It's hard not to feel for Kenyon Green. The 15th overall pick out of Texas A&M has had a rough start to his NFL career. Green, who started in 14 games as a rookie for the Houston Texans, struggled to live up to expectations.
That's not uncommon in year one, but he was then sidelined in year two when he suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason finale. Green returned this year but has struggled mightily on the field.
He was brutally honest about his play following a win over the Indianapolis Colts but didn't show improvement in Week 9. During the loss to the New York Jets, Quinnen Williams had his way with Green until the left guard went down to the turf with another shoulder injury.
It was later reported he dislocated his left shoulder and will end the year on the IR.
Texans don't have a suitable replacement for Kenyon Green
Green has taken a lot of criticism for his play but the truth is that they don't have any proven options. Jarrett Patterson replaced him for a drive in Week 8 and looked much better but he was lost to a concussion.
He's likely to get the start when healthy but the Texans can't let one positive drive lull them into complacency. For example, Kendrick Green looked much better than Kenyon Green when he came in against the Jets. He even opened up several holes for Joe Mixon, much like Patterson did.
From there, things went south. He had as much trouble with Williams as Kenyon Green did and C.J. Stroud spent the rest of the night feeling the pressure.
LG Kendrick Green, who replaced the injured Kenyon Green, has thrown a couple of terrific blocks on Mixon runs. Mixon has 12 carries and 86 yards. His 11-yard run gives Texans a first down at the Jets 25 after starting from the 2.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) November 1, 2024
That being said, the Texans need to be working the phone lines prior to the Nov. 5 trade deadline. They don't need a Pro Bowl player but adding a capable option at left guard could save the season.