HOUSTON – With Pro Bowl left offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil not expected to play Sunday due to a knee injury and left guard Josh Jones to step in for him, per league sources, the Texans took additional steps to add depth to the position.
The Texans elevated second-year offensive tackle Austin Deculus and safety-special teams contributor DeAndre Houston-Carson from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, per a source.
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The Texans elevated offensive guard Michael Deiter from the practice squad to the active roster. Deiter played left guard and one play at right tackle against the Baltimore Ravens a week ago.
They released veteran defensive end Derek Rivers from the active roster.
A week ago, the Texans were forced to shuffle their injury-battered offensive line during the second half of a 25-9 loss to the Ravens. When right tackle George Fant, the replacement for injured right tackle Tytus Howard, who’s on injured reserve as he recovers from hand surgery, left the game with a right shoulder stinger, the Texans moved Deiter over to tackle. Deiter, though, surrendered a strip sack as rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud fumbled. After that, Jones played right tackle the remainder of the game. Fant is set to go for Sunday’s home opener at NRG Stadium.
With Tunsil not expected to play and Jones lining up at left tackle, the Texans’ top options at left guard are Deiter and center-guard Kendrick Green per a league source.
Green is a former Pittsburgh Steelers third-round draft pick acquired during the final roster cutdown.
Deculus is a 6-foot-6, 325-pound Cy-Fair graduate drafted in the sixth round last season out of LSU. He played in five games last season with no offensive snaps, playing strictly on special teams.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
