The Texans may have to reshuffle the left side of their offensive line again in Week 10, and the latest signs point to rookie Keylan Rutledge sitting out against the Cleveland Browns.
Rutledge, Houston’s starting left guard, is dealing with stinger symptoms from an injury he picked up earlier this week in practice, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. That leaves him unlikely to play Sunday, putting his first missed regular-season game in real jeopardy.
If Rutledge can’t go, the Texans are expected to turn to fourth-round rookie Febechi Nwaiwu at left guard. Wilson reported that Houston has been preparing Nwaiwu for his first NFL start.
For a team that has been relatively clean on the injury front up front, this would be a notable absence. The Texans’ only offensive line injury through the first half of the season came when Ed Ingram missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a groin issue.
Rutledge’s rookie season has been uneven by the numbers. Through eight games, he has logged more than 500 offensive snaps, while allowing two penalties, two sacks, three hits, and 25 pressures. Pro Football Focus has him at an overall grade of 45.6, which ranks 71st out of 75 eligible guards.
Even so, DeMeco Ryans has praised the first-round pick’s steadiness. Heading into Week 9, Ryans said, “Keylan, he's stepped in and done some really good things for us," Ryans said heading into Week 9.
"He’s played aggressive. He’s had some challenges as a rookie, but he’s weathered it really well.
One bad play doesn't determine how his game goes. He’s able to eliminate a bad play and move onto the next play.”
“He's done a really good job of being steady in there; consistent force for us there on the inside. And I'm pleased to see how the rest of his season continues to progress.
But, he's done a good job as a rookie. “Sometimes you lose sight that he’s a rookie, because he’s been one of our most consistent guys up front.”
The injury is believed to be minor, and with Rutledge missing back-to-back practices this week, the expectation is still that he won’t be out long. Week 11 could become a bigger watch item, though, because Houston is on a short week and faces the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night.
For now, the Texans appear set to lean on Nwaiwu, who played multiple spots in college at Oklahoma and has spent much of this season as a gameday inactive. Still, the coaching staff seems to trust him enough to throw him into the lineup if Rutledge can’t make it back in time for Sunday.
It also says something about how Houston views its young linemen that Nwaiwu is in line to start rather than a more experienced name like Wyatt Teller. For now, though, everything hinges on Rutledge’s status heading into kickoff.
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The Texans have been cautious with the recovery because groin injuries can be tricky, and there is no reason to rush him before he is fully ready. Still, getting Montgomery closer to a return would help deepen the backfield and give Houston another option as it tries to keep defenses honest and take some pressure off the passing game. [Read more 🡒]