The Houston Texans are staring at another hit to their defensive front, and this one comes with a long-term sting. Defensive tackle Mario Edwards tore his ACL in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle, and he is done for the rest of the regular season.
Edwards had been part of the Texans’ interior rotation and was giving them solid work in a depth role behind Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai. Through three games, he played on 30% of Houston’s defensive snaps and logged six combined tackles with one sack. Now that production is gone, and the Texans have to reshuffle the middle of their line.
The loss matters even more because Edwards wasn’t the only defensive tackle injury Houston has dealt with early this season. Before the year even began, second-round rookie Kayden McDonald suffered an ankle injury that sent him to injured reserve. He is out until at least Week 5, with his return timeline depending on how he recovers.
When McDonald is ready, he looks like the cleanest answer to replace Edwards in the rotation. He brings upside as a run defender, posted strong tackling numbers in his lone starting season at Ohio State, and could be a useful piece right away as a rookie. With Edwards out, there’s a real path for McDonald to step into a bigger role once he’s healthy.
But Houston can’t wait on that move just yet. For at least Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys, the Texans need another body to handle those depth defensive tackle snaps, and maybe longer.
There are three names in the building who could see more work. Logan Hall has already played more than 35% of Houston’s defensive snaps in the first three games, and his ability to line up inside or off the edge gives the Texans options. That same versatility, though, could keep him from being the main answer at tackle.
Jaden Crumedy is another possibility. The former Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers defensive tackle stepped in for Edwards in Week 3, and he could be the next man up again while McDonald remains sidelined.
Houston could also turn to the practice squad and elevate Junior Tafuna. The Texans added him on a futures contract in January, and he is the only current defensive tackle on the practice squad. He has not appeared in a regular-season NFL game.
For now, Crumedy looks like the most likely player to see his workload rise, possibly to around 30% of the defensive snaps, while Rankins, Togiai, and Hall could absorb a few more snaps on the interior each week.
In Other News...
Texans Defense Just Took A Hit Houston Could Struggle To Replace
The Texans defense has already had to adjust after losing defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Edwards had made an early impact in the front, posting six tackles and a sack over the first three games, so Houston now has to reshuffle a part of the rotation that was beginning to find some stability.
In response, the team moved defensive end Chris Braswell up to the active roster and brought defensive tackle Aaron Graves onto the practice squad. It is a practical bit of roster management, but it also underscores how much the Texans may need from the next men up if they want to keep the interior of their defense from slipping after one of its more productive early contributors went down. [Read more 🡒]
Texans 0-3 Start Has Turned Into A Bigger Blame Fight
The Texans 0-3 start has quickly become more than a bad opening stretch. It has turned into an internal blame conversation, with the focus landing on three of the biggest decision-makers in the building: general manager Nick Caserio, head coach DeMeco Ryans and offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Each has a different piece of the puzzle, and each is being judged against a team that expected a steadier beginning.
Caserio is under scrutiny for the state of the offensive line, Ryans for the coaching decisions and broader organizational authority that come with his job, and Caley for how the offense has looked under his direction. The criticism is not evenly spread, but the frustration is real enough to raise the question of how much of this start is a roster problem, how much is a coaching problem, and where the Texans should look first if they want to stop the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Rookie Could Return To A Much Bigger Role Than Expected
Kayden McDonalds path back into the Texans lineup may get more interesting than it looked when he first landed on short-term injured reserve with an ankle injury. Houston had been preparing to wait out the rookie defensive tackles absence, with an eye toward getting him back after Week 4, but the depth chart up front has changed in a way that could matter for him right away.
Mario Edwards Jr.s season-ending ACL injury thins out the defensive tackle rotation and leaves Houston with less margin for error at a spot that was already not overflowing with options. When McDonald is cleared to return, the Texans may have a tougher decision on their hands than simply easing him back in, because the snaps could be there sooner and in greater volume than anyone anticipated. [Read more 🡒]