighth-year veteran, Jackson played in nine games for Baltimore with four starts.

He's not the same player he was in 2018 and 2019 when he made the Pro Bowl for Chicago but had five interceptions and 11 pass defenses during his final two seasons with the Bears. Set to turn 31 in December, Jackson would be able to help in a rotation and could be a decent fit to replace Ward as he slides into the slot.