HOUSTON – The Texans will play Sunday without starting linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o due to injuries.
A starting linebacker signed to a three-year, $34 million free agent deal and a leader on the defense, Al-Shaair will miss his second game in a row with a knee injury.
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To’oTo’o missed his second consecutive game with a concussion. He practiced two of the three days this week, but remained under the NFL concussion protocol through the weekend.
The Texans’ backup linebackers, Neville Hewitt and Jake Hansen, will start for the second game in a row. Hewitt had a 45-yard interception return against the Green Bay Packers and led the team with nine tackles while Hansen recorded seven tackles, including a tackle for a loss.
Newly-acquired linebacker Devin White is active for his first game since signing a one-year $1.125 million deal. He’s a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl champion.
The Texans’ inactives were Al-Shaair, To’oTo’o, safety Jimmie Ward (groin), nickel Myles Bryant, offensive lineman Nick Broeker and wide receiver and return specialist Steven Sims Jr.
Robert Woods is back from plantar fasciitis in his foot and he will be involved on returns.
Texans rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter made a relatively fast recovery from a scapula fracture, a rare football injury involving the back of the shoulder blade suffered during an offensive pass interference infraction against the Buffalo Bills committed by rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman. Having completed three practices without a setback, Lassiter will play Sunday and he has lined up with the first-team defense all week along with safeties Calen Bullock and Eric Murray, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and nickel Jalen Pitre. Lassiter has no injury designation.
Lassiter avoided surgery and being placed on injured reserve. He looked comfortable during a tackling drill Wednesday.
Not having Lassiter has been a blow to a secondary that has leaned heavily on Pro Bowl alternate corner Derek Stingley Jr. The Texans have been starting D’Angelo Ross the past two games with Lassiter out and he allowed a touchdown pass against the Green Bay Packers to wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks.
A second-round draft pick from Georgia, Lassiter 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 Coleman and allowed a 49-yard touchdown pass.
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.
“So, getting a starting-level defensive back, back into full force and the toughness and competitiveness that he brings and happy for him,” Burke said. “Another guy that really attacked these last two weeks in terms of the same toughness and mental fortitude that he brings to playing ball was the same thing with dealing with this little setback here and really, really push, probably wanted to play two weeks ago. We were holding him back from getting out there. So, excited for him to hopefully get him back out and show what he can do.”
He was replaced by Ross in the starting lineup against the New England Patriots. Ross started his first career game and played well, allowing two receptions for eight yards on three targets and had three tackles. Against the Packers, though, Ross allowed a touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. For the season, he has allowed 10 catches on 10 targets for 117 yards and a 148.7 passer rating by opposing quarterbacks.
Ross returned to practice Friday after being out Thursday with an illness.
Texans linebacker Christian Harris will remain on injured reserve and won’t be designated for return to start practicing this week and may be out until November, per league sources.
Harris aggravated a strained calf after returning to practice in training camp and was placed on injured reserve. While Harris is making steady progress, he isn’t ready yet to begin practicing. Calf injuries frequently take a long time to recover from.
Harris recorded a career-high 101 tackles last season and returned an interception for a touchdown in a playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns. Harris is coming off his best NFL season. He became the seventh player in NFL history to record a pick-six for a touchdown and record a sack in the same playoff game since retired Texans defensive end J.J. Watt did so against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012.
There are no injury designations for the following players and all are expected to play Sunday: wide receiver Robert Woods, back from a bout of plantar fasciitis in his foot, wide receiver and return specialist Steven Sims Jr., who missed the Green Bay game with back spasms, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (chest), defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi (shoulder), offensive tackle Tytus Howard (knee),: offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (ankle), Ross (illness) and wide receiver Stefon Diggs (rest, limited Friday).
Texans cornerback Jeff Okudah, signed to a one-year contract with a maximum value of $6 million and a base value of $4.75 million with $2.5 million guaranteed this offseason, is not being designated for return from injured reserve this week, per a source. A former Detroit Lions first-round draft pick, Okudah is making progress from a hip injury. He is nearly recovered from a two-month injury.
Texans wide receiver Nico Collins, on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and out at least two more games, is doing well in his recovery with no setbacks, per sources, and there is optimism that the original three to four week recovery diagnosis is tracking as it should.
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Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
