The Texans may be dealing with more than one issue when it comes to Reed Blankenship, and the latest update explains why his return has taken longer than expected.
Blankenship has been out since suffering a concussion in the second quarter of Houston’s Week 6 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that wasn’t the only problem. The Texans’ Week 7 injury report ahead of the New York Giants game also listed a hand injury, and now there’s a clearer picture of when that happened.
According to Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle, Blankenship had surgery on his left hand “not long after” the Texans’ win over the Jaguars in Week 6.
Alexander also reported that Blankenship is still in concussion protocol heading into the week of Houston’s matchup with the LA Chargers, making him a player to watch as the week unfolds.
Texans safety Reed Blankenship, who remains in concussion protocol, also had surgery on his left hand not long after the Jaguars game, per a source. The Texans will see how he progress through the week.
Blankenship arrived in Houston as one of the team’s major offseason additions, signing a three-year contract with the expectation that he’d help steady an already strong secondary. Instead, the Texans’ defensive backfield has taken a step back through seven games, and Blankenship’s own start has been slower than hoped.
Even so, he’s still put together a solid stat line in the five games he’s played this season: 45 tackles, three passes defended, a tackle for loss, and Houston’s first interception of the year, which came in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts.
The next real checkpoint comes when the Texans return to practice on Wednesday and release their injury report. That’s when Blankenship will be listed as a full participant, limited participant, or non-participant, and that should offer the clearest hint yet about his Week 9 availability.
A concussion usually keeps players out for one to three weeks, but the added hand surgery could stretch this out longer if Blankenship isn’t able to get back on the field soon.
If he can’t go, veteran MJ Stewart is the name to watch. Stewart had recently returned from a long absence caused by a quad injury and was moved into the starting lineup last week against the Giants as a ready-made replacement.
The Texans have three practices this week before facing the Chargers this weekend, and if Blankenship doesn’t take part in any of them, his chances of playing Sunday would appear slim.
In Other News...
DeMeco Ryans Sends Clear Message As Texans Reset After Bye
After the bye week, DeMeco Ryans made it clear the Texans are treating this stretch as a reset, not a breather. The head coach said Houston has to clean up its own mistakes and get back to the identity it wants to play with, while also revisiting some of the wrinkles in the offense, including the Jumbo formation. He also pointed to the return of offensive tackle Braden Smith as part of the conversation, with the focus squarely on fundamentals and execution.
Ryans also addressed the injury picture without offering much in the way of a timetable. Jalen Pitre, Reed Blankenship and David Montgomery have all missed recent games, and the Texans are still waiting for more clarity on when they might be back. For a team trying to sharpen its edge after the break, the next step is less about adding new ideas and more about getting the details right. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Just Lost A Young Playmaker DeMeco Ryans Counts On
The Texans took a hit to their receiver depth coming out of the Week 8 bye, placing Jaylin Noel on injured reserve after he suffered a foot injury during the break. For a team that has leaned on young contributors to help round out the offense and special teams, Noels loss is a meaningful one, especially after he had carved out a role that DeMeco Ryans valued on both sides of the ball.
Ryans pointed to Noel as a player who mattered in multiple phases, and now Houston will have to redistribute those snaps and touches elsewhere. Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Kayshon Boutte, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Tank Dell are among the options who could see more chances, but the Texans are suddenly looking at a spot that needs to be filled rather than merely rotated. [Read more 🡒]
Texans May Have To Choose Between O-Line Patience And Draft Help
As the NFL trade deadline nears, the Texans are weighing whether to keep building around their current roster or start looking for future draft capital. One possible name in that conversation is guard Wyatt Teller, whose first season in Houston has not gone as hoped after signing a two-year deal. He has mostly filled a backup role, and that has made him a candidate to be moved if the front office decides the value of a pick outweighs keeping him in the mix.
The larger issue for Houston is what kind of path it wants to take from here. The Texans are short on mid-round selections in the upcoming draft, so adding picks would help restore some flexibility if they choose to sell. At the same time, moving a veteran depth piece would signal a shift in approach, and the deadline may force the team to decide whether patience on the offensive line is worth more than the help a draft pick could bring. [Read more 🡒]