The injury bug has taken its toll yet again. Houston Texans center Scott Quessenberry is out for the season after tearing both his ACL and MCL, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
#Texans signed DJ Scaife and placed center Scott Quessenberry on injured reserve. Quessenberry suffered a torn ACL and MCL, per a league source @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 4, 2023
The veteran offensive lineman started 16 games for the team in 2022, appearing in 990 snaps while allowing seven sacks to only two penalties according to Pro Football Focus. Quessenberry’s 36.6 grade was indicative of his struggles last season.
However, among the centers currently employed by the Houston Texans, Quessenberry is the elder statesman, providing the position group with a reliable backup with starting experience in the case of injury. Those are the factors that will be missed.
Taking a look at the rest of the players at the position for the Texans, young and unproven linemen are scattered among their ranks. The longest-tenured player on the depth chart is Jimmy Morrissey, who was a seventh-round draft choice of the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2021 NFL Draft. Other options include 2023 rookies Jarrett Patterson and the newly acquired D.J. Scaife.
While the current starting job is in good hands with 2023 second round pick Juice Scruggs, another injury could prove a serious blow to the interior of the Texans' offensive line. Another factor to keep an eye on is how Scruggs will adjust to the NFL game during his first season, as it is well-documented that young offensive linemen take longer to develop.
For Scruggs, the injury to Quessenburry means that the starting job is officially his to lose. One of the main storylines for the Houston Texans is the critical improvement of the interior offensive line, with guard Kenyon Green and Scruggs.
Now the young center will have the opportunity to prove that the faith put in him was not misplaced judgment.