Texans Place Tackle Tytus Howard on Injured Reserve
HOUSTON - The Houston Texans will be without one of their top offensive linemen for their season opener, and beyond, with starting right tackle Tytus Howard being placed on IR ahead of the team's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Howard was first injured in the team's fall camp in early August, and required surgery. He will be out at least four weeks.
"With training camp and the injuries, those things – they happen," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said after the injury. "No matter what camp you’re at, that’s going to happen. That’s part of training camp. Just hope guys can acclimate and we can just keep moving forward [and have] the next guy step up."
Howard is now the latest major offensive lineman to be confirmed to miss multiple weeks, joining center Scott Quessenberry and guard Kenyon Green - both of which are set to miss the entire season.
Rookie center Juice Scruggs is also questionable for the season opener as well, adding to the concerns up front.
Howard, who had just signed a three-year $56 million extension in July, emerged as one of the best offensive linemen in the league last season.
Locking in Howard to that extension was meant to give the Texans bookend franchise tackles, with Laremy Tunsil holding down the left side of the line - and help Houston take the next step towards improvement on offense.
That's been Howard's vision all along, as he's said he "wants to finish his career in Houston,'' with Howard and Tunsil believing they make up "the best tackle tandem'' in the NFL.
Now, however, that plan is in jeopardy. At least for the next four weeks until he is eligible to return to the lineup.
