HOUSTON – The Texans are making contingency plans on defense with five starters not practicing this week and three of them all but officially ruled out for Sunday’s challenging road game against the Green Bay Packers at historic Lambeau Field.
Rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter is making progress in his recovery from a scapula fracture that is expected to sideline him at least a few more games, including Sunday, according to league sources.
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Lassiter suffered the scapula injury against the Buffalo Bills and is expected to miss multiple games this month as he recovers from this relatively uncommon shoulder blade issue, according to league sources.
Lassiter is expected to ultimately make a full recovery this season with rest and rehabilitation and no surgery planned, per sources. He was replaced by cornerback D’Angelo Ross in the starting lineup against the Patriots. Ross started his first career game and played well, allowing two receptions for eight yards on three targets and had three tackles. Ross is preparing to start again at corner.
Texans veteran safety Jimmie Ward’s aggravated groin injury is expected to also prevent him from playing Sunday against the Packers, missing his second consecutive game, per sources.
Safeties Eric Murray and Calen Bullock started against the Patriots and both intercepted rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Both will start again Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Texans veteran linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is dealing with a knee injury and left the game Sunday with a knee injury, eventually ruled out after initially going back into the game and then being replaced by backup Neville Hewitt. While Hewitt is preparing to start, Al-Shaair hasn’t been ruled out. He is not wearing a protective brace, but has not practiced Wednesday and Thursday
Hewitt, once called a “tackling machine” by Texans owner and CEO Cal McNair, is a hard-hitting special-teams ace. He had eight tackles, including five solos against the Patriots in a 41-21 win at Gillette Stadium.
Al-Shaair, signed to a three-year, $34 million contract during free agency, has been one of the Texans’ top defensive players and was voted a team captain. Al-Shaair, before going back in the game in the second half, ran on the sidelines under the supervision of trainers.
Al-Shaair, who finished with three tackles and forced one fumble, was replaced by Hewitt and he had seven tackles. After the game, Al-Shaair was limping and walking under his own power.
Texans starting linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, who entered Sunday as the team’s leading tackler, is in the NFL concussion protocol after suffering a head injury late in the game. To’oTo’o did not practice again and is expected to miss the game. To’oTo’o would likely be replaced by Jake Hansen or Del’Shawn Phillips.
#Texans Pro Bowl backfield of C.J. Stroud @CJ7STROUD and Joe Mixon @Joe_MainMixon having fun on a Thursday @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/CrwH9serhJ
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 17, 2024
Texans defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi’s shoulder injury has prevented him from practicing this week. If Fatukasi is sidelined, then the Texans would likely plug in Tim Settle Jr. and a combination of Denico Autry, Khalil Davis and Kurt Hinish.
Wide receiver Robert Woods (foot, walking boot) hasn’t practiced this week and is tracking toward being out for the second game in a row.
The defense will be tested Sunday against Packers quarterback Jordan Love, one of the top passers in the NFL. Love, despite playing through a knee injury, has passed for 1,131 yards and 12 touchdowns with six interceptions. He passed for a career-high 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns with 11 interceptions last season in his first year as a starter.
“Going against Jordan Love this week, it will be the best quarterback we’ve seen this year,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “So, it’ll be a really, really tough matchup, really good team. Green Bay has done a great job this year. They’re explosive on offense. And they pose a lot of challenges not only with Love, but the guys he’s getting the ball to. Jayden Reed has done a great job.
“They do a good job moving him all around whether he’s getting the ball in the backfield or in the passing game. It’s just an explosive offense. They run the ball well with (Josh) Jacobs, just a well-coached team. So, we have our hands full just as all weeks. But it’ll be a really big-time matchup for us and I know our guys are excited about it.”
Not having Lassiter is a blow to a secondary that will lean heavily on Pro Bowl alternate corner Derek Stingley Jr. Behind Ross, the Texans have cornerbacks Ka’dar Hollman and Kris Boyd to fill in and primarily operate on special teams.
A second-round draft pick from Georgia, Lassiter has started every game and has recorded 15 tackles, two for losses, an interception of Chicago Bears rookie quarterback and top overall pick Caleb Williams and three passes defensed. He missed a tackle against Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman and allowed a 49-yard touchdown pass last Sunday.
Lassiter has a 58.0 pass coverage grade, according to Pro Football Focus analytics, in 180 coverage snaps. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 9 of 24 passes against Lassiter for 193 yards.
#Texans Pro Bowl defensive ends Will Anderson Jr., and Danielle Hunter @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/8zccAhgg3w
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 17, 2024
Lassiter had a 90.2 pass coverage grade on seven targets with two catches allowed, the one interception that counted and a 0.0 passer rating against him, according to Pro Football Focus analytics, against the Bears.
There were a lot of tangible reasons why the Texans were so confident in their decision to immediately plug in and play Lassiter.
The second-round draft pick has excelled in man-to-man coverage, applying sticky skills in mirroring receivers’ routes. Lassiter is ultra-competitive for the football, intercepting passes and disrupting others. And Lassiter, true to his form in the Southeastern Conference for an elite college defense, is a willing and hard-nosed tackler.
Lassiter is emblematic of what Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio want from their entire rookie class.
Selected 42nd overall and signed to a four-year, $9.014 million contract that includes a $3.376 million signing bonus, Lassiter has lived up to high expectations.
“It was really cool to see Kamari, the work that he’s putting in, really cool to see him reap the benefits of that,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said after the Chicago game. “Getting a pick is a matter of not just him, but it’s the rush, speeding up the quarterback and it’s Kamari having really good hands. That was a difficult catch to make as well. So, it was a really nice play by him.
“Man, credit to him. The kid has been consistent. I talk about it all the time. He’s been consistent where he needs to be every single play and he doesn’t press to make plays. Some guys get in the spot and they try to press to make a play, make a play and then you end up putting yourself in a bad position. He’s in the right position all the time and he benefitted from being able to make a pick.”
Not practicing today #Texans Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To'oTo'o, Kamari Lassiter, Jimmie Ward, Robert Woods, Foley Fatukasi @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/RIdSCYTh62
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 17, 2024
Lassiter yielded the lowest amount of passing yards last season in college football, according to Pro Football Focus analytics. He did a great job shadowing and limiting the production of first-round wide receivers Malik Nabers (LSU, Giants) and Xavier Legette (South Carolina, Carolina Panthers).
“Just to use Kamari as an example, Kamari was hardened by three years in Athens,” Texans executive director of player personnel James Liipfert said at the start of the season. “Really good program, kind of knew what we were getting from a worker standpoint and the guy just showed up and, really, he’s been the same guy since Day One. He’s done a really nice job.”
Ward’s contract was extended by one year through the 2025 season at the start of the season.
It’s a one-year, $10.508 million contract extension.
The contract, which includes a $5.25 million signing bonus, $8.75 million total guaranteed, a fully guaranteed $1.5 million base salary this year and $2.75 million in 2025 with $2 million of it guaranteed for skill, injury and salary cap, ensures the hard-hitting defensive back will be with the defending AFC South champions for a third year next season.
Ward originally signed a two-year, $14.5 million maximum value contract as a free agent a year ago to join the Texans that included a $4 million signing bonus and $8.5 million total guaranteed.
Ward, is a former 49ers first-round draft pick from Northern Illinois.
He played in 10 games last season for the Texans and recorded 50 tackles and one interception before being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
For his career, Ward has recorded 518 career tackles, eight interceptions, six forced fumbles, two defensive touchdowns, two fumble recoveries, 12 tackles for losses and five quarterback hits with 48 passes defensed.
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Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
